water movement how much and straight pipe or spraybar

[jonathanj]

How much flow is needed as iv watched few vids on youtube where they said it is better to have only just enough to put very little movement to plants and just break surface tension because to much flow/splashing will waste all the Good gases and co2 Is this just for High tech tanks running co2 that don't wont much flow
And my flow is really strong as was going to be a marine setup with sump and my outlet is just pipe running length ways across back glass to opposite back corner

is this best way as was thinking of co2 but don't wont to just waste the gases

 

[Zeus.]

Well if you plan to use CO2 injection having a pump/filter output x10 the tanks volume is a good starting place to overcome the slow diffusion rates which CO2 has is water 10,000 times slower in water than Air. Also the outlets need get the water circulating in the tank, I tried with may Fluval FX6 with pipe outlets and it was 'pants' needed a custom made spraybar to get the water moving. So its not just about output, although output is a good starting place. Also the tank size makes a difference too, smaller tanks are easier to maintain the Flow whilst bigger tanks compound the flow/distribution as there is a lot more mass to move so more energy is require to move it. I have a 500l tank and the x10 output to volume ratio IMO isnt enough to achieve my goals IMO and I do plan a update soon. You have a sump? so that will increase the CO2 losses via the sump OFC unless it is airtight OFC but an airtight sump is a canister OFC 😉

If you are concerned about the CO2 losses you should be as most of it will just be lost though the surface of the tank and lost. I use 6.5Kg of CO2 a month but do yield a decent pH drop.

I am doing a little database on CO2 use by folk ATM, not had the time to get the table/results up yet 😳 But folks CO2 use varies from 0.007 to 0.116 grams of CO2 per litre per hour, dependant on many factors OFC.

If your planing injecting CO2 your need good turnover as FLOW is KING in the CO2 injected tank, as most issues in CO2 injected tanks are CO2 related and most of these are due to poor flow/distribution getting the flow right is key to success IME. Did read somewhere that you should 'think CO2 is free as only then will you use it to its full potential' I have to agree with that statement

 

[jonathanj]

Top reply and helped me think id be better using my other tank that has no sump for doing co2 The other tank with sump is 840ltr 5ft 30-30 inch so think maybe to much to run on co2 or maybe I could try liquid carbon if that does as good a job and better price over the year

do you have spraybar full length of tank and holes pointing across the top surface to the front glass or pointing down on back glass buddy

 

[Zeus.]

840ltr 5ft 30-30 inch so think maybe to much to run on co2 or maybe I could try liquid carbon if that does as good a job and better price over the year

Well Big tanks do use more CO2 esp if going for big pH drop (was just doing the results spreadsheet to date)


In the results so far ceg4048 was using it x10 faster per litre pre hour - but he did have some great looking plants . Going Low tech in a big tank is the much easier/cheaper option, just pick the right plants and just takes longer, although using LCO (liquid carbon) does make the tank into the high tech. some low tech users only use LCO when theres an algea/plant growth issue at certain times of the year like Zozo with great success.

do you have spraybar full length of tank and holes pointing across the top surface to the front glass or pointing down on back glass buddy

well mines room divider so you can see it on three sides so spraybar at one end but thats atypical and makes the water movement more difficult. normally best to have a spraybar running the full length of the tank at the back esp with a big tank.