Water Circulation

For any aquarium it is said that water circulation is important in order to maintain a healthy aquarium (i.e. helps prevent algae issues, etc.). My question for you experts is how do you determine good water circulation? Any articles that I can read would be super helpful if there are any.

The reason why I am asking is because a neighbor of mine purchased a 10 gallon after seeing my 20 gallon setup. I didn't know how to answer his water circulation question and told him I would reach out to you guys.

Thanks!

 

Curious about this as well. I have one tank with an over the ledge and also a tank with an internal filter.

 

For my tanks, it depends on what fish I keep in them and whether I'm getting detritus buildup. Some fish don't like flow, so if you're getting those fish, you don't want a lot of flow. There are some fish that require lots of flow, so you want good circulation in the tank. If I'm getting detritus buildup in a tank that has fish that can handle flow, I'll adjust the filters or add a powerhead or just do more gravel vacs.

 

Hello om...

The tank filter will move the water surface to mix oxygen into the water and allows carbon dioxide to escape. This movement circulates oxygen around the tank. Oxygen is needed to keep the fish alive.

A 10 gallon tank is a poor choice though for a beginning tank. It's difficult for even an experienced "water keeper" to keep such a small amount of water clean enough to keep fish for any length of time.

Old

 

I disagree with Old. A 10 gal is fine if properly maintained and stocked. The issues is that many people don't stock their 10 gal correctly and run into issues then.

 

I had this discussion with my neighbor before he purchased the 10g. He is currently doing a fishless cycle, which I suggested, and he's thinking about adding either guppies or tetras. He hasn't decided. But one thing is for sure... he wants live plants and driftwood in his tank, which he hasn't added yet.

I don't have this issue now since I upgraded to a 20 gallon a few weeks ago, but I recall when I had a 10 gallon that I was having some sort of algae buildup. Looking at my logs from when this occurred (I keep logs of my fish keeping maintenance, etc.) I wrote down that the buildup seemed to have occurred on the side of the tank where the filter was not located. The only thing I didn't get a chance to rule out before upgrading my tank was whether my tank had good enough water circulation.

I'm wondering if there is any advice I can give my neighbor to limit his chances from this happening to him and perhaps making sure that it doesn't happen in my 20 gallon tank as well.

 

Hello, I'm having a bit of a problem. I have a 20 gallon long (planted, work in progress) with Aquaclear 50 HOB and sponge. I'm getting ready to completely redo the tank, however I want a bit more water circulation and I have been looking and researching. I think I have decided to get the Hydor Koralia Nano Aquarium Circulation Pump (240 or 425). I just want something that will keep the dead spots away. (there seems to be a few.) So...this pump or another suggestion? I am trying to keep the cost below $50. HOB is on one side of the tank, Sponge on the other (though I might be removing the sponge for another tank).

 

Amazon sells wave makers for around $10. They can be set to make a nice random flow.

 

Amazon sells wave makers for around $10. They can be set to make a nice random flow.

Thank you David. I have been trying to research this for a couple of weeks now. I do try to find answers on my own before posting a question. However, as you or others may know, sometimes trying to find answers regarding this hobby can feel like looking for the needle in the haystack. Perhaps I did not ask the right question. I am very new to this hobby, just less than a year. While I appreciate your response, it's responses like this that makes it a bit more frustrating to locate answers. Telling someone that Amazon sells wave makers for around $10, is like saying go to the lake and you will find the fish. Name of the product, or maybe, personal experience(s) is much more helpful. Even if it just a list of names of the items you think might by well made or such. I'm perfectly happy to go look them up research the products. I just need a bit more info to work with in order to go research more. Thank you.

 

I purchased this set, only because they were cheap. But worth it. Works perfectly. I use just one of them in my 55g, with the wave maker on one end and a sponge filter on the other. My canister filter in the middle. So now I have 3 extras just sitting on my shelf. They may be too big for your tank, but maybe they have smaller ones by the same manufacturer that would work for you instead.

