Hi guys,
Need your advice / input for my planted tank.
I have read many posts here where having the spray bar length wise, especially for big tanks (pointing back to front of tank) creates:
1. Better flow in the tank
2. More efficient distribution of nutrients to plants.
3. More efficient distribution of Co2
4. Less Co2 need to get the DC to the lime green colour.
5. The tank doesn't end up looking like a washing machine in spin cycle.
I maybe wrong but I think I may be having flow problems in my tank. All my stem plants are getting leggy and the stems are thin.
I have searched all over the net ( just kidding) and spoken to a few LFS and they all sing in unison: MORE LIGHTS! MORE LIGHTS! MORE LIGHTS! YOU NEED MORE LIGHTS!
(Is this what Clive a.k.a.ceg4048 fondly refers to as THE MATRIX?)
But only here in UKAPS, do the gurus/experts say : FLOW! DISTRIBUTION!
Just for laughs: a LFS today advised me: "You need more potassium! The best product is ADA's Brighty K only!"
Anyway, my carpet and midground plants which are doing OK (not great either) but background plants are leggy with thin stems (please see photo taken).
Inspite of using the powerhead for better flow, background plants don't have that gentle back and forth movement. Only the middle plants are moving about madly.
I'm planning to run my 2 canister filters with 2 separate spray bars placed lengthwise on the back of the tank .
I intend to attach an Eheim Universal pump 2400 (stated flow 2400L/h) to the Eheim 600 (2075) BUT with the impeller taken out of the ext canister.
Please see the diagram I drew below.
OK now the big question is:
Is this possible? Can the canister 600 still function without the impeller inside it and with a separate pump doing all the pulling and pushing of water.
As I intend to have the pump outside the tank along with my other 2 canister filters in my cabinet, will the Eheim pump generate too much heat and vibration noise?
If I have too much flow, can it be slowed down using a flow controller tap?
Which is the best position to have the Eheim pump in the flow path?
Below are my tank's details.
4 feet / 120cm
Age of tank: 8 months
Actual volume: 290 litres / 76 US gallon
Mid to heavy planted.
EI fertilization(3x a week).
With additional 1 teaspoon of potassium phosphate (3x a week) for the past 2 months.
Substrate: ADA Aqua soil.
Water change: 50% once a week.
Using chiller ( temp @ 25 c).
No liquid carbon dosed.
Photoperiod.
Total: 6 hours.
50% intensity for 3 hours from lights on and then the remaining 3 hours with 100% intensity.
Pressurized Co2
1. Two separate Co2 diffusers-
a. Inline diffuser (Intense brand).
b. Intank diffuser (70mm - Intense brand).
2. Co2 switched ON 3 hours before lights ON
3. DC near to lime green when lights on.
4. Using 5 litre cylinder in 30 to 35 days! (crazy right?)
5. Co2 BBS : uncountable / crazy / mind boggling etc etc....
Algae:
1.GSA : on front glass (not severe).
2.BBA : on the rise.
3.Hair algae: NIL.
4.BGA : very small patches near substrate level but 70 - 80% gone.
6.Using Easy Life's Algae Exit for the past 3 weeks for BBA but no improvement at all. IMO this product is snake oil.
Fish: moderate population but all healthy and happy.
Filtration:
Eheim Ext canister 1200XL (2080).
Stated flow: 1700L/h but actual flow maybe about 60% only. Inline Co2 diffuser attached.
Eheim Ext canister 600 (2075).
Stated flow: 1250L/h but actual flow is maybe about 40% only as chiller is attached and flow is slowed down quite significantly..
Powerhead : Turbelle nanostream 6045. (stated flow rate: 1500L/h which I severely doubt.)
Currently all spray bars and powerhead pointing horizontally to the other side of the tank (left to right).
Prefered turnover rate in tank: 10X volume (290Lt X 10= 2900)
Estimated flow (can be lower, maybe?)
Eheim 2080: 1000L/h
Eheim 2075: 500L/h
Powerhead: stated 1500L/h ( but as mentioned above, I doubt it).
Thanks for taking the time to read my lengthy post and for your effort in providing me your experiences and inputs. Much appreciated.
Cheers
http://i1295.photobucket.com/albums/b631/Zak_Rafik/Eheim-filter-position_zpscc810531.jpg
http://i1295.photobucket.com/albums/b631/Zak_Rafik/leggy-plants_zpsdfb725f9.jpg
http://i1295.photobucket.com/albums/b631/Zak_Rafik/maxresdefault_zps77f64ade.jpg
http://i1295.photobucket.com/albums/b631/Zak_Rafik/8396953793_920569535d_c_zpsa1623c7c.jpg
Need your advice / input for my planted tank.
