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Water flow in the planted aquarium?

NC10 said:
Exactly, it's all about finding the balance that's right for your setup. If you can afford to lose some flow in favour of pressure then go for it.
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My 5 year TETRATEC EX 700 dont let me do that.
Perhaps a new impeller will help to restore some of the lost 700L\H...

Enviado através da ponta dos meus dedos!
 
Hi,

I was hoping to use an external flow with a variable flow rate from 300-1610 l/ph, however this is looking less likely now so I have a question about acheiving the right flow rate.

I understand that I am roughly for 10 time aquarium volume per hour. I have a 60 litre aquarium so I am looking for a flow rate of 600 litres per hour.

From what I have read, the stated flow rates stated on filters it not what you will actually get and this can be reduced by about 50% if not more.

So does this 10 x rule take into account that stated flow rates are not achievable? Am I looking for a 600 l/ph filter where I might only actually be getting 300 l/ph or am I looking for a 1200 l/ph and hopefully achieving much closer to an actual flow rate of 600 l/ph.

I don't want to be any problems with flow and distribution but at the same time I don''t want to be blast my plants to kingdom come.

Thanks.
 
Jason Blake said:
So does this 10 x rule take into account that stated flow rates are not achievable
Click to expand...
Yes. The 10x rate is based on what the manufacturer states on the box, rather than what you actually get in practice, which as you point out may be 50% less.
 
Hi,

I have now got my aquarium setup and running, however as with all great plans I have hit some teething problems. The main problem is my external filter. It has an adjustable flow however it periodically just switches up the flow to the full rate which is simply just too strong. Max flow is 1610 l/ph and I only have a 60 Litre aquarium. I have also found that if for any reason the power goes off ever for a split second, when the filter restarts itself and it automatically starts at full flow. I go away regularly and I am terrified of the consquences if the power was to go off whilst I am away.

Therefore I am looking for a new filter. I have noticed that Tom Barr strongly recommends a Dry / Wet filter, which I am assuming a hang on the back filter is a version of this type of filter. What I was wondering is how would one setup the flow using such a filter as obviously there is no spray bar to direct the flow? I would just like to point out that I am only considering this type of filter at the moment and no decision has been made.

Thanks
 
Could you use an Eheim single tap or double if better, set the filter for max flow then turn it down by closing the tap a bit?
If its mechanical/lever flow adjustment as mine is then it must be a loose lever so you could tape it up or fashion a insert to stop it moving.
 
Wet & dry filters are normally gravity fed so they either fit in a below tank sump, or are situated above the tank!
I think that Eheim make a wet & dry canister filter but how effective it is I cant say?
To the best of my knowledge Tom uses sumps on all his tanks.
A sump & trickle tower (wet n dry filter) is not a basic option!
 
Thanks for the suggestions.

No, a sump with a wet dry tower is not basic and beyond what I can implement on this tank, perhaps on a bigger tank.

So back to the drawing board.

Thanks again for the suggestions.
 
If you want to restrict the flow then do the opposite of what we have been suggesting in this and other threads. Use a reducer on the hose to lower the flow rate or stuff the filter with lots of high drag media such as sintered glass, or any combination of these.

Cheers,
 
Hi,

Me again. I'm a little unsure just how important surface agitation is? I was under the impression that surface agitation helps with gaseous exchange and to help deplete the CO2 during lights off. I currently have high surface agitation but it does NOT actually break the surface. I thought this was right, however I cannot find the thread on here that explained why it was right and so I am now wondering if I have completely misunderstood the whole surface agitation concept?

I ask because I have got a CO2 problem with some Anubias and I am trying to provide some shade for them. I am trying to use some Pistia stratiotes as shade. After being given some advice about floating some airline tubing on the surface to keep the Pistia stratiotes in place (I don't want it to cover the whole surface, just the Anubias) creating a kind of floating island. I have found that the surface agitation / current is pulling the Pistia stratiotes under the water and out of the island, which obviously negates the objective of trying to provide the shade in the right place. I also believe the Pistia stratiotes is not going to take to kindly to having its leaves submerged on a regular basis.

