Fluval flex 15 rescape

[Slick_Nick]

Hello everyone I wanted to share the rescape I did on my Fluval flex 15g aquarium. I first set it up May of 2020 and left it like that until just a couple days ago. Here’s a photo from when I first set it up 

the s repens did good for a few months and then melted away so I pulled it all out. Here’s a photo from a week ago before I rescaped it. 

the crypts were popping up with baby plants all around the tank even on the other side here’s what they looked like with the roots when I pulled them all out. 

I just reused all the plants I had except some of the crypts. The foreground doesn’t look the greatest yet because the hydrocotyle tripartita wasn’t fun to plant but once it starts growing in it’ll look nicer. I added it from my high tech tank. I added some more seiryu stone I had saved and reused the old pieces just used different sides of the stones this time. I wanted to make a cave for my Apisto because he gets spooked easily! He’s camera shy! I love the cave I made it adds a very dark mysterious area to the tank and he has places to get through from the back on both sides as well it’s really cool!

[WillC]

Are you using the stock light that came with the flex? Thank you for sharing! It looks great. Definitely gives me some inspiration for my current project!

[Slick_Nick]

On 11/27/2021 at 3:02 PM, WillC said:

Are you using the stock light that came with the flex? Thank you for sharing! It looks great. Definitely gives me some inspiration for my current project!

WillC I am using the stock light for me it has been plenty powerful for the plants I’m growing. I even have pogostemon helferi growing in there. I just made sure to keep it from getting shaded by everything. With the stock light I used the white obviously and then selected the color that is like a pink/purple so it adds some red and blue. When you set it on a timer it will come back on with the colors as well.

[Atitagain]

Love the rescape looks great. And that apisto is crazy cool looking. The cave does add a dark element to the scaping, helps highlight the colors you got going on. I really like the “tunnel” on the left as well. 

[Slick_Nick]

On 11/27/2021 at 6:47 PM, Atitagain said:

Love the rescape looks great. And that apisto is crazy cool looking. The cave does add a dark element to the scaping, helps highlight the colors you got going on. I really like the “tunnel” on the left as well. 

Thank you I really appreciate it! It is nice setting up a scape with mature plants it looks filled in good right from the start! 

[xXInkedPhoenixX]

Beautiful tank! I have the 9 and the stock lighting seems to do fine with plants. Never thought of using pink/purple. I ran through the whole color range and landed on the orange just because it made everything in my tank look nicer but I may have to play with that more!

[Slick_Nick]

On 11/27/2021 at 7:50 PM, xXInkedPhoenixX said:

Beautiful tank! I have the 9 and the stock lighting seems to do fine with plants. Never thought of using pink/purple. I ran through the whole color range and landed on the orange just because it made everything in my tank look nicer but I may have to play with that more!

xXInkedPhoenixX how do you like your 9g? I almost went with the 9 but talked myself into spending a little more money lol 😂 the reason I chose the purple was because it was red and blue and those colors help plants grow. I haven’t messed with any other colors for all I know there may be a setting that would make my tank look better, but I feel like it pops just fine as it is! 

[xXInkedPhoenixX]

Yeah I read an article recently about the blue and red lighting because I was looking for a houseplant grow light, one seems more beneficial than the other seems like you should have a combo which I guess is why I didn't bother choosing either! 😄

I like my 9 ok, it's a beautiful tank (both the 9 and 15) I actually like the stock lighting a lot- but I'm skeptical about it's filtering abilities. I've had more fish illness in that tank than any other tank and I maintain it just as much as I do my other very healthy tanks (some of which are bigger, some smaller). I hotrodded it with aftermarket stuff but switched it back to some of the original. Replaced the original pump (which for the 9 wore out quickly and was junk IMO). Replaced the stock sponges with more porous, added bio rings and coral and even a small sponge filter. The tank always tests well with all the bad stuff being 0 and the nitrates in the 10-20 range but fish keep mysteriously dying off. Just finished a round of Kanaplex/Furan2 and crossing my fingers. Plan on upgrading the sponge in there with a bigger sponge. I probably shouldn't blame the tank but I can't think of any other reason it would happen.

The plants grow well I can certainly give it that. My Hillstream seems to love the flow from the pump (most people complain the pump is too strong but mine is baffled by a sculpture). I chose a pump that had variable flow but in the end it seems high flow works best with this tank. I like how different the tank looks and it's very sleek. I really want it to work out. You have any issues with yours?

