Creating directional flow in a smallish tank

[davros]

There is a technique for air fans - to reduce turbulence they have a filter that is much like as stack of shorter straws that cleans up the flow.

 

[WhistlingBadger]

I wonder, if one put biggish sponges on the intakes of that manifold, if that would provide adequate mechanical filtration. I'm not too worried about bio filtration, with all the emergent plants. But I want the water very clear.

 

[WhistlingBadger]

There is a technique for air fans - to reduce turbulence they have a filter that is much like as stack of shorter straws that cleans up the flow.

Could you tell me more? I can't visualize what you mean.

 

[Archerfish]

I wonder, if one put biggish sponges on the intakes of that manifold, if that would provide adequate mechanical filtration. I'm not too worried about bio filtration, with all the emergent plants. But I want the water very clear.

That's a tough one to answer. My experience with palduariums is they tend to have tannins in the water from the wood etc so the water will not be crystal clear. I had four at one time. The only one with very clear water was canister filtered. I first used only air driven sponge filters in my palduariums and they did a pretty fair job of mechanical filtration if the bioload was very low. Later, I used the powerhead option which allowed me to 'create' my own filter. Perhaps modify something? That is the fun of this hobby!

 

[Slaphppy7]

I think you answered your own question early in the thread, and I think it would be the simplest solution...powerhead

Doesn't have to be a huge one, and you'd still get the circulation you desire

 

[WhistlingBadger]

That's a tough one to answer. My experience with palduariums is they tend to have tannins in the water from the wood etc so the water will not be crystal clear. I had four at one time. The only one with very clear water was canister filtered. I first used only air driven sponge filters in my palduariums and they did a pretty fair job of mechanical filtration if the bioload was very low. Later, I used the powerhead option which allowed me to 'create' my own filter. Perhaps modify something? That is the fun of this hobby!

I plan to use bleached driftwood for whatever wood I use. Don't want a blackwater setup here. As for the filtration value, I guess there's only one way to find out! I plan on tearing down the rice paddy in the next week or two, then getting started on this. I'll probably start a journal on it at some point, so stay tuned.

 

[WhistlingBadger]

I think I could just put a couple of these babies on the intakes and boom, there's my mech (and quite a bit of bio) filtration.

 

[Archerfish]

Yep.

I think I could just put a couple of these babies on the intakes and boom, there's my mech (and quite a bit of bio) filtration.

Yep.