At the moment my spray bar points towards the surface. So I was wondering if I was to reposition the spray bar to point more forwards and not so upwards, that this might stop pulling the Pistia stratiotes under the water and out of the island. I just concerned that this will of course reduce the surface agitation and if this will have a negative effect on my tank?

Any help and advice is very much appreciated.

Thanks
 
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If you review the data in the thread you'll note clear indications that the holes should point horizontally, so why worry? There are no negative consequences if you are following the basic procedures and configuration. Surface agitation provides an important function in gas exchange at night and in breaking up surface films. If you don't have any surface agitation then there might be some issues, but if you do have surface agitation then there is no point in being obsessive about it, or in paying so much attention to it that you miss the larger picture.

More important than surface agitation, by a long margin is having excellent flow, distribution and CO2 dissolution.

Cheers,
 
Thank you Clive.

I wasn't trying to be obsessive about the agitation. I was just trying to find out how important it was and if a reduction in agitation would cause any problems with the delicate aquarium balances. I am growing increasingly weary that changing one thing can at times disrupt a load of of other factors that I wouldn't have even thought about.

Due to the position of spray bar i.e. it being really rather deep I have had to position the holes pointing more upwards towards the surface to get the surface agitation.which at the time and by your response you agree is important to some extent. If position them straight ahead, straight at the front glass, then there is no agitation at all. I cannot higher the bar due to hood constraints and spray bar construction.

As for the flow I am fairly confident that, that is ok. All plants in all locations are swaying in the breeze. I believe that is the indication of good flow besides what the plants will indicate, in time? I spent a lot of time reading your threads about flow and asking questions. My CO2 is disolved using an UP Inline diffuser. In the last couple of hours of the CO2 period there is a very fine mist in the tank. My drop checker is often turned yellow, I have no livestock at the moment. I am trying to reduce the CO2 to keep it limeade green.

Just out of curiosity and speaking hypothetically, if all agitation is stopped would a surface skimmer attachment on the intake pipe going to be good enough to break up bio film? But then again I guess this wouldn't address the gas exchange advantages during lights off?

All I am trying to do, as mentioned is provide shade for my Anubias as per your advice.
 
Correct, and maybe it wouldn't be a problem even so. Some people use skimmers and report good success with them. Degree of film production is a function of the plants health. Poor health produces more film, so if the plants are healthy the film may not be an issue. If the number and mass of fish is low then gas exchange at night may not be problematic. There are lots of different possibilities and everything is a compromise. The criticality of any one factor is dependent on the level or degree of other factors. You just have to try it and see how it goes.

Cheers,
 
Hi Jason, what filter is it? If you have an eheim 3E then you can turn it to manual mode and it won't adjust the flow unless you ask it to. Haven't read this whole thread so sorry if someone already mentioned this!
Keith
 
Hi Clive

I have a 55cm cube at the moment. I'm running an eheim spray bar (which has an UP co2 difusser on outlet) from the left side which worked well to begin with, but now with all the extra growth I'm noticing a lot of dead spots and lots of leaves that just aren't moving. Some even getting dust on them. So I can't add a larger eheim canister as the cabinet won't allow. I decided to go for a maxijet 1000l/h with a spray bar, which will double my flow. Here's the crunch, how best to combine the flow? Im thinking that I will move the eheim spray bar to the back as you suggest and run the maxijet parallel just above it. This one won't have any co2 but will help to circulate the co2 coming out of the eheim spray bar. I'm hoping to push it further!

What do you think? Can this work? I hope so. But maybe there is a better solution?

Cheers

Bhu
 
Try both ways, with the powerhead at the center above the spraybar as well as below the spraybar. Many people do this. You should also consider removing some filter media if you have the filter stuffed with media.

Cheers,
 
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