Best thing to increase flow?

[Tropical Tony]

Hi guys,

I’ve just bought an aqua one ocellaris 1400 external filter for my 150l aquarium. The flow rate is claiming 1400lph but it seems a lot less. What can I put in there to increase the flow? Has anyone had any experience with wave makers in a planted tank?

 

[Gypsum]

I just put in a Hydor Koralia powerhead because I got a rubberlip pleco, which lives in fast-flowing streams, and after lots of digging around the internet, that seemed like the easiest way to create the right conditions. I set it up about about a third of the way along the tank and aimed it to the side, so there's an area with less current if the fish want a break. But all the fish in that tank live in rivers, so they can deal with it pretty well. I wouldn't put it in my other tank, where I have African killifish which live in stagnant water holes. If you have things like bettas or gouramis, I wouldn't recommend it, either. There are faffier ways to increase aeration if you need to keep your current low. Not sure what they are, though.

 

[seangee]

Do you have a reason for wanting a high flow or are you chasing numbers? I have an ocellaris 850 (which I assume is smaller than a 1400) in a 200 litre tank and that is more than enough. In fact I have reduced the flow by adding a sponge pre-filter. Make sure your hoses are as short as possible and as vertical as possible (but don't forget you have to remove the lid )

 

[Tropical Tony]

Thanks guys,

on my external the hoses are cut as short as possible (with a little slack). I’ve got the hose connector on the outlet (not the spray bar) but it just doesn’t seem as powerful as I thought it would be. I can see bits of debris building up on plant leaves I thought that by putting in a filter of this size it would be gathering everything up haha.

 

[Gypsum]

My tank runs a Fluval 307 and a Fluval U4. Don't know the filter you have or if it's similar in size and flow. To be honest, they did a perfectly adequate job for the corys, tetras, and bristlenose pleco. I only got the powerhead because the rubberlip requires very specific conditions, and I was not sure if my two filters were providing that. The tetras were a bit alarmed when I first installed the powerhead, but they've since adapted. The corys and bristlenose could not have cared less.

 

[seangee]

Just gently swirl around the leaves with your hand if it bothers you. I have the same Koralia powerhead as @Gypsum in one of my tanks. But only because the fish in there love (and need) a high flow. The other two tanks have minimal flow because that is what the fish need.

I don't know what fish you have, but many of the fish typically kept in tropical aquaria really don't appreciate a high flow.

 

[Tropical Tony]

Thanks. It’s mostly just terras at the moment and probably going to put some rams in there. Would you recommend increasing the flow or just leaving it?

 

[Gypsum]

Leave it. I don't think rams are brilliant in high flow tanks.

 

[seangee]

If you mean tetra most species do not like fast flowing water. Rams definitely don't. So I would leave it as is.