# Discussion on water flow



## zanguli-ya-zamba (11 Jan 2013)

Hello,
how you guys in the cold winter of Europe ??
Here in Congo we have very hot weather these days.

So as my title says, i would like to open a debate about water circulation !!!
If i have decide to open this thread it's because there are a lot of topic just on CO2 , or just on light, or just on fertilizer, but i have not seen a thread talking just about water flow. As Clive and other master of this forum tell us every time that water circulation is one of the key factor of a planted tank. I think it would be a good thing to have this debate.
Hope that some super moderator and other will interact in this debate !!!
The subject will be in different point:

- what kind of composition / hardscape, is favorable to a good water flow. Central composition with back front and side ways open ? Or right and left composition with the back planted with stem plant ? or just one of the side of the tank with hardscape and the other one with smaller plants ?

- outlet position ? lilly pipes throwing water from corner to corner (on the left back window to right back window and than coming to right front to left front) ? Or spraybar with the flow coming from the back to the front. ETC ....

-Related to the different choice of outlet position, how will you position you coralia or other circulation pump. On top of the water pointing to the substrate ? Or in the middle of height of the tank pointing horizontally  ETC...

So debate is open now hope that it will alive !!!
thanks for reading and answering.

cheers 
Zanguli ya zamba


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## zanguli-ya-zamba (11 Jan 2013)

What kind of problems you have face with this or this composition / outlet position .....


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## iPlantTanks (11 Jan 2013)

I've found that having a diagonal flow from one side , top to bottom to the other worked best for me in my heavy planted. Using a spray bar to give an even jet of water across the depth of the tank. I find it moves the majority of waste to the inlet whilst leaving a small amount across the whole substrate to act as fertiliser and a small dead patch just underneath the spray bar where there are few plants but a collection of waste and decay from the plants which means substrate vacuuming is very easy and doesn't disturb the plant roots.
I've tried a front-to-back rolling flow and it caused a lot of waste to be left beneath all the plants so it was a nightmare when vacumming. 

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## zanguli-ya-zamba (11 Jan 2013)

I don't really understand ?! Best for your heavily planted tank is using a spray bar ?? Or a Lilly pipes throwing water from back left to front right (diagonal) ??
Excuse me for my English ! 


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## zanguli-ya-zamba (11 Jan 2013)

At the moment I'm using a corner to corner flow (round) and I'm facing some problems with dead spot along the middle of the tank. 


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## iPlantTanks (11 Jan 2013)

Sorry if I wasn't clear, I don't use lily pipes but a spraybar instead so I can get an even flow that cover the whole depth of my tank. Because it's quite heavily planted the bases of the  tall stem plants at the back are completely covered by the midground and the midground covered by the smallest foreground plants so a flow going down diagonally from right to left worked best for me to make water flow over all of the plants and move the waste to practical places. Hope this is a little clearer 

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## zanguli-ya-zamba (11 Jan 2013)

Yes tank you mow I understand. And you have found that with this technic you have a better collect of the waste !! 
So it is a rolling flow from right to left !? I think it s a good technic ! 

Thanks for opening the debate !!! 
Please guys continue to post on this discussion 


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## roadmaster (11 Jan 2013)

I like the spraybar mounted on back glass, with flow pointing toward's front glass ,down the glass,across the tank from front to back ,and back up behind the plant's along back glass.
Intakes are in both rear corner's.
Have found that this provides me with the flow that result's in tall plant's staying upright,as opposed to leaning one way or the other.
Then I don't hold my head 'cockeyed' so much.


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## Alastair (11 Jan 2013)

Clive did write an article on flow in a planted tank but I'm on tapatalk at the moment but will try to find the link later 


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## zanguli-ya-zamba (11 Jan 2013)

HELLO,
are you not facing problems with a lack of flow at the bottom of your plant, due to the transition of the foreground plants, to the middle and the background plants ?
For me I think this is the more powerful flow you can have, because water have less space to travel. If you take my actual set up and the one of Iplants, the water haver to travel to the all length of the tank, and in your set up it have to travel on the width !!! 
But If you have only one inlet, will it be enough efficient to collect waste ??


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## zanguli-ya-zamba (11 Jan 2013)

And what about composition ??


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## Arana (11 Jan 2013)

You will find endless disscussions on flow in the Filters, Filtration and Pumps section


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## zanguli-ya-zamba (11 Jan 2013)

YOU ARE RIGHT ARANA ! 
THANK YOU 
CHEERS


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## roadmaster (11 Jan 2013)

zanguli-ya-zamba said:


> HELLO,
> are you not facing problems with a lack of flow at the bottom of your plant, due to the transition of the foreground plants, to the middle and the background plants ?
> For me I think this is the more powerful flow you can have, because water have less space to travel. If you take my actual set up and the one of Iplants, the water haver to travel to the all length of the tank, and in your set up it have to travel on the width !!!
> But If you have only one inlet, will it be enough efficient to collect waste ??


