Surface fish with spray bar?

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AquaBarb

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Hi, i have a fluval canister filter with a spray bar going across the lengh of the tank.

Its got a nice flow on the surface but was wondering if fish like gouramis or other surface fish are ok with the spray bars?
 
Hi, i have a fluval canister filter with a spray bar going across the lengh of the tank.

Its got a nice flow on the surface but was wondering if fish like gouramis or other surface fish are ok with the spray bars?

Not really. Anabantids breathe air, and require a still surface as well as less flow throughout the tank. They inhabit swamps, ponds and ditches naturally.

If the spray bar was at one end, that would allow you to have some surface disturbance there but quieter surface down the tank, and this would bee preferable.
 
If that is not possible you could aim the spray bar upwards and into the tank wall. That would allow the disturbance to be restricted to a much smaller area.
 
Thanks guys,

So do you reckon i could leave one end of the spray bar as it is to cause water disturbance and turn the other half towards the tank wall to make the other end of tank quieter so the fish can break the surface easier?

Worst case i could revert back to a out put nozzle
 
Want a nice balance in tank so id really like some surface swimmers. Hopefully some gouramis or hatchfish
 
Plenty of floating plants will also break up the current and create peaceful areas. If you have the right water parameters pencilfish make a great upper level fish.
 
Thanks guys,

So do you reckon i could leave one end of the spray bar as it is to cause water disturbance and turn the other half towards the tank wall to make the other end of tank quieter so the fish can break the surface easier?

Worst case i could revert back to a out put nozzle

I'm not sure I am understanding this. To be clear, are you saying that the spraybar extends along the rear wall of the tank from the left side to the right side? Or is it along one of those end walls, either the left or the right end wall?
 
20190610_205046.jpg
I'm not sure I am understanding this. To be clear, are you saying that the spraybar extends along the rear wall of the tank from the left side to the right side? Or is it along one of those end walls, either the left or the right end wall?
goes across the rear wall in two halfs
 
Plenty of floating plants will also break up the current and create peaceful areas. If you have the right water parameters pencilfish make a great upper level fish.
I have some frog bit on the surface so thats good to hear.

Thanks for the suggestion. Ill certainly have a look at pencilfish
 
OK, thanks for clarifying, it is what I thought you initially described.

Surface fish will have issues here, and the only way to rectify this is by changing the filter return spray bar(s). There is actually another benefit to doing this that I will explain.

Fish that have evolved to live in quiet water (such as hatchetfish mentioned, gourami, etc) do not appreciate a rough surface to the water. The fish must exert a fair bit of energy fighting this, and it is 24/7, so this at best will weaken the fish over time because they are simply not made for this.

The other thing is that fish from streams, creeks and rivers expect a current downstream. In an aquarium that is long as here, it is best to have the filter intake at one end and the filter return at the opposite end. Not only does this create a natural flow for the fish, it also improves water movement within the aquarium and in a natural way. Fish that want to be in the stronger current can be, but they also have the option of avoiding this in the quieter areas.

When I had my 5-foot 115g tank set up as an Amazonian stream, it was very instructive to observe where the various species positioned themselves almost permanently. Many remained at the quieter half, much as they would in their habitat. The myth about this or that species liking a current was shown to be just that, a myth. Given the option, the fish avoid it because it is too energy-driven and that means stress which further weakens fish.
 
If its more natural for the fish i will indeed revert back to just a spray nozzle .

It will also look better without the spray bar going across the tank tbf.

Many thanks Byron
 

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