Juwel Rio 125 flow issue

[pitom]

Hi,
I have a 3 week old aquarium. Here are the photos:
https://plus.google.com/photos/1065...s/6140906371010790929?authkey=CKiU16H3uqGKtwE

For a couple of days now, there are issues with plants melting, mostly in two areas. First one is in the back left behind the driftwood with microsorum - I have Ludwigia arcurata there and it melted in about a 10 cm patch. I left them to see if they recover, but then turned black and started to rot. The second one is on the surface near the filter base - area behind the white rock. I have Rotala sp. bonsai there and it also melts. Going through information on this forum I understand this is lack of adequate water flow in these areas.

You can see the filter outlet in the link, now I have turned it a bit down so that the flow is against the mid center of the front glass. Water is sucked into the filter from the top of the filter housing. I think it would be better if the inlet is in the bottom, but that's the way the filter is designed.

What are my best options without investing in additional filter?
- change filter pump from 600 l/h to 1000 l/h
- add a circulation pump or another internal - near the current filter or maybe in the other corner? Where should the outlet point?
- install a spray bar on the back wall - I fear the flow will not be enough if it is split to many holes in a spray bar
- increase height of substrate in the back?
- any other ideas?

Thanks!

 

[EnderUK]

My roma 125 has a 1000lph filter and a 900lph powerhead pretty much in the same area the back right hand side. 1000lph really isn't enough for this tank as it won't power a spray bar properly and if you're not using a spray back you need to power the water across the whole tank with enough force to send the returning flow along the bottom of the tank.

 

[Sacha]

I have the same tank (Juwel Rio 125). I upgraded to a 1000 lph internal pump which is connected to a spray bar. I also have an external 1400lph filter connected to a second spray bar.

In a high-tech tank, you're going to need a spray bar. If an external is out of the question, then upgrade to a 1000 lph internal and attach a spray bar to the outlet.

 

[pitom]

Thanks! I will upgrade the pump then and attach a spray bar as the first step - do you know which standard spray bar will fit? 9/12 or 12/16 or 16/22? I understand that in order to connect it to Juwel outlet I will need a short piece of hose with inside diameter matching outside diameter of the spray bar and Juwel outlet?

 

[Sacha]

I got a 12/16 TetraTec spray bar and I could attach it to the outlet without any additional modifications.

 

[ian_m]

Read the links below about my attempts to make a spray bar on the Juwel pump outlet and issues with using 1000l/hr pump head with such a small filter.
Juwel Bioflow filters in Planted Tanks...Need Help!

Juwel Bioflow filters in Planted Tanks...Need Help!

In the end external filter proper spray bar. Done.

 

[pitom]

Just for test I have inserted an internal eheim filter rated at 550 l/h and flow appeared in the dead spot in the back! I will then buy koralia nano 900 l/h. It should be enough power to push the water from one end of the tank to another. That's the cheapest solution at the same time, hopefully it solves the problem.

 

[Enjoy]

-Sorrry to hijack the thread but while we are talking about it....

Sounds like the general consensus is that a spray bar is much more effective running along the top back of the tank
and down the front of the tank, my question to that is????

-How to you evenly distrubute the CO2 then?
-How do the fish deal with this?
-Do the plants at the back even get current then?

 

[EnderUK]

-
-How to you evenly distrubute the CO2 then?
-How do the fish deal with this?
-Do the plants at the back even get current then?

-The spray bar does a good job of this though bubbles can be trapped at the end of it sometimes if the flow isn't great enough.
- My Gourami hate it so use a lily outlet to have a surface dead spot, most other fish shouldn't care.
- Yes the water comes up the back from the bottom of the tank to replace the water being pushed by the spray bar in a circular motion
.