What About This Idea?

[Lady J]

Earlier I posted about possibly needing more flow in my tank and adding a small powerhead. My Penguin filter is only turning over 200 gph and it's for a 30g. tank. So, how about this idea: could I just add another penguin filter of the same size? It would increase the water flow as well as add extra filtration.

But, let's say I put one in today. Would my tank start a new cycle?

 

[ShinySideUp]

Earlier I posted about possibly needing more flow in my tank and adding a small powerhead. My Penguin filter is only turning over 200 gph and it's for a 30g. tank. So, how about this idea: could I just add another penguin filter of the same size? It would increase the water flow as well as add extra filtration.

But, let's say I put one in today. Would my tank start a new cycle?

No, why should it? Your original filter will still be doing it's job assuming the bio load is the same, so all the usual bacterial activities will still be going on. What will happen is that over the next few weeks your new filter will start to grow it's own bacteria and will take over some of the work that your one filter is doing now. Since the nutrient for the filters will be the same you will eventually end up with each filter doing half the work of the original on it's own. Apart from the increased water flow and the fact that you will have to clean two filters (half as often, perhaps) I don't think you will see any difference.

If your present filter is working ok I would suggest just adding a powerhead such as the one I use or something like it.

 

[Lady J]

Those little nano powerheads are cute (crazy way to describe them but they're so little) LOL

I have to spend the money on a nano ph so I thought, well, if you're going to spend some cash why not just increase filtration and add more flow? Makes sense to me. Actually, my flow is probably ok but I'd like it to be a little better and I like the idea of having more filtration (I don't mind cleaning two---it takes almost no time at all).

I'm sorry I asked a goofy question regarding starting a new cycle. I just wasn't sure; I only have one betta right now but I'd sure hate to lose him.

 

[ShinySideUp]

I'm sorry I asked a goofy question regarding starting a new cycle. I just wasn't sure; I only have one betta right now but I'd sure hate to lose him.

The only 'goofy' question is the one you don't ask. I'm British so goofy means having buck teeth, but I know what you mean.

 

[Lady J]

I'm sorry I asked a goofy question regarding starting a new cycle. I just wasn't sure; I only have one betta right now but I'd sure hate to lose him.

The only 'goofy' question is the one you don't ask. I'm British so goofy means having buck teeth, but I know what you mean.

Oh my lord I am laughing hard!!!

On a more serious note , before buying another filter I experimented by moving the one I have over, so it's sitting at about 1/3 of the width of the tank. Guess what? There is no increase in "plant swaying" from the plants in that 1/3 area. What the heck?! Now I'm rethinking this: if another filter isn't going to help the plants move and only increases surface agitation, it seems I am defeating the original purpose.

 

[ShinySideUp]

There is no increase in "plant swaying" from the plants in that 1/3 area. What the heck?! Now I'm rethinking this: if another filter isn't going to help the plants move and only increases surface agitation, it seems I am defeating the original purpose.

If your filter outlet is towards the top of the tank then water movement will only be obvious at the top, any movement further beneath the surface is going to be more subtle as the force of the flow has dissipated outward. If you want the water towards the bottom of the tank to be moving enough to move your plants for that aesthetic effect then you are back to the moveable powerhead. The one I linked to has a magnet on the outside so you can quickly move it around for best effect. It is a 900 lph version and there is still only obvious plant movement up to 18" away; don't forget water is heavy, it takes a lot of moving.

 

[Lady J]

There is no increase in "plant swaying" from the plants in that 1/3 area. What the heck?! Now I'm rethinking this: if another filter isn't going to help the plants move and only increases surface agitation, it seems I am defeating the original purpose.

If your filter outlet is towards the top of the tank then water movement will only be obvious at the top, any movement further beneath the surface is going to be more subtle as the force of the flow has dissipated outward. If you want the water towards the bottom of the tank to be moving enough to move your plants for that aesthetic effect then you are back to the moveable powerhead. The one I linked to has a magnet on the outside so you can quickly move it around for best effect. It is a 900 lph version and there is still only obvious plant movement up to 18" away; don't forget water is heavy, it takes a lot of moving.

Ok, you know what you're talking about so what is the best thing for my plants?

 

[SO19Firearms]

Try not to mix up flow with filtration - Beyond what you already have why allow the dudes in the filter to have all the good stuff when the plants would love to get a hold of any extra ammonia - Obviously algae would too - but that's where flow comes in. Making sure the plants have all the opportunity to take it.


Provided your tank is well planted and IMO.

 

[ShinySideUp]

Ok, you know what you're talking about so what is the best thing for my plants?

I wouldn't say I always know exactly what I'm talking about but I generally know what works for me.

Below is a picture of my small 120 litre tank. It contains 20 black phantom tetra and six young zebra loaches so that's what supplies the ammonia. I also add weekly 10ml of TNC fertilizer and a small amount of Seachem Flourish. My plants are about five months in the tank so are doing well. Some people use co2 as it does truly work for plants but as I said before, it's not for me because of the [probably small if you know what you are doing] risk to my fish. There is no additional pump in this tank as the filter is quite powerful. I use a spray bar which puts water across the top of the tank from back to front which in turn runs down the front of the tank and across the bottom to the return pipe in the corner.

Basically, I use fertilizer, have good water flow and don't overfeed. That's about all I have.

 

[Lady J]

Try not to mix up flow with filtration - Beyond what you already have why allow the dudes in the filter to have all the good stuff when the plants would love to get a hold of any extra ammonia - Obviously algae would too - but that's where flow comes in. Making sure the plants have all the opportunity to take it.


Provided your tank is well planted and IMO.

This is an excellent point and one which I didn't think of. My tank isn't heavily planted, I guess just in a medium range.

 

[Lady J]

Ok, you know what you're talking about so what is the best thing for my plants?

I wouldn't say I always know exactly what I'm talking about but I generally know what works for me.

Below is a picture of my small 120 litre tank. It contains 20 black phantom tetra and six young zebra loaches so that's what supplies the ammonia. I also add weekly 10ml of TNC fertilizer and a small amount of Seachem Flourish. My plants are about five months in the tank so are doing well. Some people use co2 as it does truly work for plants but as I said before, it's not for me because of the [probably small if you know what you are doing] risk to my fish. There is no additional pump in this tank as the filter is quite powerful. I use a spray bar which puts water across the top of the tank from back to front which in turn runs down the front of the tank and across the bottom to the return pipe in the corner.

Basically, I use fertilizer, have good water flow and don't overfeed. That's about all I have.

Well, you certainly know more of what you're talking about than me!

I have been adding liquid carbon daily, put fertilizer tablets in the substrate and just started adding Flourish (have only added that once so far---the bottle says to add it twice a week so I will follow those directions).

Putting the powerhead in the right place is also an interesting discussion. Some people have said to position it so it's pushing water across the width of the tank while others say to put on the back of the tank and push it to the front, but further away from the filter. I also had another thought: the filter is directly in the middle of the tank and so has been causing a bit of flow not only in the middle but a tiny bit to either side. So, for a more equal distribution maybe I should put the powerhead on the back of the tank and place it right next to the filter . That way a more equal distribution of water flow will be moving to both sides of the tank. IDK, maybe I'm overthinking this and should just put one in and try different ways. If I was using several powerheads I wouldn't do it that way, but I'm only going to use one. All I know is that my plants are not gently swaying and I feel I should correct this oversight. I truly appreciate your input because as I said earlier, you have experience with live plants and I've only had them for 5 weeks. I'm going to get one later today and see what seems to work best.