Spray bar position, what is best?

[Caliban07]

I have been hearing about the liquid Co2. Fluval Excel right?! I am sure there are other brands but this one is the most posted.

I have my paypal account handy if needed. But I try to avoid chemicals unless critical.







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Seachem excel is correct. I don't blame you. See how you get on bud but just bare it in mind. You want to focus on new growth now as the leaves that have developed holes or turn limp and brown are essentially dead. New growth is your indicator that things are improving.


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[TMaier]

I have taken a bunch of pics for reference. I have new growth all over. Just watching to make sure it adapts to the new light or if it burns too.

I love the lights though. Everything looks so much better than my old fluorescent lights. And my power consumption dropped.


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[TMaier]

Most of the plants are still doing good and growing.
The sword is still questionable.


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[Caliban07]

Most of the plants are still doing good and growing. View attachment 287157View attachment 287158
The sword is still questionable.


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Yeah I suck at swords so I can't give any advice really.


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[Caliban07]

Are you using excel?


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[TMaier]

Not at the moment. If growth continues I will not. If things stall or decline I will give Excel a try.


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[Caliban07]

Not at the moment. If growth continues I will not. If things stall or decline I will give Excel a try.


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Sounds good. Sounds like the nice surface ripple and good form of distribution is doing the trick so far. Shame about the swords. They may be hardy but I just don't think they compete very well and can be slow to grow. Especially if you have weedy stems. My ludwigia repens grew like wildfire until I added limnophilia. Now it's growth has slowed down quite a bit and limnophilia is already at the surface.


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[TMaier]

I don't mind slow growth. As long as the plant is healthy. It saves me time with all the trimming! My java fern was so big at one point it took up half a tank before I finally split it and parted with some. It is coming back fast from an aggressive salt dip/soak to get rid of the invasive ramshorns.


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[TMaier]

First pic is from 5/1 and one today. What a difference.

I am still concerned about flow. Food falling pretty fast when it hits the tank. I am considering adding a small power head. Any suggestions for a 29g? Something with adjustable flow.


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[Caliban07]

First pic is from 5/1 and one today. What a difference. View attachment 287298View attachment 287299

I am still concerned about flow. Food falling pretty fast when it hits the tank. I am considering adding a small power head. Any suggestions for a 29g? Something with adjustable flow.


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You think it's too much the flow? Can you turn the filter off when feeding or lower the spraybar down? What's the power head for?


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[TMaier]

Not enough flow. Falls straight down pretty much sorta towards the intake.

 

[Caliban07]

Not enough flow. Falls straight down pretty much sorta towards the intake.

What's powering the spraybar?


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[TMaier]

Sunsun 302. I wonder if I have overpacked the media?

 

[Caliban07]

Sunsun 302. I wonder if I have overpacked the media?

They should be quite a lot of flow. I don't know anything about the sun Suns though. You will lose exit velocity the longer the spraybar though. Also you should ideally have straight hoses to the tank and yes added media will reduce flow rate.

At risk of sounding condescending, can you control the flow on this filter? Is it at max power?


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[TMaier]

You cannot control the flow. And if I remove the spray bar the straight hose is definitely putting out some pressure. But the spray bar is doing a great job a spreading the output.

It is flowing front to back on the left side of the tank. It is about a foot log but I can reduce it to 6".

I am dropping the food in the front and perhaps the flow is pushing the food down faster, straight down?

Very little of the food is going towards the intake that is on the far right.

I have been vacuuming well weekly but I am starting to see a bit of nitrates in my tests.

And the canister is pretty packed.

I'm thinking to shorten the spray bar and remove some media?

At the moment the filter is filtering just the water waste I would guess none of the food is ever getting to the intake.


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[Caliban07]

You cannot control the flow. And if I remove the spray bar the straight hose is definitely putting out some pressure. But the spray bar is doing a great job a spreading the output.

It is flowing front to back on the left side of the tank. It is about a foot log but I can reduce it to 6".

I am dropping the food in the front and perhaps the flow is pushing the food down faster, straight down?

Very little of the food is going towards the intake that is on the far right.

I have been vacuuming well weekly but I am starting to see a bit of nitrates in my tests.

And the canister is pretty packed.

I'm thinking to shorten the spray bar and remove some media?

At the moment the filter is filtering just the water waste I would guess none of the food is ever getting to the intake.


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You'll do well to see many large particles entering the inlet unless they are right next to it.

Sounds like the flow is pushing the food down. Your flow pattern sounds ideal though. How far does the water travel if you lift the spraybar out of the water?

Don't worry about particles settling it doesn't matter so much in a planted tank, they can be removed by siphon or left in to provide more nutrients. Most planted keepers don't actively siphon the substrate.


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[TMaier]

When even with the water the spray on the end is up maybe a 1/2 inch.


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