SUN JVP-110 528-GPH Wave Maker Pumps, 4 Piece

 

Similar situation when I initially set-up my 55. Noticed dead-spots. Using a Hydor 565 Pump on a timer no more dead-spots. And the fish enjoy swimming in the current. Agree with AllieSten might be to much for a 20. Good Luck

Oh, by the way. To check your circulation you might want to try this. It worked for me. Take a chopstick or any long thin item and tie 4-5 pieces about 2-3" long of thread to it then lower anywhere in the tank. You'll be able to see the flow of water by watching the movement of the threads.

 

Oh, by the way. To check your circulation you might want to try this. It worked for me. Take a chopstick or any long thin item and tie 4-5 pieces about 2-3" long of thread to it then lower anywhere in the tank. You'll be able to see the flow of water by watching the movement of the threads.

Ohhh!! thank you for this, I will do that today!

I purchased this set, only because they were cheap. But worth it. Works perfectly. I use just one of them in my 55g, with the wave maker on one end and a sponge filter on the other. My canister filter in the middle. So now I have 3 extras just sitting on my shelf. They may be too big for your tank, but maybe they have smaller ones by the same manufacturer that would work for you instead.

SUN JVP-110 528-GPH Wave Maker Pumps, 4 Piece

Thank you, I will add this to my list.

 

There are 4 or 5 at that price range which would probably be about the right size but each is a little different so you would have to decide which one would be best for your application. If you want to spend a little more they start coming with remote controls and all sorts of features.

 

I think I have been looking at this all wrong. I have been trying to find a pump for my 20 gallon long, with just enough flow that it would help keep the dead spots away and the "dust" looking stuff on my plants. I vacuum once a week with my WC. (20 to 50 percent, depending on how things look) I have 5 female bettas, 5 panda corys, and an Otocinclus. I have some plants, and wood in the tank, but I'm getting ready, probably next weekend, to overhaul the entire tank. (Hopefully for the last time)

I found a Hydor Koralia Nano Aquarium Circulation Pump 240 today and got it. I plug it in....oh jeesh, poor fish water going everywhere. I moved it around a bit and found a spot it works semI decent without blowing the ladies all over the place. I let it run for a couple of hours and watched it. I have come to a conclusion that it is just too much flow. I think I will keep it as one day I will have a bigger tank. In the mean time, I started concentrating on the GPH part. Guess I should have started here first in my research. If I'm understanding this. Based on what little I have read, for a 20 gallon I need a "total" of about 100 GPH water flow? As I am running an Aquaclear 50, that would mean I still need 50 GPH more flow rate?

 

The aq 50 should be adequate for your tank but it might just need to be moved a little bit.

 

The rule that many here follow is 8 to 10 times the aquarium volume for flow.
For a 20 gallon tank, that would be 160 to 200 GPH.

The Aquaclear 50 has 200 GPH flow, so you're fine as far as meeting that. (Model numbers usually don't reflect the GPH)

In my 20 gallon tall tank, I'm currently running a filter rated at 250 GPH for extra circulation, plus a sponge filter.

 

Hi all!

I have a 200L Tank and I keep worrying that I dont have enough circulation. I added a wave maker and I believe it was the reason my 6 fish died (Cardinals, ottos and Rasboras) due to being too strong (2500L/h). So I decided to turn that off. What is your take on circulation in highly planted 200L tanks

 

Generally speaking if the plants in all parts of the tank are gently moving you should have sufficient circulation.

 

I have the opposite side in the corner not really moving so I would like to see what options I have to get circulation there

 

Sometimes instead of a wavemaker, a small internal filter (without filter material) to give bit of water movement is good choise.

 

What about a surface skimmer? But that kinda only move the surface water.. Im looking for low area movement

 

Yes a small powerhead of some sort would be sufficient. I have a 240L (4ft) tank. In addition to the filter outlets I have a 1000LPH circulator (basically just a powerhead) near one end.

