Water flow and oxygenation

[zigster999]

Hi all.
I have an Aquaone 620T tank, 130L, (60cmx60cmx36cm) running for 2 years now and housing 3 discus (all about 18 months to 2 years old which I have raised since the proverbial 10C size). 2 are a breeding pair. Other tank mates are 5 rummy nose, a cardinal tetra (there were more), a bristlenose catfish, a farlowella catfish and 2 Corydoras Julii. The tank has a gravel substrate heavily planted with milfoil, 3 amazon swords and a red/green lotus leaf lily which has 5 leaves on the surface at the moment.

Current water stats are pH 6.4, nitrites/ammonia 0, nitrates about 4, water hardness about medium, in line with Adelaide (South Australia) water, and temp 28-30C depending on the fluctuating outside temps. The tank gets a 36L water change every 5 days. It also gets vacuumed every day with a battery vacuum.

The discus get a 3 times a day feed; morning and evening being thawed 'community' food (mainly beef heart with additives) and either frozen brine shrimp or frozen blood worm for lunch.

The discus swim normally but breathe very quickly compared to those I see in store tanks. No disease problems, occasional pickyness at the foods (boredom?) and can get quite scared at times when we walk past. When they come out, they glow in the light but they rarely come out from hiding.

The tank's water surface footprint at 60cmx36cm is not big and the lotus lily leaves take up a fair amount of the available surface area as well.

I have been running only the standard trickle filter that comes with a 620T. There is no supplementary water pump to push air bubbles through. The pump and spray bar get a thorough clean every water change. I have added a small (200lph) powerhead in the last few days to move more water round, set at midtank level, and the discus seem to like it.

So, I have been wondering; is the 620T trickle filter not enough to provide sufficient oxygen for the fish and for the bacteria and plants? Is that why all my fish bar the catfish breathe quickly and why the discus are more skittish than placid? Should I be running either a decent sized air pump or a stronger powerhead (or both) as well? :confused:

I'd appreciate any advice. :antlers:

Thank you
The Z

[Finatic]

By no means do I claim to be an expert, but my experience has always been, the more circulation, surface aggitation, the better. I have a trickle filter system in my 125G with under gravel jets, but I also have a good powerhead in 1 half of the tank, and a smaller one on the other side, both with the intent on keeping the water moving. Usually trickle filters do a good job of getting oxygen into the water, but I still think the water needs to be moving to circulate the oxygen.

I would add a power head or some other form of circulation to stir things up. Give it a try and see if you notice any improvement. I think you and your fish will notice a difference.

[exv152]

I think your trickle filter alone is probably not enough. An additional powerhead would do wonders not only to improve oxygenation, but also get nutrients to all the plants. In a planted tank I would avoid an air pump as your CO2 will dissipate in no time. A powerhead closer to the surface should create enough water movement to oxygenate the tank well. Also, some people don't realize but higher temperatures will translate to lower disolved oxygen levels.

[zamboniMan]

I think your trickle filter alone is probably not enough. An additional powerhead would do wonders not only to improve oxygenation, but also get nutrients to all the plants. In a planted tank I would avoid an air pump as your CO2 will dissipate in no time. A powerhead closer to the surface should create enough water movement to oxygenate the tank well. Also, some people don't realize but higher temperatures will translate to lower disolved oxygen levels.

The more surface agitation the better as far as oxygenation. If you can add a wet/dry/sump you won't have to add one. Just note that the more surface agitation you have the more CO2 you lose.

If the tank is really heavily planted you're probably okay with just the trickle filter. Though you may consider pumping air into the tank at night.

You can add freshwater shrimp (such as cherry shrimp) to give the discus something to do (hunt shrimp).

Merry Christmas!
Josh

[plecocicho]

If you are feeding regulary bh, your discus need far more oxygen in order to try to devor at least some of the fat and colagen in bf,

[zigster999]

I did wonder whether the lily leaves (each about 7.5cm across) might obstruct the uptake of oxygen and dissipation of CO2 from the tank water. But the trickle has a fairly active water flow through it so they probably don't affect it.

I have moved the powerhead to the tank top to stir the water a bit but might have to get a stronger one to turbulate it properly and shift the other one to lower in the tank. It is very gentle...

Thank you for your input and I will hopefully be able to report good news very soon now.
The Z :bounce2::bounce:

[zamboniMan]

I did wonder whether the lily leaves (each about 7.5cm across) might obstruct the uptake of oxygen and dissipation of CO2 from the tank water. But the trickle has a fairly active water flow through it so they probably don't affect it.



Nah if anything they should absorb some of the CO2