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Why more algae in filter pipes than outside?

There was a thread recently about the cause of algae, and no-one produced an answer. So as long as we can't explain algae, we'll struggle to explain this! My inflow is the only one that gives me problems, so my complete guess is the gunk getting drawn in lingers a bit, so it's dirtier than the rest of my tank.
 
Dantrasy said:
the flow is consistently higher in the hoses.
Click to expand...

Indeed that is the obvious big difference but why does this high flow rate then induce higher growth?

Is it as simple as more flow provides more food and produces more growth in the same way as it apparently does for our plants? Or is it more about the faster build up of slime and bacteria that provides a better home or is that one and the same thing?
 
I Think Yo-han´s stated the obvious. +1

I never seen an ottosinclus inside the pipes...

H.
 
The reason is because there is more flow, more flow = more nutrients to the plant or algae.. This is the reason why more flow can be good for plants that do not get nutrients from their roots but instead their leaves.. if you have stagnant water you don't get nutrient flow.. But if your water is too aggressive it can feed your plants as well as algae.. I haven't had algae issues in my tanks that have very little flow.. but I do have algae issues in tanks with higher flow I noticed
 
Well yes I thought the obvious flow relationship was interesting which was why I brought up the topic. Clearly that is the big difference from inside pipe to outside but I wouldn't have thought there would be any nutrient limitation between the two as far as algae are concerned though one can summise that there will be far more crud cruising down the pipes. I'm pretty confident that in my case the filter inflow pipe gets gungy rather quicker than the cleaner watered outflow pipe.

I dont think the critter nibbling factor accounts for much, i've never seen a shrimp or otto grazing on my spray bar....
 
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