Poor flow

[Byron]

Thanks. Now I've seen that, either keep the canister or get something like the Aqueon Quiet Flow I mentioned. If you keep the canister, reposition the spray bar along the end wall (either end), not along the back as it is now. Aim the holes into that end wall and slightly downward. You can fiddle with the angle to achieve good surface disturbance but still have a downward flow (down the wall to the substrate). The filter intake should be on the opposite end wall from the spraybar.

Now that I've seen the plants (very lovely, too!) I can definitely say you do not need biological filtration nor biological media, and never have to fuss over seeding, etc. That just doesn't apply here.

 

[mbsqw1d]

Thanks Byron, this is quite astonishing to me lol - I can see myself ending up with an internal over the canister.

I've just stumbled upon this which is some good reading

https://pdfs.semanticscholar.org/393c/b31f936ea2c9d501eb99fa9faec39c970726.pdf

mostly taken from Diana's Ecology of the Planted Aquarium it would seem - need to get myself a copy!

 

[PheonixKingZ]

Thanks Byron, this is quite astonishing to me lol - I can see myself ending up with an internal over the canister.

I've just stumbled upon this which is some good reading

https://pdfs.semanticscholar.org/393c/b31f936ea2c9d501eb99fa9faec39c970726.pdf

mostly taken from Diana's Ecology of the Planted Aquarium it would seem - need to get myself a copy!

I really like internal filters. It sort of keeps everything inside the tank.

They are also very easy to clean. (I personally like the Tetras Whisper series)

 

[Essjay]

If you want an internal, you could try one of the Eheim Aquaball series. Sponge media, adjustable flow direction and flow rate. A mini spray bar can be bought separately.

 

[Byron]

Thanks Byron, this is quite astonishing to me lol - I can see myself ending up with an internal over the canister.

I've just stumbled upon this which is some good reading

https://pdfs.semanticscholar.org/393c/b31f936ea2c9d501eb99fa9faec39c970726.pdf

mostly taken from Diana's Ecology of the Planted Aquarium it would seem - need to get myself a copy!

I have her book, and the linked article. I cited passages from it in another thread last week. It has a lot of scientific data collected in one place, and these are relevant whether one has a soil substrate (as she advocates) or not. I personally see no benefit in soil, but that does not lessen the value of the related botanical studies she cites for things like the nitrogen question in the article.

 

[seangee]

Thanks Byron, this is quite astonishing to me lol - I can see myself ending up with an internal over the canister.

I've just stumbled upon this which is some good reading

https://pdfs.semanticscholar.org/393c/b31f936ea2c9d501eb99fa9faec39c970726.pdf

mostly taken from Diana's Ecology of the Planted Aquarium it would seem - need to get myself a copy!

Really interesting. I posted in another thread that I thought my floating plants did so well because there is so little biological filtering in my tanks. I assumed it was just a personal theory - but it seems that there is science behind it after all .

 

[mbsqw1d]

I've just removed a considerable amount of the alfagrog however the flow seems unchanged. I think the flow is purposely reduced in the design on this model, as the water passes over a UV bulb.. so, I'm now browsing Amazon for internals!

Also, I tracked down pdf vers of Diana's book... (let me know if anyone would like a copy emailed)