May I know your tank size, and what kind of water flow is it from source ? What plants are you keeping? Do you add CO2? Do you have sufficient lights?
Hi guys,
I'm in the midst of rescaping a tank of mine and would like some advice on how I can reduce the current created from the water outflow? I am using an external filter canister and have current positioned the outflow at approximately water surface level. However I notice this creates a very strong current downwards along the front of the tank and the foreground plants are suffering for it. Their growth seems slow and some plants are constantly losing leaves. Is there some obvious answer to this problem?
May I know your tank size, and what kind of water flow is it from source ? What plants are you keeping? Do you add CO2? Do you have sufficient lights?
colin | The Wilderness and Forest | FTS
I have a 60X45X30cm (wXhXd) tank with the only source of water movement coming from the outflow of an external eheim 2213 canister filtration system. This is currently mounted on the back wall of tank facing towards the front creating a downward current on the front wall. This current is apparently strong enough to be hampering foreground plant growth.
Plants I currently have are as follows:
General filler - Dwarf Hair
Foreground - Miniature Lilies and regular Anubias (Lilies are suffering the most from the current and the anubias are suffering from too much light exposure causing algae growth.
Mid ground is dominated by a tank wide birchwood
Background - divided evenly between Red Ludwigas and Corkscrew vals.
I don't use CO2 except in tablet form occasionally and my lighting is a T5 lighting with a white and blue bulb which are on a timer for approximately 12 hrs a day.
You can just use double taps on the outlet end to control the flow strength although this means that you are only using a % of your 2213 capacity.
Another method would be to use a rainbar.
Hope this helps
I think plant lack of growth has nothing to do with the flow. I found the problem - CO2 and ludwigia.
Lack of CO2
Ludwigia is in need of CO2
Also, corkscrew vallisneria is high light, high nutrient, and high maintenance plant. But I found alot of problems.
Anyway, address the CO2 issue first.
I will suggest hook CO2 to the outlet of the filter outflow with a CO2 reactor. It will help to distribute CO2 around the tank and also help to slow down the flow that you desire.
colin | The Wilderness and Forest | FTS
Assuming that I don't have the capital to throw down on a CO2 system. Would I be able to achieve the same objective of increase CO2 in the water by adding tablets?
Also would the presence of a water chiller have any impact on the overall water flow?
No. you will not. because you cannot attain, control, and maintain CO2 level of 20-30 ppm during lights on duration Less is bad. Too much is bad too. This will be another school of topic
Yes, daisy chain the chiller after outlet of filter will impact on the overall water flow:-
Example:
Tank is located on 3 feet height
Filter Outlet -> UV sterilizer -> Chiller -> CO2 Reactor
I can say, from a typical Ehiem 2028 of output 1700l / hr will become 200l / hr
This will also be another school of discussion.
colin | The Wilderness and Forest | FTS
CO2 tablets can only give you a minimal 'supply' per tablet unless you are willing to throw in quite a number of CO2 tablets daily, given you have quite a variety of flora in your tank.
Been there tried it, tablets just do not give the satisfactory 'ummph' results compared to a pressuried gas cylinder, not to mention about long term costs, reliability of constant supply etc
Wow okies. I hadn't thought of it like that. Thanks guys
My current config is a Tank -> Eheim 2213 -> Chiller -> Tank
Filter and chilller are side by side 3 ft below the tank itself. Its the most aesthetic way to present the tank that I can think of.
Anyway I think I'm going to remove the anubias to my newly established quarantine tank. since they are obviously doing badly in the main tank due to over exposure to sunlight inducing algae growth on them. I'm also currently replanting the dwarf grass and repositioning the mini lilies to be out of the direct current which I think is accounting for their really high death rate.
I'll see about getting the CO2 system going. But from my (very simplistic) research, I had thought that the plants I had were generally very low maintenance and would have no problem surviving in my tank. Hence my original conclusion about the water current being the problem.
Do you know how much would the average CO2 system cost assuming I am shy about DIY, and where would be the best place to go for it?
you can try to buy a used co2 system, ie co2 tank with a manual regulator, which depends on the selling price, last i bought one is $50 for a 3 litre tank plus manual regulator. new one think is $90? can't remember. think check NA which i think have the lowest price for equipment which i may be wrong. then you also need a bubble counter, check valve and diffuser to inject the co2 into your tank. 5 main components plus the tubing. it beats tablets!
Don't worry about investing on a CO2 system because you can always resell it here (marketplace) at a reasonable price to both buyer/seller if one day you decided to leave.
On anubias - alot of time people think these plants are for beginner. I tend to think this is a plant for the expert. They cannot take it if you give them high light. And they need to be shaded. Even Teo plant farm shade all his anubias. Roland of Greenchapter proven that anubias must be shaded. Else 12-24 months time they will all gone. For this reason, people say anubias is for beginner because they die so slowly..
If you cover your anubias, what will happen to the dwarf grass ?? They need high light, you know? HA! More problem..
What's mini lilies, by the way?
For this reason, your tank is not a simple tank as it seem.
60X45X30cm (wXhXd) tank make it even harder. The margin of error is marginal. ha!
colin | The Wilderness and Forest | FTS
would it make things easier if I move the Anubias to my quarantine tank which doesn't have a dedicated lighting system but receives secondary light from a window?
That just leaves the red ludwigs, the corkscrews, the mini lilies and the dwarf hair.
The mini lilies are Nymphaea Micrantha.
You can always wait for the other plants to grow into a bush and hide the anubias under their shade in time to come.. Any tank pictures to share?
Nymphaea Micrantha looks like Tri-color to me. Anyhow, they will start climbing if lights are insufficient and stay untrimmed. Also, they are nutrient sponge from bottom.
In anyway, Anubias - I have no comment as I have no prior experience (successful) to share. Got to shade them and be patience. Being a slow grower means tendency for GSA to appear is higher.
Understand that you are on 12 hours a day. Is it necessary? Do you CO2 enough?
I think CO2 is the root cause. Too many high maintenance plants but too little CO2. Plus lights turn on for too long without contribution to photosynthesis
colin | The Wilderness and Forest | FTS
Until this point, I've always assumed that CO2 generated by the decay of bioload and the breathing of fish and inverts was sufficient to generate enough CO2 for the plant.
That was based more on assumptions than scientific measurement.
BTW I stopped my NA today to ask about a manual CO2 system they quoted me something like 95 dollars for the system. Now should I have the CO2 diffuse into the filtration intake? Or have it in it's own separate CO2 reactor? CO@ being diffused directly into the filtration sounds like a bad idea cause won't the CO2 have a negative effect on the bacteria in the filter media?
Avoid CO2 diffused directly into the filter because it will stall the filter and causing failure.
You will need to have solenoid to turn on the CO2 during specific time of the day depending on your light
colin | The Wilderness and Forest | FTS
thanks everyone for all your feedback and information. I'm coming to the close of my ick treatment for the tank and will soon look to buy the CO2 system to help begin the growth of tank flora. I'm definitely looking forward to posting pictures or information when I finally have measureable results to report.
Thanks again for all your help!
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