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How much flow is too much flow


Andy_1984

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Cleaning the tank just the other day and thought I would take the angled powerhead nozzle off to see how the flow was.

 

It had great flow but perhaps too much flow ? I loved the fact there was a lot of great surface agitation meaning I could do away with that annoying bubble creator on the angled nozzle (draws in air so imagine a gurgling sound constantly)

 

The problem I seem to see with it though is that the fish were maybe trying to keep up with it too much and when they stopped they got moved backward quite quickly and if they kited it was even more noticeable, and quite funny :D

 

ive got the nozzle back on now and trying to think of ways of reducing the flow while keeping the surface agitation more or less the same as without flow reduction.

 

What's your thoughts guys ?

Owner of Tacklesack.co.uk


Moderator at The-Pikers-Pit.co.uk

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Depends on what you are trying to achieve and what you are keeping. Obviously fish from fast flowing rivers will like lots of flow and fish from stagnant pools won't. Too much surface agitation in a planted tank will out-gas CO2, too little flow leads to dead spots and algae problems.

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roach, rudd, tench. no live plants (they get eaten)

 

roach and rudd came from a small pond and a canal.

 

the bubbler is giving little agitation/oxygenation but its really getting on my nerves now because of the sound of it. I understand surface agitation is a better way of providing oxygen I would like the flow a little stronger than it is just now to give more surface ripple than it does right now but I think its far too strong and wonder if it would tire/stress them constantly fighting against the flow. know anything i can do to reduce it ?

Owner of Tacklesack.co.uk


Moderator at The-Pikers-Pit.co.uk

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Can't turn it down and the angled nozzle when removed means its just blasting along the length of the tanks back wall about an inch and a half under the surface giving great surface ripple. Also giving a really good flow with the nozzle removed, just too strong I reckon.

 

If I turned the angled nozzle so that the flow and ripple is on the surface it would be about a 45 degree angle and hitting the front of the tank and upsetting a nice uniform flow from one end to the other.

 

This is more or less (diff color and graphics) my internal filter with the downward angled nozzle which can be removed or turned. The intake runs down the entire opposite end.

 

48686a428c2d7af967b0f8cb14805149.jpg

Owner of Tacklesack.co.uk


Moderator at The-Pikers-Pit.co.uk

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wonder if it would tire/stress them constantly fighting against the flow.

 

Andy, your tank is a beacon of health and the fact your roach and rudd have settled in and done so well, coming from a wild environment, is a testement to the fact your tank works perfectly well. Even the tench, a relatively stillwater species, is in tip-top condition. If anything was going to suffer, I'd suspect it was him.

 

The rudd and the roach have nothing to be worried about. Think about the flow on the Leven and that's choc-full of roach isn't it? You've been there and fished it and that hammers along. Your little ripple is nothing by comparison. You told me the rudd are getting a little boistrous. Hardly the behaviour of a fish struggling to get by.

 

If the flow was a problem, there would have been a problem with your fishes health long before now.

 

I don't know what you're worried about. Every time I see your tank, I'm impressed with how well it's turned out, with very few teething problems or fatalities. You're looking for probems that don't exist or need adjusting. The tank will be 2 years old in April (I think) and the roach and rudd have been in since then and I suspect they'll still be there in another 2 years time.

 

I'd also draw attention to the fact that the roach and rudd did suffer health-wise for a time, while they settled into their new environment. Remember the dull colours, the missing scales, the glass-bashing etc.? All gone. The roach and rudd are pristine examples of their species. What about the growth rate of your tench? I remember when that fish was unrecognisable as a tench at all. It's the biggest fish in the tank now and again, it's a shining example of what a tench should be. Not a scale out of place in fact.

 

It's a cracking tank Andy.

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Is the bubbler a Venturi in the powerhead outlet? You could just block it up. If you aren't too heavily stocked, you will probably get enough gas exchange with only gentle water movement. Got an up to date piccy of tank and fish?

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Yes It is a Venturi nozzle with an adjustable T Valve with one end blocked so i can increase or decrease the amount of bubbles.

 

This is about the most up to date picture. Not very clear unfortunately sorry ill try get a better one if its no good.

 

2012-11-25205248.jpg

Owner of Tacklesack.co.uk


Moderator at The-Pikers-Pit.co.uk

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Maybe an air-stone would be better. It breaks up the air flow into much, much smaller bubbles, which I suspect would be far quieter. It'll cost you about a quid from the pet shop. You can give it a bash and if it doesn't work out, it's not broken the bank.

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¤«Thʤ«PÔâ©H¤MëíTë®»¤

 

Click HERE for in-fighting, scrapping, name-calling, objectional and often explicit behaviour and cakes. Mind your tin-hat

 

Click HERE for Tench Fishing World forums

 

Playboy.jpg

 

LandaPikkoSig.jpg

 

"I envy not him that eats better meat than I do, nor him that is richer, or that wears better clothes than I do. I envy nobody but him, and him only, that catches more fish than I do"

...Izaac Walton...

 

"It looked a really nice swim betwixt weedbed and bank"

...Vagabond...

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