New 32 Flex tank is ready! Would love stocking advice?

[Wendybrass]

This is my 32.5 Flex. My first attempt at anything larger than 10g. First the deets:

32g
PH 7.2
Ammonia 0
Nitrite 0
Nitrate 5ppm
76 degrees
Tank was seeded with media from an established 10 g plus I dosed with nutrafin BB. It's been set up for 4 weeks. Most of the plants seem to have settled in nicely. A couple keep getting uprooted and the sword type ones near the front seem to be going through a melt on some of the leaves. Otherwise everything else I'm liking. I inherited a couple snails with my plants. At first I thought bladder snails but the one has grown enough that I think it's a pond snail. The other one seems to be staying small. There's 6 zebras in there that moved in from the 10 gallon.

Here's what I'm thinking but could really use some advice.

2 clown plecos or corydoras
3 honey gouramis or female Betta or angel fish
6 Neon tetras ?
6 zebra danios (currently in tank)
2 pond snails (currently in tank)

My aquascape is a bit sloppy, not my intention going in but for my first time I think I'm okay. Once I know the plants are established I'll do some trimming, add some lower plants, maybe some more wood?

Thank you so much in advance

 

[Aiken Drum]

I would probably just go for 1 pleco and a bigger group of corys. And i think a bigger group of neons would be good too.

 

[Wendybrass]

Thank you! Should I do a group of neons as well as say the angel fish, Betta or gouramis or instead of?

 

[Aiken Drum]

I would say neons can live with those species. As always its down to the temperament of individual fish and what works in 1 tank may not work in another with different fish.

If you go with angelfish, i would stick with an individual or a pair of young fish and introduce them last so they grow up with the smaller fish and dont see them as food.

What do you think of the tank so far? Ive just started the 57 litre version.

 

[Wendybrass]

I absolutely love it. Cleaning is a little tricky in the filter compartment. I now have a narrower tube on my syphon to go in the little areas on the sides. I also had a bit of an issue getting the lighting to sync with my time zone - poor Danny's got a 1:00am thunderstorm. I've read some people have upgraded the pump - I'm so far not seeing any reason to do that but I'm not stocked so we'll see. My experience is just 2 10 gal tanks so comparing to the HOB filters this is so nice and neat. I really do love it. How about you?

 

[Aiken Drum]

Ive not tried cleaning the filtration yet. I picked a rather inconvenient space to put it without much space above to pull out the sponge block and get a syphon in there, so ive been putting it off. Next time i have a clear day ill give it a go. I may need to shop around for a small syphon, im sure i can find something i can manipulate in there.

The intake grill is too close to the bottom to get a decent depth of substrate in there (maybe only an inch), so ive had to grade the substrate deeper on the other side of the tank to get enough depth to put a rooted plant in, so i found it a little limiting to aquascape with plants, but im fairly happy with how it is currently.

It reads as though your light is programmable? Mine on the 57 litre isnt, but i got a socket timer. The light is adaquate, i would like it a little brighter, but its ok and not worth upgrading. If it came with an aquasky light fitting as Romas do now, i would be happier.

The tank itself is well built, the filtration is doing a good job, but i may get the purpose built trays to go in the sump at some time in the future so i can play around with media set up and get rid of the sponge block which i can see being a problem longer term. I definately need to get a cover for the feeder hole in the lid to stop our cat poking his nose in to get a drink.

Overall, despite things i would like to see improved on im happy with it. Does what i wanted at the budget i set myself, and i think it looks quite stylish. Im a fan of fluval equipment.

https://www.aquariumadvice.com/forums/f70/fluval-flex-57-a-379456.html

Link to my thread. Needs updating a little. I have my CPDs in there now who are doing well and putting on a little size. I want to get another plant in there and a betta. Im toying with seeing if a few shrimp can live in there with a betta too.

 

[Wendybrass]

Hahaha smart cat! I didn't plan well when I placed this tank. I have to get up on a step stool so I can see down into the chambers. I've read how some folks have customized the filter blocks. Threw out the carbon and layered in more media and sponges etc. If you switch yours up do a post on it. I'd be interested to know what you did. When I vacuum I'm not disturbing the gravel too much because the plants are still getting established, so I was a little concerned about being thorough, but in vacuuming out the chambers there was quite a bit in there so I'm thinking it's doing a decent job pulling crap in. Hope so anyway.

Yes I have the aquasky app and the lights are really fun. I have cloudy days, storms, sunrise and sunset programed on a timeline. Completely customizable and easy to edit. My only complaint is if the power goes out the program doesn't start again automatically, I have to go into the app and start it. Also the lighting isn't good enough for all plants apparently. There's a notch for a light I could add for more variety of plants But this is fine for me. I'm low tech, can't be bothered with CO2 or...... That's above my skillset at the moment.

 

[Wendybrass]

Here's what I have:
bristlenose pleco
6 guppies - 4 female, 2 male
3 platys
and if course my 6 danios and a couple snails

Today is day one with the newbies. I'm really enjoying the colorful guppies. They're adorable!

Nothing super exciting but it's my first attempt at a community tank