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How to achieve 10 times flow

copperband

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Joined
30 Jan 2023
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53
Location
Newbury
I've spent the last few weeks reading all the threads about filtering well planted aquariums and the conclusion I've come to is that people seem more positive about high flow in the tank to let the plants do the work vs lots of media in external filters.
This leads me to the question of how to achieve the target of 10 times turnover?
I currently run a 90 litre tank with an Oase Biomaster 350. It has been gone through periods of looking great, to periods where I wanted to throw a blanket over it and forget about it (Cyano that covered everything). After trying various things I decided I would start again, a new aquarium with almost double the water - 170L. I will start with new Tropica soil (as I try every possible way to have nothing from the old tank in the new to minimise cyano entering new set up). I will have all new plants and plant very heavily from day 1. I have been pre preparing the plants by opening "Tropica 121 grow" packs and growing them in glass ramekins in media held in a shallow water trough. They are all growing well.

My intention is to use the same Biomaster 350 on the new set up, I will remove some of the clay type media and put back some of the plastic media that it came.
Quoted turnover is 1100l/h but i suspect it is closer to half that with all the flow restriction. Let's be generous and say it's 700lhr, that still leaves me needing a further 1000lhr.

How do people achieve this shortfall nd add to their tank turnover.
I don't want to add powerheads as they look ugly and will liquidise my Shrimps.
I've read about people using wave makers from Marine aquariums, but these give the same issues as powerheads.
The only real solution I've come to is to add a second Biomaster, 350 or 600, perhaps empty (other than prefilters)? This would give me more flow, but would mean doubling up with 2 sets of lily pipe inlet and outlet?

Thoughts and suggestions welcome.
 
Thanks. Not sure what size aquarium you're running, but the the quoted 9000lph, sounds like it would turn my tank into a washing machine of flow!
 
Quoted turnover is 1100l/h but i suspect it is closer to half that with all the flow restriction. Let's be generous and say it's 700lhr, that still leaves me needing a further 1000lhr.
My understanding is that the 10x turnover 'rule' is for the manufacturer's rated turnover. It's for the very reason that after filter media and piping, the result is never the actual 10x value, so by aiming high, we ensure that there will be sufficient flow even after reductions. Sometimes you just have to eyeball these things - do all of the plants leaves gently sway in your tank? If so, then you likely have enough flow. If there are stagnant areas where the plants don't move at all, then more flow might benefit them.

Things like wavemakers (preferably adjustable) can be used to boost flow to certain areas.
 
My problem is that I have a fluval 307 which is more than is needed on my 100L tank, but as I have ember tetras it's hard to add flow as they get stressed and mope miserably.
 
Less intrusive than the 3 flow pumps that I had with better flow, for better CO2 dispersal. I’m running it on 20% and will probably go up to 30% when plant mass increases.
I really like the idea of these, not sure I can justify nearly £300 though. It does make a lot of sense vs adding another external canister which is I think what most people do?
 
I really like the idea of these, not sure I can justify nearly £300 though.
You can get the Maxspect Jump Gyre MJ-GF2K for around £170, this can also be stepped in increments of 10% or you can remove one side of the pump and have it run at 5% power (350 Lph).

Agreed they're not cheap, and maybe overkill for a 90L tank.

 
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You can get the Maxspect Jump Gyre MJ-GF2K for around £170, this can also be stepped in increments of 10% or you can remove one side of the pump and have it run at 5% power (350 Lph).

Agreed they're not cheap, and maybe overkill for a 90L tank.

Thanks for that. The new tank is 170l.
I was looking at the small Tunze nano Stream's which seem to be able to move a lot of water for around £50. The weakness of them vs these Gyre pumps though is that it's still a single point pushing water out, better than a powerhead, but not as even as these would be with their wide stream
 
I was looking at the small Tunze nano Stream's which seem to be able to move a lot of water for around £50. The weakness of them vs these Gyre pumps though is that it's still a single point pushing water out, better than a powerhead, but not as even as these would be with their wide stream
That’s what I found. Even though you’re moving more water with a gyre, it’s more gentle and my fish are happier. The food thing about some of the Tunze pumps is that the Flow can be adjusted physically.
 


This usb pump cost me US$3.50 from a China seller. However, my experience is that it lasts about a year before you need to replace it. But given its price, really no harm trying this out in a 170l tank before getting a Gyre.
 
