# My new Fluval Flora *thoughts*



## sayurasem (Jun 17, 2011)

Oh man you shouldn't rinse the fluval stratum, it will break down easily and faster. And are you using the stock filter that came with the kit? It will probably take 5-7 days to clear up (the stock filter doesn't really good on filtering small particles).


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## Fluval30CRS (Apr 18, 2013)

Yes I am using the stock filter. I rinsed the stratum because I read the packaging and it said to gently rinse it so I did.


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## AguaTropical (Apr 3, 2013)

I think your stocking list is a little heavy for the size of your tank...especially for the stock filter.

I'd recommend using AqAdvisor.com, which allows you to enter the dimensions of your tank, your filter (GPH), and select an option which will only display suitable species for your tank.


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## AguaTropical (Apr 3, 2013)

Also, will you be using CO2??


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## CuriousAmerican (Nov 30, 2012)

Best review of the Fluval Flora. He adds a simple light and changes the filter.

He put 6 cardinal tetras into the Fluval Flora.

Yo do NOT need 6 otos. 2 should be sufficient. 1 alone will be neurotic.

He has shrimp, lobsters, otos and cardinals.

My recommendation:

A) 6 cardinals
B) 2 otos.
C) Shrimp 

AqAdvisor uses a funny algorithm for tetras. It requires 200 sq inches for a tetra.

If you doubt it, enter in a custom tank size of

2001 inch in length, 0.1 in Depth, and 8 inch height, and it will approve cardinal tetras.

Your only warning will be 5 tetras are required.

I did this with varying numbers. 200 inches is what they require for cardinals. 

AqAdvisor is NOT as rock solid an advisor as you think.

That being said. 6 cardinals will shoal, not school in a flora.

If you are interested in more action, croaking gouramis or dario dario. Both are micro fish.

Do not get too bent out of shape with AqAdvisor. As one person pointed out, Cardinals do not really school until you get to 40 gallons. 

One thing AqAdvisor is good for is check species vs temperature. Cardinal tetras run in warm water. So you will have to run at about 80 F 27 C

Check your shrimp and lobsters accordingly. Cherry shrimp should be okay. Maybe some micro lobsters.
But check the temp range.





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## AguaTropical (Apr 3, 2013)

I agree that you shouldn't base all your decisions off of AqAdvisor, but it is a very handy tool regardless. If you aren't sure what you want to stock, it is a good starting place.


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## Fluval30CRS (Apr 18, 2013)

Thanks for advice on the stocking guys. I am going to be using the co2 kit for the first few weeks but might get rid of it if it doesn't do much.


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## CuriousAmerican (Nov 30, 2012)

Another guy with Cardinals in a Fluval





And another (third) guy with Cardinals in a Fluval







So go for it with cardinals. It is doable. They will shoal, but they won't school. No harm to the fish though.

===================

Scarlet Badis - (dario dario) do well in small tanks






===================

If you are going to go with a tank like this, consider an Evolve 8. It does not take a lot to modify the Evolve 8 filter and pump.

This filter mod is so easy, it is amazing






Pump mod


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## Fluval30CRS (Apr 18, 2013)

I would really like to get Dario Dario for my tank but there us no shops around my area sell them. Also I would really like to get HC for my tank but I also can't get it. Does anyone no an Australian website that I can get these things from!?


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## somewhatshocked (Aug 8, 2011)

Otos are a schooling species and thrive best when they're in groups of six plus.

That's why people like Rachel (msninkzd) and other micro fish experts recommend groups of that size.

Not to say they won't be perfectly fine in groups of two or three. They just won't necessarily behave as they would in larger groups.



CuriousAmerican said:


> Yo do NOT need 6 otos. 2 should be sufficient. 1 alone will be neurotic.


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## Fluval30CRS (Apr 18, 2013)

Hey guys I have finished adding all of the plants and have cycled the tank. One of the Molly's in my bigger tank (juwel 240) has had about 20 fry, I added them to my fluval so they wouldn't get eaten and they are all fine. I also have added 4 crs one on them has shed an exo skeleton. And one is swimming around really fast up against the sides if the tank. Its really weird as the other ones are being normal. Sometimes he will swim to the top of the tank and then go head first into a plant. It also got it self stuck in the edge of my filter :-( I think it was there for about 10 mins and then I found it there so I helped him get out then he started swimming around frantically again.please help what is wrong with him?


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## stevencaller (Sep 14, 2012)

I'm afraid you can't keep otos in groups as small as just 2


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## supergreeneye (Oct 29, 2011)

I've been running my flora for about 3 years now i have upgraded the filter lights and c02 i also bought another bag of stranum and tore out the background cause it kept coming off and knocking the top off i have 10 white cloud mountain minnows for about 6 month to a year i have had basically no problems with the original hardware but decided to upgrade after finding out that the stock c02 sucks and a better more versatile filter and the stock light got wet and stoped working so i went with an led setup i hope u enjoy the tank


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## Lukeo85 (Nov 13, 2012)

Fluval30CRS said:


> Hey guys I have finished adding all of the plants and have cycled the tank. One of the Molly's in my bigger tank (juwel 240) has had about 20 fry, I added them to my fluval so they wouldn't get eaten and they are all fine. I also have added 4 crs one on them has shed an exo skeleton. And one is swimming around really fast up against the sides if the tank. Its really weird as the other ones are being normal. Sometimes he will swim to the top of the tank and then go head first into a plant. It also got it self stuck in the edge of my filter :-( I think it was there for about 10 mins and then I found it there so I helped him get out then he started swimming around frantically again.please help what is wrong with him?


That may have been a female molt and the male searching for a mate. The female will release a pheromone after a molt and the males frantically swim around in search of the female. That may be what you experienced. Take a close look there's a chance you might have a berried female.


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## Couesfanatic (Sep 28, 2009)

stevencaller said:


> I'm afraid you can't keep otos in groups as small as just 2


I've kept otos in groups on two's for years. It's perfectly fine.


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## Fluval30CRS (Apr 18, 2013)

Yes, one of my crs is berries now, infact I have two but she was already prego from the other tank when I moved her. Unfortunately she died about 4 days after I introduced her into the tank. I think it was because of the co2 kit in the tank because the night before she died there seemed to be a few shrimp at the top of the tank which was probably because they needed oxygen. So I took the co2 kit out and within 3 days the shrimp looked happier than ever (brighter colours coming to the front of the tank) and I have seen 2 shrimp molt not sure if that is just neutral or good. Later some real bad algae started to grow so I decided to get some otocinclus from the LFS. Fortunately all are happy and eating well although one of them has a bad tail fin that seems to have been nipped and now has something white growing around it. So I have two questions 

1. How should I manage the co2 should I just take it out at night?

2. Will the otos fin grow back?


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