Flow Ideas

[Ps3Steveo]

Right guys, as the title says, 450litre tank, 2 x FX5's, 2 x Lily Pipes, inline heaters and CO2 diffusers. The tank will be stocked with 7 discus, 75 ish Rummynose, 15 Pygmy Cories. Here's the layout in a pic, the problem is I need both filters for the Discus and flow for plants but dunno the best way to go about it. Red idea is both sets in the same place and blue is opposite corners, I think the red personally. In the pic its also labelled what plants I will be using. Also I dont really want to use a Koralia as the Discus wont like it really. Also if your a plant guru (you know who you are lol) do you think it will work, i.e fert and CO2 distribution and flow wise?

 

[Ps3Steveo]

Come on ppl this is getting in the way of me ordering goodies and setting it up lol

 

[ian]

it's difficult to say whether it'll work, because i have never seen the flow from a FX5, i know they are rated at 2300lph?, well you can half that when packed with media, so 2 fx5's may not give you great flow. Saying that, you know i'm a fan of spraybars for even distribution. Not that lily's are rubbish, but on a tank this size, i would use a spraybar. But i think i have mentioned that to you before.

Discus don't really mind Koralias, as they push bodies of water rather than jets. I have seen them used in Discus tanks plenty of times. I can't remember, but i think it was RadaR that had some pics of scapes with Discus and koralias.

 

[Ps3Steveo]

Hmmm might use both in red position and a small koralia on the right aiming towards the HC??? What ya think??? Or just both filters and a tank length spray bar at the back connected to both filters and an intake for each pump at equal lengths from each rear corner???

 

[StandbySetting]

+1 on the spray bars, they don't look as pretty but are much better at distributing water in large tanks in my experience.

There's is no definitive way to say what is right and what is wrong, every case is different, it's all a case of experimentation, but I feel that a hydor nano might be a bit weedy on a tank of this size.

 

[ian]

I suppose Steve could use a 1600lph nano Koralia if it's going to be pointed in the direction of the Hc. But again, i agree with SBS, it's very difficult to say until its all set up.

 

[Ps3Steveo]

Well I think I'll try out the 2 x lily pipes in the same position side by side then I'll put in a Koralia pointing toward the HC if it doesn't start spreading or if I get any algae down there if not then it's a full on amano style that actually works for someone other than amano lol

I think when I first fill it I'll add some food dye to the water to check flow results and so long as it gets good circular flow across the HC and Staurogyne it should get the nutrients it needs.

 

[Alastair]

Hi mate, how have you got on with your flow in your 450? I have the same tank with two fx5s but rather than downsizing tubes to put lily pipes on, I'm thinking of putting one twin outlet rear right and one front left and adjusting the nozzles so they point straight and down slightly