# Insufficent water flow creates algae issue



## Dolly Sprint 16v (8 Aug 2009)

Gang@Ukaps

According to nemerous articles or threads on this forum and other forums - poor or insufficent water flow / circulation assist or cause algae to become abundant within the tank. So he is my question ? - why is it where ever I point the oulet water pipe (flow at max output) algae becomes abundant and thieves, this is directly infront of where the flow is going. 


Answers on a post card please - one for the pro's / experts to answer.

Regards
paul.


----------



## Dave Spencer (9 Aug 2009)

I have sometimes found staghorn and BBA like to grow at the point of highest velocity from the filter outlet when using a reactor. My thinking was the relatively high velocity of the water made it difficult for the nearby plants to sequester the nutrients from the water, so I adjusted/pruned the plants accordingly, and experimented with powerhead positions around the tank to alleviate the problem.

Rather than keep asking questions, and subconsciously blaming people trying to help you because your particular problems are not being solved by them, you need to become the "pro/expert" of your own tank. You are the one with the tank in front of you, and the one that has the "feel" for how adequate/inadequate the flow, nutrients etc are for all four corners of your tank.

I feel tha failings in your tank are the execution of the theories/ideas you have been pointed to on this site, not the ideas/theories themselves. If you reaaly want to go down the Rowaphos/phosphates route, you will get tons of advice on the TFF or PFK forums. Ultimately, it is your tank and, therefore, your peace of mind that matters.

Dave.


----------



## nickmcmechan (9 Aug 2009)

interesting, i have the same experience in one of my tank with flow and bba, its worst nearest the filter outlet


----------



## Superman (9 Aug 2009)

I had the same, mainly BBA on the plants that were in direct flow from the output.
I believe that the high velocity of the water going over the leafs of those plants is so high that the contact time with the required nutrients is not long enough for the plant to absorb. Therefore, the plant will have a deficiency and breakdown causing algae.

I have no "facts" that will back this up but to me it seems to be common sense.

An analogy would be going through a KFC drive-through; if you drive too quick you won't be able to get any finger lickin' chicken!


----------



## Dolly Sprint 16v (9 Aug 2009)

Dave Spencer said:
			
		

> Rather than keep asking questions, and subconsciously blaming people trying to help you because your particular problems are not being solved by them, you need to become the "pro/expert" of your own tank. You are the one with the tank in front of you, and the one that has the "feel" for how adequate/inadequate the flow, nutrients etc are for all four corners of your tank.
> 
> I was under the impression that on this forum you were allowed to asking questions and never intentionally blamed any person / people for not trying solving any problems I have had - the original thread was an observation I had seen and had been happening of the last few months - obviously i am not a valued member of this forum and leaves me very disheartened as I try my best to help other with issues / problems they have and leave me with no alternative other than to quit posted on this forum - If the team being the mods, experts etc dont want me to post and want me to go please advise.
> 
> paul.


----------



## Dave Spencer (9 Aug 2009)

Flyfisherman said:
			
		

> .....obviously i am not a valued member of this forum and leaves me very disheartened as I try my best to help other with issues / problems they have and leave me with no alternative other than to quit posted on this forum - If the team being the mods, experts etc dont want me to post and want me to go please advise.
> 
> paul.



Obviously, this is not the case, Paul. What I was trying to do with my post was to get you to realise that, ultimately, you are the only true "pro/expert" for the tank that is in front of you. As much as the more knowledgeable members such as Clive can advise you, they are only doing it based on text and pictures. 

Nobody can really estimate flow or ferts around your tank better than you. I have made the same observations as you regarding algae in high flow areas Paul, but applied my thoughts as to the flow at these points being at its highest. All I did was make a correlation between these two factors of highest velocity and algae, and so decided to remove one or both of them. By removing the plants in this area, or redirecting the flow the algae was gone. Personally, I have been able to make a strong correlation between BBA, staghorn and CO2 limitation, so, rightly or wrongly, I concluded that plants struggle to sequester carbon in areas of high velocity water.

Please correct me if I am wrong, but you seem to have serious doubts about the whole ethos of EI and its application. If so, you are not alone. What I was alluding to was that, if you genuinely believe excess nutrients are causing your algae, then your answers will be best served on a forum such as PFK where the Redfield Ratio rules, or TFF where low phosphates and adjusting KH are king.

Dave.


----------



## aaronnorth (9 Aug 2009)

Flyfisherman said:
			
		

> Gang@Ukaps
> 
> According to nemerous articles or threads on this forum and other forums - poor or insufficent water flow / circulation assist or cause algae to become abundant within the tank. So he is my question ? - why is it where ever I point the oulet water pipe (flow at max output) algae becomes abundant and thieves, this is directly infront of where the flow is going.
> 
> ...



I used to get it on my filter output not anymore because i have glass and try to keep it clean as possible  

But the CO2 or nutrients wont ever be stable like Dave said, plants cant compete against algae in those conditions.

This is why it is pointless having 20x turnover and aiming it in one direction, you are wasting the benefts it brings. Also a reason why koralia style powerheads are beoming increasingly popular because they spread the flow eveny rather than like a jet with the conventional powerhead.


----------



## JamesM (9 Aug 2009)

Flyfisherman said:
			
		

> I was under the impression that on this forum you were allowed to asking questions and never intentionally blamed any person / people for not trying solving any problems I have had - the original thread was an observation I had seen and had been happening of the last few months - obviously i am not a valued member of this forum and leaves me very disheartened as I try my best to help other with issues / problems they have and leave me with no alternative other than to quit posted on this forum - If the team being the mods, experts etc dont want me to post and want me to go please advise.
> 
> paul.



"Don't get your knickers in a twist" was one of your last bits of advice to another member, Paul. Its good advice, I suggest you take it  

Great posts Dave


----------



## Dolly Sprint 16v (9 Aug 2009)

JamesM said:
			
		

> Flyfisherman said:
> 
> 
> 
> ...



JamesM

Could you please explain which part of Daves reply is good advice / suggest you take it.

Paul.


----------



## JamesM (9 Aug 2009)

Flyfisherman said:
			
		

> Could you please explain which part of Daves reply is good advice / suggest you take it.
> 
> Paul.


All of it 

Master your tank the way you feel is right.


----------



## aaronnorth (9 Aug 2009)

Flyfisherman said:
			
		

> JamesM said:
> 
> 
> 
> ...





I quote:

"ultimately, you are the only true "pro/expert" for the tank that is in front of you. As much as the more knowledgeable members such as Clive can advise you, they are only doing it based on text and pictures.

Nobody can really estimate flow or ferts around your tank better than you. "


As above, we can only go off the info & pics you provide us, but we cannot get the tiny details without living with the tank, no matter how good you are at passing on information, someone will always misinterpret it differently. With these decisions, you are the one who has to take some control over it yourself, and try different methods. You will find the way eventually  

Good luck 
Aaron


----------