I have read many posts here where having the spray bar length wise, especially for big tanks (pointing back to front of tank) creates:
1. Better flow in the tank
2. More efficient distribution of nutrients to plants.
3. More efficient distribution of Co2
4. Less Co2 need to get the DC to the lime green colour.
5. The tank doesn't end up looking like a washing machine in spin cycle.
I maybe wrong but I think I may be having flow problems in my tank. All my stem plants are getting leggy and the stems are thin.
I have searched all over the net ( just kidding) and spoken to a few LFS and they all sing in unison: MORE LIGHTS! MORE LIGHTS! MORE LIGHTS! YOU NEED MORE LIGHTS!
(Is this what Clive a.k.a.ceg4048 fondly refers to as THE MATRIX?)
But only here in UKAPS, do the gurus/experts say : FLOW! DISTRIBUTION!
Just for laughs: a LFS today advised me: "You need more potassium! The best product is ADA's Brighty K only!"
Anyway, my carpet and midground plants which are doing OK (not great either) but background plants are leggy with thin stems (please see photo taken).
Inspite of using the powerhead for better flow, background plants don't have that gentle back and forth movement. Only the middle plants are moving about madly.
I'm planning to run my 2 canister filters with 2 separate spray bars placed lengthwise on the back of the tank .
I intend to attach an Eheim Universal pump 2400 (stated flow 2400L/h) to the Eheim 600 (2075) BUT with the impeller taken out of the ext canister.
Please see the diagram I drew below.
OK now the big question is:
Is this possible? Can the canister 600 still function without the impeller inside it and with a separate pump doing all the pulling and pushing of water.
As I intend to have the pump outside the tank along with my other 2 canister filters in my cabinet, will the Eheim pump generate too much heat and vibration noise?
If I have too much flow, can it be slowed down using a flow controller tap?
Which is the best position to have the Eheim pump in the flow path?
Below are my tank's details.
4 feet / 120cm
Age of tank: 8 months
Actual volume: 290 litres / 76 US gallon
Mid to heavy planted.
EI fertilization(3x a week).
With additional 1 teaspoon of potassium phosphate (3x a week) for the past 2 months.
Substrate: ADA Aqua soil.
Water change: 50% once a week.
Using chiller ( temp @ 25 c).
No liquid carbon dosed.
Photoperiod.
Total: 6 hours.
50% intensity for 3 hours from lights on and then the remaining 3 hours with 100% intensity.
Pressurized Co2
1. Two separate Co2 diffusers-
a. Inline diffuser (Intense brand).
b. Intank diffuser (70mm - Intense brand).
2. Co2 switched ON 3 hours before lights ON
3. DC near to lime green when lights on.
4. Using 5 litre cylinder in 30 to 35 days! (crazy right?)
5. Co2 BBS : uncountable / crazy / mind boggling etc etc....
Algae:
1.GSA : on front glass (not severe).
2.BBA : on the rise.
3.Hair algae: NIL.
4.BGA : very small patches near substrate level but 70 - 80% gone.
6.Using Easy Life's Algae Exit for the past 3 weeks for BBA but no improvement at all. IMO this product is snake oil.
Fish: moderate population but all healthy and happy.
Filtration:
Eheim Ext canister 1200XL (2080).
Stated flow: 1700L/h but actual flow maybe about 60% only. Inline Co2 diffuser attached.
Eheim Ext canister 600 (2075).
Stated flow: 1250L/h but actual flow is maybe about 40% only as chiller is attached and flow is slowed down quite significantly..
Powerhead : Turbelle nanostream 6045. (stated flow rate: 1500L/h which I severely doubt.)
Currently all spray bars and powerhead pointing horizontally to the other side of the tank (left to right).
Prefered turnover rate in tank: 10X volume (290Lt X 10= 2900)
Estimated flow (can be lower, maybe?)
Eheim 2080: 1000L/h
Eheim 2075: 500L/h
Powerhead: stated 1500L/h ( but as mentioned above, I doubt it).
Thanks for taking the time to read my lengthy post and for your effort in providing me your experiences and inputs. Much appreciated.
Cheers
http://i1295.photobucket.com/albums/b631/Zak_Rafik/Eheim-filter-position_zpscc810531.jpg
http://i1295.photobucket.com/albums/b631/Zak_Rafik/leggy-plants_zpsdfb725f9.jpg
http://i1295.photobucket.com/albums/b631/Zak_Rafik/maxresdefault_zps77f64ade.jpg
http://i1295.photobucket.com/albums/b631/Zak_Rafik/8396953793_920569535d_c_zpsa1623c7c.jpg