 

It could be then that my powerhead it over powered as its a 200L tank with a 2500L/H powerhead.. do you have a photo of your tank?

 

It could be then that my powerhead it over powered as its a 200L tank with a 2500L/H powerhead.. do you have a photo of your tank?

Sure, I can take a photo. Yours might be overpowered but it depends on its positioning and what other outlets you have. I assume it doesn't have a flow control?

In the pic you can see the circulator and Eheim 2215 spray bar on left side. A Fluval 406 outlet is behind the tallest plant towards the right side.

 

Thanks. Since I has cardinal tetras, Galaxy's and rasboras the flow is very strong and throws them to the other side of the tank
https://streamable.com/c2jgnf

 

Thanks. Since I has cardinal tetras, Galaxy's and rasboras the flow is very strong and throws them to the other side of the tank
https://streamable.com/c2jgnf

Is it like that throughout the tank? If so I agree it's too strong for those fish.

 

well technically the wave maker is on the opposite side of the tank, that was coming from the outflow of the filter as it was on MAX. Since then I turned off the powerhead and put the flow down to half
but thats why now I am worried it will impact circulation. And also if I reduce the outflow I decrease the suction from the filter

 

Have you tried directing the outlet down the length of tank instead of towards the front glass?

 

Yeah it was like that to circulate the water with the powerhead. So now I should try point it straight to the opposite side or kinda put it on an angle

 

Yes I would experiment until you get both the strength of flow that you want and the circulation that you need.

 

What size of a tank would you start to use a water curculater

 

What's a water circulator? A filter isn't it?

 

What's a water circulator? A filter isn't it?

It just moves the water with an impeller, but no filtration, used with larger tanks

 

Really will depend on your set up and what you are trying to achieve. If its a big planted tank, as soon as you start getting dead spots from lack of filtration flow, you may want to look at adding some. I can't say there is a set size, just depends on tank lay out and creation of dead spots.

 

Really will depend on your set up and what you are trying to achieve. If its a big planted tank, as soon as you start getting dead spots from lack of filtration flow, you may want to look at adding some. I can't say there is a set size, just depends on tank lay out and creation of dead spots.

It is a 75 gallon with 3-5 “ cichlids, lots of lava rocks and plastic plants, 1 hob and I canister filter,
Thanks

It is a 75 gallon with 3-5 “ cichlids, lots of lava rocks and plastic plants, 1 hob and I canister filter,
Thanks

It is a 75 gallon with 3-5 “ cichlids, lots of lava rocks and plastic plants, 1 hob and I canister filter,
Thanks

 

Power heads are not a necessity. People use it when they want to move detritus accumulating in specific spots towards the inlet of their filters. Or to create more water agitation, by aiming them at the surface, thus providing more oxygen to the tank.

I never had one until I got my cichlid tank this year.

 

Power heads are not a necessity. People use it when they want to move detritus accumulating in specific spots towards the inlet of their filters. Or to create more water agitation, by aiming them at the surface, thus providing more oxygen to the tank.

I never had one until I got my cichlid tank this year.

My tank came with one and it just stopped working, I cannot get it to work. I think I will replace it as I have a lot of rocks and plants in a 75 gallon cichlid tank.
Thanks

 

My tank came with one and it just stopped working, I cannot get it to work. I think I will replace it as I have a lot of rocks and plants in a 75 gallon cichlid tank.
Thanks

Check out Koralia Hydor 3rd generation. Really nice and good price. I have two of them and I love them.

 

When I initially setup my 55g and 33 Long, I noticed some dead spots. Did some research and Koralia Hydor Nanos work "Great". I have them on timers to come on every 4-6 hours for 1 hour duration. No more dead spots and most of the inhabitants enjoy swimming in the current.

Good Luck!

 

Great, thanks