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Thread: Improving Water Current In Big Tank

  1. #1
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    Improving Water Current In Big Tank

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    I am currently using a internal CO2 diffuser on 1 pipe while the other pipe is just water running through 2 rain bars.

    I notice that the circulation of the water is not good as my CO2 have to pump for long duration before acquiring the desired PH level.

    Current PH settting is :6.6

    As this is a planted tank, can anyone share the knowledge of improving water current but not to the extend of using air pump whcih is no good for the plants and small fishes.

    Read about Seio too. Please share.

    Thanks.

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    Use a filter with higher flow rate (~3x tank volume)
    Use a power head (wth diffuser placed close to the intake)
    Use an external CO2 reactor

    (Note: a rainbar lowers a flow rate)

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    What is Seio?

    Ummm... with respect to CO2 levels, how long does it take your tank to reach the desired pH? Many things can affect the CO2 dissolution rate, like:
    - water flow in the reactor. Higher flowrate, better dissolution. However at some point it will be too high and the CO2 bubbles will escape thru the outlet before they get dissovled.
    - water surface movement. More movement -> higher loss.

    Improving tank circulation may not necessarily improve CO2 dissolution. But anyway, you can install an internal power head in a dead corner to move the water towards the other end of the tank.
    Vincent - AQ is for everyone, but not for 'u' and 'mi'.
    Why use punctuation? See what a difference it makes:
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    Thanks.

    Mine is a 400l tank with 2 x 2028. 1st set chiller=diffuser=outlet, 2nd set uv=2 x rainbars.

    Anything more heavy will be bucket system. Too strong.

    External CO2 reactor, not interested at this moment in time. I saw the Aqua Medic leaking.

    If I use an airpump, it may create strong current in the planted tank. May not be practical for a planted tank.

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    Thanks Vincent.

    I think the Seio or something like that is used in marine tank to create under water current.

    The problem with air pump is the front end current will be very strong. Given the length of the tank, it will be weak at the end of it.

    I put the ph pen at the corner of the tank just before the start of the co2 diffuser.

    Therefore, the water in the front may not be fully soaked with CO2.

    Any idea?

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    Since the tank is quite big, perhaps can use a internal reactor rather than the diffusor to improve the CO2 dissolve rate.

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    Air pump? That's a device outside of the tank that actually pumps air into the tank via a pipe and air-stone. From your context, I think you're confusing the terms.

    An internal powerhead does not introduce air unless you utilise the venturi device that comes with some models.

    Back to the topic at hand... power heads (including submersible water pumps) come in many flowrates. Some stronger, some less so. There are cheap ones that do up to 1000l/hr (or more) and you can try more expensive ones that can do 2000+++l/hr and higher.

    You can attach rainbars to the powerheads to distribute the current. Consider running a rainbar along the entire back wall of your tank.

    IMO, a CO2 diffuser is not good enough for a 4ft tank. If I remember correctly, Amano recommends 2 of his larger diffusers for tanks 4ft or longer. At least consider a large internal CO2 reactor.

    (I realised that you indicate that your diffusor is inline between your chiller and outlet. Have you confused the terms again and is calling an internal reactor a diffusor?)

    Also, a chiller is likely to slow the flow much more than a UV filter would. Perhaps swapping the CO2 diffusor(reactor?) with the UV filter may be a better idea. Afterall, the CO2 device will benefit from a higher flowrate, while the UV filter would be more efficient with a slower flow. The CO2 distribution is better too.

    You have 3 outlets from 2 filters, so you actually have the means to spread the flow out quite evenly.

    Personally, for a tank so large, I would recommend an external reactor. I've been using the custom made one from Nature Aquarium for more then 2 yrs. No leaks so far.

    For better CO2 distribution, I split the output from my external reactor to either end of my tank.

    The set up for my 6'x2'x2' tank:

    Filter (Eheim 2250 upgrade with a Eheim 1260 (2400l/hr) pump)
    |
    Chiller
    |
    CO2 reactor, external
    |
    Split----Tank left end, rainbar
    |
    Tank right end, rainbar

    One rainbar is vertical, and pushes water across the backwall towards the other end where the filter intake is. The other rainbar is horizontal across a side wall, near the top and pushes water towards the other end.

    Frankly, a diffusor isn't every efficient for a 4ft tank. If you insist, then I suggest you start the CO2 much earlier then the lights.
    Vincent - AQ is for everyone, but not for 'u' and 'mi'.
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    Opps... I just realised Cherie wrote 400l tank, and my eyes read 4ft tank. Anyway, I still stand by my opinions as a 4x2x2 ft tank is about 400l.
    Vincent - AQ is for everyone, but not for 'u' and 'mi'.
    Why use punctuation? See what a difference it makes:
    A woman, without her man, is nothing.
    A woman: without her, man is nothing.

  9. #9
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    Do not use the filter outlet to drive your CO2 reactor (those UP brand green reactors?) as filters are designed to clog and if the flow rate slows down from lack of maintenance or excessive clogging you will have less mixing in the reactor and lower CO2 levels over a period of time. Use a dedicated powerhead to CO2 reactor and hook it up to the light timer instead.

    Try to look for the $2 reactor that Tom Barr suggested in APD and make a longer version of that using your current reactor if it is suitable (open bottom instead of a small dinky opening..less flow = slower response time.) Attach another powerhead to the bottom of the reactor outlet and use a spraybar output located at the bottom back of the tank pointed to the front. This allows the CO2 riched water to flow through the plants and slowly rise to the top before escaping to the atmosphere (more contact time and allows the CO2 to reach the stomata which is located at the bottom of the leaves.). Hence, in general terms, good overall mixing in the tank and a reactor with high consistent flow rate (as long as the reactor is not blowing bubbles out of the bottom, you are fine..more flow = more mixing = faster response) will take less time to hit the CO2 range you are looking for.

    Regards
    Peter Gwee

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