# Juwel Vision 180 Bowfront Flow Headache (Migraine!)



## BigPhil (17 Nov 2014)

Hi guys,

Firstly, i wanted to say that this site has been a tremendous help to a recently started planted tank enthusiast... I've read many of the posts on here and have to say that i've learn't so much...

That said, as per the subject, i'm having a HUGE headache with achieving what i believe to be flow issues thus Co2 dissolution is poor.

Some background:

Tank: Juwel Vision 180 Bowfront
Substrate: Std aquarium gravel 2mm
Filter:Eheim 2173 Professional 3 350T
Filter Media: approx 50% removed with only sponge pre-filter/substratPro/one layer of bioMech in tray 2
Powerheads: 2x Koralia Nano 900's - 1x APS 1600 lph
Lighting: Hi Lite T5 35w x2 Arcadia plant gro 
Photoperiod: 8hrs
Spray Bar: Situated across the rear wall pointed directly to front glass
Co2: FE System/Co2 Art Dual Stage Reg/UP Atomiser on outflow to spray bar
KH: 5
EI Dry Salts for Fertilisation

If more info is needed please let me know...

I understand having read many posts on here that bowfront tanks are not easy in the slightest to get flow patterns to be effective and am yet to find a post where someone has mentioned how they resolved it, hence the new post...

My Co2 profile is struggling to drop 0.6 with a 3 hour gas on prior to lights on and a bps of approx 6 bps.

I've tried many different configs in the last weeks to attempt to resolve this but to no avail and this includes various powerhead placements and spray bar across side wall as well (which seemed to be the worst config of all).

I have a relatively well stocked tank, plant wise, with various fish and when i've bumped the bps up i've gassed the fish out which i understand from one of the many posts from Clive that this is again due to bad circulation/flow. The thing here is that ALL the plants do move well and i can track Co2 bubbles all around the tank which of course adds confusion. That said, i do know flow is reduced somewhat in the  rear corners (most likely due to tank shape i guess?) and the spray bar outflow does not hit the front glass no matter what i've tried (may need to block holes on the spray bar periodically but not sure if i can use insulation tape to do this to test?)

I'm now at an avenue where i need to ask for help whilst at the same time scoping out a new tank if this is going to be a long term problem. I really want to achieve a lush planted tank and i've put so many hours into this that I refuse to give up, so any advice that anyone can give would be amazing...

Here's a look at the current config of my tank....






Any ideas on this before i pull what's left of my hair out, give up and order a new tank that doesn't cause me so many issues?

Thanks a million in advance

Phil


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## ian_m (17 Nov 2014)

This is my Vision 180 flow from a JBLe1501.


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## BigPhil (17 Nov 2014)

Hi Ian,

Thanks for the reply.

It looks as though that filter has a higher output than that of the Ehiem i currently have... That said, i was literally just doing some reading about the Eheim installation set 2 which i removed and replaced with the Hagen Fluval Spray Bar Kit BUT i left the installation set 2 tube connector on which has a larger diameter so i believe i'm losing some throughput here and will be changing this back over.

I can see that you've for a powerhead on the right side glass pointing essentially across the front wall (perhaps deflecting from the middle section of the bowfront and round the front side to the back. Reading many other posts this is contradicting the flow action from front to back but i assume you have no issues in Co2 dissolution and distribution this way? Is that the only powerhead you have and do you achieve a 1 point drop + on PH pre lights on? I've been seriously banging my head against a brick wall and really would love to get this nailed...

Cheers

Phil


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## ian_m (18 Nov 2014)

Yes I have a 3000l/hr power head. Two reasons I got it, as if I placed a drop checker on the bottom left hand side of the tank it was still more blue than green at lights on (despite green/yellow elsewhere in the tank), probably due to the presence of plants blocking the flow, and when my Glosso was a huge carpet, the  lower sections were clearly suffering lack of CO2.

I angle the power head either along the front downwards, kind of causing all the CO2 bubbles to go to the left bottom or point at the back enhancing the roll motion of along water surface , down the front, across the plants and up the back. I thought I would suffer CO2 issues in the are under the power head, but I have the outlet from the Juwel internal filter pointing there and don't appear to suffer CO2 issues. I had the powerhead on a timer so ran only when CO2 was on.

One more thing, just buy a proper Hydor Koralia and do it properly. I went through 2 cheapy "Ebay from China" ones, first one started spinning backwards after a while ??? and the replacement just stopped after 18months. Also couldn't believe how quiet the Hydor one is compared to the cheap ones. The cheap ones made so much hum and vibration I put it on a timer going off at 7pm when we were in the lounge so could watch TV in peace. The Koralia is so much quieter so you can run it all the time and not notice, as mine is at the moment as I haven't bothered to set the timer yet.


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## BigPhil (18 Nov 2014)

Thanks Ian,

This is fantastic insight and I will absolutely be trying this the minute I return from my business trip... Blooming work getting in the way!

Fully appreciate the hydor comment as well as the APS 1600 is quiet but the two nano's that have are super quiet. 

My plan will be to:

- ensure spray bar is up to scratch with appropriate fittings back in place so water hits close to or on front glass
- have one nano pointing to the front wall to push co2 down front wall
- have the APS 1600 pointing in the same direction that you've got your 3000 pointing to get good circulation around back left side (if this helps I will upgrade to Hydor)
- have one nano pointing to the dead spot under the APS 1600 to prevent dead spots here

When I've configured this I will monitor via ph pen tests every hour to see what effect this has had on dissolution. Fingers crossed it will make some difference. 

Thanks so much for the insight into this, it's very much appreciated. 

Cheers

Phil


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