Re: [APD] RE:filter or pump

["S. Hieber" <shieber at yahoo_com>]

--- Thomas Barr <tcbiii at earthlink_net> wrote:
If you have good water circulation in the aquarium, aren't
the leaves, top and bottom, getting pretty good exposure
regardless of whether the water outlet is high or low in
the tank?

Scott H.
> 
> Spray bars evenly distribute flow across a wide area,
> simple single out
> lets do not.
> The lower back portion of a tank is typically covered
> with plants etc, so
> this powerhead and spray are well hidden in most tank
> designs. 
> 
> The direction of good current going through the lower
> portion of the leaves
> is a good flow pattern. This mimics currents in natural
> rivers/lakes and
> also is a good pklace to introduce the CO2 rich water
> back into the planted
> tank.
> 
> If you add CO2 rich water to the lowest parts of the
> plant shoot, the CO2
> will rise up and come in contact with the lower
> underside(abaxil) of the
> leaf wherew the stomata are which will allow the gas to
> be absorbed.
> 
> If you use a spray from above, the CO2 hits the top of
> the leaves and only
> the top parts of the plant before the current is reduced
> in the thicket of
> plants. The lower parts have trouble getting enough CO2.
> 
> The oldest leaves will be near the lowest part of the
> plants also. Current
> will reduce most epiphytic algae that attaches to leaves
> and the oldest
> leaves will have the most. 
> 
> This also adds some O2 and CO2 exchange along this gravel
> surface which
> also acts much like bio media inside filters. Having
> current running over
> the most shaded part of your tank is a good idea. This
> allows better
> breakdown of waste and allows you to remove any large
> pieces of detritus
> and plant leaves.
> 
> Regards, 
> Tom Barr
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
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