 

 If your question was/is directed to me,, I have two spray bar's from two filter's and two inlet's posistioned as mentioned.
Was clive that suggested this arrangement and I am pleased.
Everything collect's at the back glass,and the corner's where inlet's pick it up.
Pre-filter's over the intakes (tiny shrimp's) are cleaned each week .


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## iPlantTanks (11 Jan 2013)

zanguli-ya-zamba said:


> HELLO,
> are you not facing problems with.....



I think it's all to do with the power of your filter too, my older filter wouldn't have worked well going from right to left but this one does. it's rated at 1000L/h,going across a 2"7' tank. The plants on the far left sway and like I said waste and anything else caught up always gets pushed to the inlet or "rolls" back round to the dead spot, ready to be vacuumed up

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## naz (11 Jan 2013)

hello i messed about with the flow in my tank so many times iv lost count
the best way iv found,is wot cegs surgested to me about a year ago,one hole length of spray bay along the hole,back off the tank,about an inch under the
surface,pushing the flow to the front off the tank,then down the front of the tank on to the substate,brilliant co2 distribution


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## Brian Murphy (12 Jan 2013)

Anyone any ideas as to the best way to even the flow for my tank?  Need some expert advice as to the best way.  Heres my set up so far .....
5ft Juwel Rio 400
1 x Allponds 1400l/h +uv with UP inline atomizer
1 x All ponds 2000l/h 
1 x Newwave 600-1600l/h powerhead






The drop checker is green but I know that flow isn't quite right as its difficult to work out how best to do it with minimal costs.  In my own mind I think that I should invest in another UP inline atomizer and split the Co2 to both filters, the problem being the size of hosing on the 2000l/h is bigger than the 16/20mm atomizer. Maybe a longer spraybar across the full 5ft but then I don't think the allponds would be powerful enough on their own to work a spraybar that length plus I need the 2 filters for flow anyway.  Maybe I should change to an fx5 with one spraybar? I dunno what would work best so if Clive or anyone could guide me here please!


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## zanguli-ya-zamba (12 Jan 2013)

Hi,
There is thread about someone using a fluval FX 5, where they explain how to modified the tubing to use an inline atomizer. I am now on tapatalk and I don't have the link. But here is picture if it can help. 




Cheers zanguli 


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## Brian Murphy (12 Jan 2013)

Cheers, yeah I saw that thread before but I'd say there is alot of flow loss from the fx5's 22mm hosing


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## bape (13 Jan 2013)

I'm currently using a filter which is a little under powered but was wondering how I can detect 'dead spots'?


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## Spikey-Mike (13 Jan 2013)

Hi,

The photo was mine  and here is the link to the thread.... Fluval fx5 too much for a high tech 200l? | UK Aquatic Plant Society
I threw away the fluval tubing and used what you see in the photo just peeking out from behind the filter.

Cheers, Mike.


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## zanguli-ya-zamba (14 Jan 2013)

To detect dead spot, usually you can see an accumulation of debris or organic waste in a certain point. Like behind a stone or around a plant that is too thick. Just look to waste accumulation on substrate to understand where is the dead spot. 

Regards 
Zanguli


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## zanguli-ya-zamba (14 Jan 2013)

Hi mike. 
I have read your thread because tonight I am receiving my Fx5 and it was very interesting to read it !! Thank you
For the inlet also you have change the tubing ? 
You have use 22 mm tube ? WAs it fitting correctly the Fx5 without problems ?? 
Because I have a inline atomizer of 22 mm so I would like to use it the filter and not use again my glass diffuser inside the tank. 

Cheers
Zanguli 


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## zanguli-ya-zamba (14 Jan 2013)

Ok 
Every one have talk about outlet and inlet position. 
But what about plant and hardscape composition. 
Did you have noticed that with this kind of composition you are having flow problem or something else ? 
Like when you have full of stem plants at the back, it s stuck the flow, or when you have a big hardscape on a corner it s disturbing the flow ??

Please be free to share you experiences 

Zanguli


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## Spikey-Mike (14 Jan 2013)

Hi,

The tube is 25mm outside diameter and I guess 21mm or thereabouts inside diameter. It is stiff stuff but goes over the fittings and fx5 fittings easily once warmed up with hot water.

Cheers, Mike.


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## zanguli-ya-zamba (14 Jan 2013)

Thanks !! I Will try it and let you know as soon as I got my filter. 

Regards 


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## Ozzy_Uk (17 Jan 2013)

i was looking into this recently too...

my undertsanding was that you want to get good flow across the tank?

what is the recomended method, or is it more of a case of suck it and see?

i did this diagram:





 which is the best option for a planted tank?


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## Ed Seeley (18 Jan 2013)

Flow in a tank isn't as simple as your diagrams unfortunately. Personally I'd go for having the inlet and outlet in the same corner in small or medium tanks. This will set up a circular flow in an otherwise empty tank but hardscape and planting will effect this.


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## NatureBoy (18 Jan 2013)

i would always look to supplement flow with koralia type powerheads strategically placed with the aim of creating a circular flow across the scape, they can revitalise dead spots


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