[Slick_Nick]

On 11/27/2021 at 8:08 PM, xXInkedPhoenixX said:

Yeah I read an article recently about the blue and red lighting because I was looking for a houseplant grow light, one seems more beneficial than the other seems like you should have a combo which I guess is why I didn't bother choosing either! 😄

I like my 9 ok, it's a beautiful tank (both the 9 and 15) I actually like the stock lighting a lot- but I'm skeptical about it's filtering abilities. I've had more fish illness in that tank than any other tank and I maintain it just as much as I do my other very healthy tanks (some of which are bigger, some smaller). I hotrodded it with aftermarket stuff but switched it back to some of the original. Replaced the original pump (which for the 9 wore out quickly and was junk IMO). Replaced the stock sponges with more porous, added bio rings and coral and even a small sponge filter. The tank always tests well with all the bad stuff being 0 and the nitrates in the 10-20 range but fish keep mysteriously dying off. Just finished a round of Kanaplex/Furan2 and crossing my fingers. Plan on upgrading the sponge in there with a bigger sponge. I probably shouldn't blame the tank but I can't think of any other reason it would happen.

The plants grow well I can certainly give it that. My Hillstream seems to love the flow from the pump (most people complain the pump is too strong but mine is baffled by a sculpture). I chose a pump that had variable flow but in the end it seems high flow works best with this tank. I like how different the tank looks and it's very sleek. I really want it to work out. You have any issues with yours?

Sorry to hear about your fish dying that’s always a frustrating time especially when you can figure out what’s causing it! I was bummed at first that my pump wasn’t adjustable, but the flow is perfect and you can adjust the direction of the flow! I have one of mine breaking the water surface a bit and it adds a nice shimmering effect! For me the 15g filters amazingly! I also run purigen in my filter which makes the water even more crystal clear! When I did the rescape a few days ago and refilled the tank it was a mess! It cleared up perfectly by the time I woke up 7 hours later. I love the depth of the aquarium and the all in one makes everything so simple to operate!

[xXInkedPhoenixX]

Thanks. I'll figure it out or I'll toss the tank and get a regular rimmed tank which I seem to be good at 😄

I think it helps you have the 15 and in retrospect that's the one I should have gotten- the size probably helps the filtration in this particular case. I too decided the same flow as you, one slightly under the surface and one slightly above- that seems to work great. I have purigen but was slightly daunted by the whole bleach it to clean it thing so I haven't tried. How do you put it in your tank? just in a bag in the sponges or? 

[Minanora]

Looks great! I love the variety in colors and I love the hydrocotyle tripartita in the foreground. I look forward to seeing everything fill in! The stone layout is great.

[Slick_Nick]

On 11/27/2021 at 8:48 PM, xXInkedPhoenixX said:

Thanks. I'll figure it out or I'll toss the tank and get a regular rimmed tank which I seem to be good at 😄

I think it helps you have the 15 and in retrospect that's the one I should have gotten- the size probably helps the filtration in this particular case. I too decided the same flow as you, one slightly under the surface and one slightly above- that seems to work great. I have purigen but was slightly daunted by the whole bleach it to clean it thing so I haven't tried. How do you put it in your tank? just in a bag in the sponges or? 

To be honest I am not in the mood to try and bleach the purigen to recharge it or whatever haha I just run it for about 6 months and then replace it and yes I keep it in the top slot of the filter. The purigen I purchase comes already in a little bag. I’ve had one with a hole before that I didn’t notice and it sprayed that little white stuff all over my aquarium! I was freaked out but it eventually went away and everything was okay.

On 11/27/2021 at 10:00 PM, Minanora said:

Looks great! I love the variety in colors and I love the hydrocotyle tripartita in the foreground. I look forward to seeing everything fill in! The stone layout is great.

Thank you! Yes the hydrocotyle tripartita is a really cool plant! I have it growing in my aquarium with pressurized co2 and I have to trim it quite often to keep it low! It looks very nice and is dense my corys will disappear into it and pop out in a different area it’s fun to watch! Since it grows so fast I now have some in all my aquariums.

Edited November 28, 2021 by Slick_Nick

[xXInkedPhoenixX]

Ah I'll have to look for the little bags. I bought special ones just for the Purigen they may be good enough but I've been too chicken to really look at them yet- I ordered them, got them, and promptly put them away 😀 

And as you said, to be honest, *I* kinda planned on just tossing it too- but still wasn't sure about using it at all. Maybe I'll revisit it for this Flex....

[Slick_Nick]

On 11/27/2021 at 11:21 PM, xXInkedPhoenixX said:

Ah I'll have to look for the little bags. I bought special ones just for the Purigen they may be good enough but I've been too chicken to really look at them yet- I ordered them, got them, and promptly put them away 😀 

And as you said, to be honest, *I* kinda planned on just tossing it too- but still wasn't sure about using it at all. Maybe I'll revisit it for this Flex....

Yeah the little bags they already come in is really handy. It’s empty enough where you can fold it in half and it fits perfectly into the filter slot! I’d give it a shot it can’t hurt! Just make sure the bags you got are fine enough it won’t leak out! Test it out before putting it in the tank by sticking it into a bucket of water and seeing if it comes out. If I remember correctly it suggests rinsing it before putting it in anyways. It may make the water a little foggy initially but after a while it made my fish look like they were floating through the air!