I set my 125 litre Aquael tank up 15 months ago and I installed an Aquael 2000, which is at least 15 times volume turnover. I ran the tank dark for a month before adding plants and fertilized with a general purpose fertilizer as per instructions. All water parameters were excellent from weekly tests with zero nitrates, mirrored and ammonia. However plant growth was slow, as might be expected in a low tech set up, but then I began suffering with excessive algae growth. I tried every option I could think of from dosing with liquid carbon, using algae killer and even a full week total black out to no avail.
Having read an article on this forum about the folly of following the high flow, frequent water change methodology I completely changed my approach. I reduced the flow to the absolute minimum I could achieve without killing the bacteria in the filter and causing a possible poisoning of the tank. I stopped adding anything, I even turned one of the two led tubes off. Plant growth just took off, things are that prolific I am culling even my epiphytes. I haven't done a water change in 4 months and my water parameters haven't changed at all. I simply too up any evaporation and clean the front glass. There is very little algae and I leave that for the cherry shrimps that are breeding prolifically. The inhabitants are a dozen cardinals, ten danios, four dwarf cats and four Ottos.
Not sure how this fits in with all the highly credible advice on setting up an aquascape but thought I would share
 

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I set my 125 litre Aquael tank up 15 months ago and I installed an Aquael 2000, which is at least 15 times volume turnover. I ran the tank dark for a month before adding plants and fertilized with a general purpose fertilizer as per instructions. All water parameters were excellent from weekly tests with zero nitrates, mirrored and ammonia. However plant growth was slow, as might be expected in a low tech set up, but then I began suffering with excessive algae growth. I tried every option I could think of from dosing with liquid carbon, using algae killer and even a full week total black out to no avail.
Having read an article on this forum about the folly of following the high flow, frequent water change methodology I completely changed my approach. I reduced the flow to the absolute minimum I could achieve without killing the bacteria in the filter and causing a possible poisoning of the tank. I stopped adding anything, I even turned one of the two led tubes off. Plant growth just took off, things are that prolific I am culling even my epiphytes. I haven't done a water change in 4 months and my water parameters haven't changed at all. I simply too up any evaporation and clean the front glass. There is very little algae and I leave that for the cherry shrimps that are breeding prolifically. The inhabitants are a dozen cardinals, ten danios, four dwarf cats and four Ottos.
Not sure how this fits in with all the highly credible advice on setting up an aquascape but thought I would share
I guess your experience goes against the science that most people suggest, the old adage of "if it works for you" must always be respected in the hobby. Personally, I'm hoping that better circulation and removing the dead spots will alleviate the Algae challenges I've experienced in the past. No guarantees though and I clearly have a lot to consider.
 
I set my 125 litre Aquael tank up 15 months ago and I installed an Aquael 2000, which is at least 15 times volume turnover. I ran the tank dark for a month before adding plants and fertilized with a general purpose fertilizer as per instructions. All water parameters were excellent from weekly tests with zero nitrates, mirrored and ammonia. However plant growth was slow, as might be expected in a low tech set up, but then I began suffering with excessive algae growth. I tried every option I could think of from dosing with liquid carbon, using algae killer and even a full week total black out to no avail.
Having read an article on this forum about the folly of following the high flow, frequent water change methodology I completely changed my approach. I reduced the flow to the absolute minimum I could achieve without killing the bacteria in the filter and causing a possible poisoning of the tank. I stopped adding anything, I even turned one of the two led tubes off. Plant growth just took off, things are that prolific I am culling even my epiphytes. I haven't done a water change in 4 months and my water parameters haven't changed at all. I simply too up any evaporation and clean the front glass. There is very little algae and I leave that for the cherry shrimps that are breeding prolifically. The inhabitants are a dozen cardinals, ten danios, four dwarf cats and four Ottos.
Not sure how this fits in with all the highly credible advice on setting up an aquascape but thought I would share
A couple of observation on this: you were/are running low tech, so the 10X flow formula doesn’t really apply, nor does the 50% weekly water change. I think the rule of thumb for low tech used to be 2x turnover, and smaller water changes every couple of weeks.
Also, you stated that nitrates were zero. If that was really the case, no wonder your plants weren’t growing.

Your plants are looking good.
 
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