# Just a few questions



## Dave wants nano (22 Jun 2016)

I have a few question that I hope you can help with.
1. Is there a good general temperature to keep a planted aquarium?
2. What is a good lighting period, and with or without a break in the middle?
3. Glass lily pipes, what s the difference between them? If it's just flow pattern, has anyone got a diagram showing the different ones?
Thanks in advance!


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## Tim Harrison (22 Jun 2016)

With open top aquariums I try to keep evaporation, and therefore ambient room moisture, to a minimum by keeping the tank temp as low as is healthy for tropicals. For me I guess it's a somewhat random temp based on experience of around 23 degrees.

To start with 6 hours lighting is the sort of standard. Photoperiod and intensity can be increased if necessary once the scape matures. Any more than that and you risk algae problems...

Outflow can direct current toward the substrate or across the surface and degrees in between. There are others such as those that "spin" the outflow to provide a soft current.
Inflow are all pretty much standard, except those that also double as surface skimmers.

Personally, I prefer an outflow that directs a fairly strong current across the surface, and I think an inflow doubling as a surface skimmer is a really good idea. Both increase gas exchange which contributes to a healthy aquarium.


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## Paulo Soares (23 Jun 2016)

My opinion,



> 1. Is there a good general temperature to keep a planted aquarium?



I used the same parameters as Tropica plant provider does. 25 degrees and also a 5 KH



> 2. What is a good lighting period, and with or without a break in the middle?



Besides what Troi mentioned, good observation is the Key. Cause this light issue can´t be analised apart of CO2 and Fertlizition. You´ll need to find balance between them. For instance i start with one hour with a single T5 39W in 3000 Kelvins. After an hour this bulb shuts off and start two T5 of 6500 K and 4200 K, that work along 6 hours. After this 6 hours with two bulbs they shut down and return to the one with 3000 Kelvins alone. This leads to 8 hours photoperiod. But if i put these 4 Bulbs along 8 hours i´m done! 
Light is the major KEy for Co2 and ferts.



> 3. Glass lily pipes, what s the difference between them? If it's just flow pattern, has anyone got a diagram showing the different ones?



From what concern Lily Pipes take under serious consideration that those equipments drastically reduce the power flow of the filters. And if this occur you´ll have serious problems in the tank. Good flow is really needed.

Best regards.


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## Tim Harrison (23 Jun 2016)

I forgot to mention, with regards the last point and Paulo's observation on it...
Cheap lily pipes can drastically reduce flow. Often they are made of thicker glass, therefore the bore is narrower.
More expensive pipes tend to be better made of tougher glass and so often tend to have a wider bore and thus provide less of an obstruction to flow.
My advice would be to invest in a decent set, from a comapny like Cal Aqua Labs or gUSH. Check out our sponsors for more options.,


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## Paulo Soares (23 Jun 2016)

I have a 16/22 mm set of Cal Aqua Lab and still it reduce a lot the flow.. i mean a Lot ! My INflow is the one with 20 Inlets. 
I try also ADA Lily Pipes with 18 Inlets (i believe its 18) and hapen the same. 

Bottom Line.. if he intend to use Lily Pipes he´s go to be aware to buy a lote more powerful filter than what would be necessary to compensate the flow redution.

Regard i have a Eheim Pro 4/600 for a 120 Liter tank and still as soon i put the Lily Pipes there goes all the flow away and Co2 being acumulating in the top of the water.. and still i only have 40 cm of tube since the filter to the tank. Lily Pipes are really beautiful indeed but to use them we need to buy a more powerful filter. 

Otherwise there goes the flow away.. 
This is simple: The more you reduce the entrance of the water (inflow) the less flow you´ll get. No science needed. 

Best regards


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## Daveslaney (23 Jun 2016)

If you reduce the filter flow on the intake side with a glass intake pipe.It wont matter how powerful the flow rate of the filter is,The restriction is the glass intake pipe?


