Best placement of wave maker?

[Matty123]

Hi all,

It’s been a while since I posted.

Hope everyone is having a good start to the new year. I’d like to add more flow in my 250 litre (230 after displacement). It’s filtered by an Oase 850 with the lily pipe inlet next to the outlet on the back right of the tank and an Oase skimmer shooting flow downwards towards the Ludwigia. I do a decent ‘vac’ on the substrate at every weekly water change (50%) but still get a lot of detritus building up on bottom and think as the flow goes right to left i think the flow dissipates when it hits the 2 pieces of bog wood and I’m getting a lot of build up behind the bog wood and around them and thinking more flow would assist with better mulm pick up. Could I please ask people’s opinions where best to place my wave maker as I’ve tried numerous configurations. Thanks.

 

[Matty123]

Oh well… 😕

 

[Little]

I think you had no replies as it’s a move it around and see how the detritus moves.
I noticed you said you tried a few places.
I would hazard a guess at lower left side but yeah, you probably need to try a few places to figure out a nice circular flow.

 

[dw1305]

Hi all,

It’s been a while since I posted.

Welcome back.

I do a decent ‘vac’ on the substrate at every weekly water change (50%) but still get a lot of detritus building up on bottom and think as the flow goes right to left i think the flow dissipates when it hits the 2 pieces of bog wood and I’m getting a lot of build up behind the bog wood and around them and thinking more flow would assist with better mulm pick up.

I'm probably going to differ from everybody else, but I'd want the organic debris to collect in a spot from where I could syphon it out easily. I really don't want it in the filter.

cheers Darrel

 

[Wookii]

@Matty123 - to be honest I'm surprised you need any kind of wavemaker with the skimmer. I'd have thought they give sufficient circular flow. If you are adamant on adding one though, putting on the left hand panel to promote the circular flow would be the obvious place.

You still won't be able to draw detritus out to your filter though, as the filter inlet is too high - I always like mine to be almost touching the substrate where possible.

You also don't appear to have any shrimp - those along with some Ramshorns will aid detritus breakdown, reducing the problem, as will time once your tank matures and the micro-biological population will make faster work of any detritus.

I'm probably going to differ from everybody else, but I'd want the organic debris to collect in a spot from where I could syphon it out easily. I really don't want it in the filter.

Yep, different from me Darrel, I'd want it caught in the Oase's pre-filter so I don't have to bother vacuuming. Not that I ever bother vacuuming a substrate anyway, but I always aim for 'path of minimum effort"!

 

[dw1305]

Hi all,

Not that I ever bother vacuuming a substrate anyway, but I always aim for 'path of minimum effort"!

You also don't appear to have any shrimp - those along with some Ramshorns will aid detritus breakdown, reducing the problem, as will time once your tank matures and the micro-biological population will make faster work of any detritus.

Same for me <"Help need - fighting stagorhorn?">.

I'd want it caught in the Oase's pre-filter so I don't have to bother vacuuming

That is a disadvantage of a big foam block on the inlet, you tend to lose some material inside the tank when you take it out for cleaning. The advantage is that you can maximise "minimum effort", because it will never clog completely.

cheers Darrel

 

[Matty123]

Thanks for your helpful advise chaps. A linge

I think you had no replies as it’s a move it around and see how the detritus moves.
I noticed you said you tried a few places.
I would hazard a guess at lower left side but yeah, you probably need to try a few places to figure out a nice circular flow.

cheers

I think you had no replies as it’s a move it around and see how the detritus moves.
I noticed you said you tried a few places.
I would hazard a guess at lower left side but yeah, you probably need to try a few places to figure out a nice circular flow.

cheers Little. I’ve tried every conceivable location hence my desperate plea lol. I’ve tried lower left bottom middle and top. What Wookii said, if I adopt that same approach with a longer inlet on your recommended location may help to throw up the debris.

 

[Matty123]

detritus.

Cheers Wookii, your help is much appreciated. Yeah I’ve tried upper top left front pane with the wavemaker but your advise on the inlet could well be answer and it’s a valid one. As mentioned to Little, I’ve tried all conceivable locations including top left front pane to no avail but utilising a longer inlet might just help with things. Or as you say flow might be enough without a wavemaker so maybe the inlet suggestion might be enough. I’ve got a few Amano shrimp in there but need to up my population but struggling to get any here in Birmingham UK. Thanks again for your help.

 

[Matty123]

Hi all,

Welcome back.

I'm probably going to differ from everybody else, but I'd want the organic debris to collect in a spot from where I could syphon it out easily. I really don't want it in the filter.

cheers Darrel

Cheers Darrel, much appreciated. If the debris was located in a convenient place would be ideal but the debris is everywhere regardless of the amount of wafting and vaccing I do. I think Wookii could well be onto something with a longer inlet required and I’ve got one knocking around.

 

[Matty123]

Thanks for the useful advise chaps. Sorry if I sounded a bit desperate but I’m/was nearing giving up on the tank. I’ll send over a donation over. Best wishes.

 

[Wookii]

I’ve got a few Amano shrimp in there but need to up my population

You’re far better with cherry shrimp (Neocaridina) as they’ll breed a self sustaining population in your tank.

 

[Matty123]

You’re far better with cherry shrimp (Neocaridina) as they’ll breed a self sustaining population in your tank.

Ah fantastic, thank you - I never knew that with CS lol. I’ll definitely scout around for some as well as the Ramshorms. Cheers Wookii