Filter flow power for small fish and plants. Opinions please?

[si walker]

Hi all.
I have been watching a few (most of) Marks Aquatics films on YTube.
Then it occurred to me that his fish (Chilli Rasbora) were behaving in a completely different way to mine and possibly I had too much flow in my tank? His fish seemed very curious and were playing amongst each other, which mine do not.
My tank is 35 ltr stacked with plants. (pic from one month ago.)
Filter: Oase 100 Thermo with the orignal inlet and outlets, turned to a minimum.
I am dosing ferts but no CO2.
50% water change once a week.

I guess I am asking if i can deflect my flow off the back a bit more without affecting my plants? Especially as i am not putting CO2 into the tank.
Seeing the fish dancing around a little more would be a great thing.

Marks tank had one of those double sponge filters fitted with air outlet.

Thanks.

Simon.

 

[tam]

Turn the filter off for half and hour and watch the fish - if you see a positive change in behaviour then you can try more complicated options to adjust the flow rate 🙂

 

[dw1305]

Hi all,

I guess I am asking if i can deflect my flow off the back a bit more without affecting my plants? Especially as i am not putting CO2 into the tank.

I'd play with different flow patterns, it won't do any harm.

Then it occurred to me that his fish (Chilli Rasbora) were behaving in a completely different way to mine and possibly I had too much flow in my tank? His fish seemed very curious and were playing amongst each other, which mine do not.

I've got ~eight in <"this tank">. The reason I say ~eight is that I very rarely see them, I don't think they've died, they are still in there hiding.

cheers Darrel

 

[Simon Cole]

Alternative: My personal favourite is the Skim-1 by All Pond Solutions. I have had the little internal Eheims and external mini filters, but the Skim-1 does a fantastic job. It doesn't splatter bubbles. It's got a adjustable venturi valve. It oxygenates the water, taking if from the surface down. It can be set to a very low flow. It uses little electricity. They never break. Cleaning is almost instantaneous. Never had a baby shrimp or fish get stuck. Never gets blocked with algae. I've got 5 of them and they go into every tank I do whether it has a cannister filter or not, mainly for oxygenation and in the event of main filter failure. About the size of a small sauce bottle. Can be quite powerful too. Just wonderful. Also only £10. They don't really filter, but it's just not something that bothers me in the slightest. Highly recommended.