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## Dave wants nano (23 Jun 2016)

Thanks for the advice guys. 
I will have to check the temperature recommendations for the plants I have. 
Am I right in thinking that if you have the co2 at 30ppm, dosing EI ferts at the recommended dose, then adjust the light to suit the plants? With the light, is it best to adjust the length of time, or the distance from the tank. In my case I have a Dennerle 24 watt led light over a 50lt scaper tank.
I recently upgraded my filter to a Eheim pro4 250, which I have turned down to just over half way, so it should be powerful enough. I am hoping that the lily pipe will not only look better but will help with the surface film I keep getting. If the ordinary set doesn't work I will try the glass skimmer outlet. I was just wonder what the difference was between the different shapes.
Thank again for your help.


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## Paulo Soares (24 Jun 2016)

Dave wants nano said:


> I recently upgraded my filter to a Eheim pro4 250, which I have turned down to just over half way, so it should be powerful enough. I am hoping that the lily pipe will not only look better but will help with the surface film I keep getting. If the ordinary set doesn't work I will try the glass skimmer outlet. I was just wonder what the difference was between the different shapes.
> Thank again for your help.



You´re absolutely wrong. If you are experience film surface that means you haven´t enough flow and gas are acumulating at the surface. 
Puting a Skimmer is the same of covering the sun with dust.. and puting the lily to make aeration or whatever is another myth.. you won´t be providing gas exchanges CO2/O2 by that way. Forget it. Or the amount is so meaningless that is the same equal to zero. 

No skimmer needed or Lily pipes as long you have a SIMPLE good filtration sistem. 
I repeat: As long you have a good powerful filter producing good flow you won´t need anything else. 

The money you´re investing in Lily´s and Skimmner etc etc canalised it to buy a very good filter. 
Filter is the Heart of your tank. Nothing else. And i´m allready assuming that your Eheim 4/250 will be weak for your needs. 

Measures of your tank please? 

Best regards


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## Paulo Soares (24 Jun 2016)

Daveslaney said:


> If you reduce the filter flow on the intake side with a glass intake pipe.It wont matter how powerful the flow rate of the filter is,The restriction is the glass intake pipe?



If you have a "1250 rpm" power filter you´ll have "X" liters being sucked trough those inlets.
What hapens if you incresase speed to 1900 rpm? 

Best regards


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## Pedro Rosa (24 Jun 2016)

It's a great misconception to say changing to Lilly Pipes is only changing the way the aquarium looks and that it gives less power.
You should understand that, with a Lilly Pipe outflow, you don't have a narrow output but a wider one. That changes the way the water circulation is done in the whole aquarium - for best. You have less "apparent" power but much better water circulation due to the fact that you get less death spots. Besides that, good Lilly Pipes, give you the ability to have less problems with film surface (but, like said before, film surface could be a filtration issue, if you're making water changes weekly).

Regarding water circulation: not all lilly pipes are equal. You have also outputs like the Violet Lilly Pipes from Do!Aqua/ADA that gives you a diagonally output (better for some layouts) or other ones that reduces flow dramatically, etc, etc.

Besides that, a lilly pipe always gives you the ability to make night aeration, that gives your fish/shrimp and filter a good oxygen source. It's often forgot but our filter really needs this to continue to work properly (I'm talking about CO2 aquariums, obviously). You can always add an air pump!


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## Dave wants nano (24 Jun 2016)

My eheim is turned down because it is to powerful for the tank if it is on full. I have adjusted the spray bar so the surface is looking better.I am hoping that an over sized filter with Lily pipes should do the job nicely.
The tank is only 50 litres, 45*36*31.


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## alto (24 Jun 2016)

Pedro Rosa said:


> not all lilly pipes are equal


which lily's are you using on your tanks?
I'd need to order online so it's nice to know which lily is being used on a particular tank


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## Pedro Rosa (27 Jun 2016)

alto said:


> which lily's are you using on your tanks?
> I'd need to order online so it's nice to know which lily is being used on a particular tank



I'm using ADA P6 at this moment. I had others but this is the one that give better results.:




 

I also have a Violet Lilly Pipe (Do!Aqua) that sends water in a diagonal way to the other side of the aquarium. Better with some hardscape but maybe worse with some carpet plants that doesn't like too many flow.
From ADA site: "(...) Its narrower outlet provides slightly downward water stream."



 

For inflow i use this last one (from Violet). It's pretty good.

One must read some stuff about Lilly Pipes and the different format. Don't believe all that is written about them


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## alto (27 Jun 2016)

Thanks


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