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Re: Optimum current in planted tank



Frank I. Reiter asked...

>Recently, I setup a pair of 120 gallon heavily planted tanks with a Fluval
>403 filter on each one.  Continuing with the original plan, today I also
>added a Seastorm 240 fluidized bed filter to the output of the Fluvals.
>
>I was quite surprised to see the throughput of the filters drop quite
>drastically, I estimate by a factor of three or four, and I spent some time
>pondering whether the added biological filtration as worth the reduced
>water flow, and then realized that I really do not know how much current is
>good for my plants.
>
>With just the Fluvals, the current was fairly strong in places, perhaps 8
>inches per second across the front of the tank.  Vals at the opposite end
>of the tank from the spray bars were tilted 30 degrees from vertical.
>
>Now, the current is at most two inches per second.  Those same vals are
>standing more or less straight up with only a slight current visible (via
>small floating particles.)
>
>What would you do, keep the fluidized bed filters for added bio filtration,
>or remove them in favour of more current?

The val in front of my PRO-4 powerhead are tilted 30 degrees from
horizontal. The current is beneficial to plant growth and the white
clouds need the exercise. Vigorous circulation of oxygenated water
to the far corners of the aquarium will prevent cyanobacteria from
gaining a toehold. As well I like the look of water movement.

Why not remove the fluidized bed filters? The biological filters
are only competing with the plants for ammonia anyway.

I'll add that the PRO-4 makes an excellent CO2 injection system.
The CO2 bubbles enter the intake and exit in the stream as a fog
which disappears about twelve inches from the nozzle. The impeller
does such a good job that no bubbles are visible. This pump is
the only filtration/circulation in the 180 gallon tank.

--
Dave Whittaker
ac554 at FreeNet_Carleton.ca