Water flow question.

[morillonj]

Does anyone know how to calculate waterflow rate? if so how much should i be doing for a 65 gallon tank?

[zamboniMan]

Discus aren't known for like high flow rates. Most of the discus enthusiasts I know tend to lean to a flow between 3x and 10x. Just multiply 65 by whatever you decide you want your flow to be and that will help you choose a filter/pump/flow rate.


Hope that helps,
Josh

[Discus master]

Discus aren't known for like high flow rates. Most of the discus enthusiasts I know tend to lean to a flow between 3x and 10x. Just multiply 65 by whatever you decide you want your flow to be and that will help you choose a filter/pump/flow rate.


Hope that helps,
Josh

Mine runs at 275gph on my 55 gallon thats what 5x

Oh but I use a spray bar to disperse the water across the top so they do not mind it, that and a sponge filter running off air difuser and a 12 inch air stone along the ack wall with two heaters located above it offers a lot of oxygen rich water with an even flow around the heaters for a more even distribution of the heat with fairly low current throughout the tank other than the surface agitation which is a good thing any ways

[morillonj]

thanks! so a cascade canister and an aquaclear are fine?

[Jhhnn]

thanks! so a cascade canister and an aquaclear are fine?

More than enough. I've had good results with the cascade 1200, although I do restrict the flow in my 75 BB tank. I use a sponge prefilter on the intake, sponge media and ceramic biomedia within, and just point the discharge straight down into a back corner. This gives laminar flow across the bottom of the tank, herds the poop into specific areas for easy siphoning. I'm of the opinion that media volume is more important than flow. Others may well look at it differently.

The aquaclear isn't really necessary with the canister- a few ati sponge filters w/ small airstones round out the filtration in my tanks. I use a central airpump, but other members report excellent results with the Fusion pumps...

Good prices on the cascades and the sponges from Kensfish, great service... also a good place for Eheim Jager heaters, too....

[Discus master]

:angel:
thanks! so a cascade canister and an aquaclear are fine?

I use a cascade 1000 on my 55 gallon tank, with a hydro V sponge filter operated off of an air pump with a difuser air stone attached to the under side of the bulls eye, and I have a pre filter sponge on the intake I use the spray bar wich dircets the water evenly across the surface of almost the entire tank.

I use cermic rings in my canister and filter pads I cut my self, I do not rinse out my sponges so far I just syphon the debris off the sponges when I am doing my daily water changes keeps them clean and I am sure it doesnt bother the bacteria colony on the sponges at all, really I guess it is what you find is working for you and your discus, it is a balance between keeping the fish happy and being able to have a rutine you can keep up with and finding ways to do it more eficently so you are spending more time looking at and enjoying your discus as oppse to dreding the maintenace on the tank KISS keep it simp-le stupid prinicple is the best way to go! and I agree media volume is more important than water flow as we discus keepers are awyas changing water anyways BIO media in the most important of the two IMO of course

[morillonj]

ok thanks. so i should have enough. its cause im thinking my water is dirty cause of a brownish tint it has. im thinking its that big piece of driftwood. i already let it soak for a week. should i let it soak some more?

[3dees]

your water is not dirty. thats tannins from the wood. will not effect the fish. I run an ehiem 2128 and a rena xp3 on a 120 gal. (48x24x24) with the spraybars on each side facing each other just low enough to ripple the water for air exchange and my discus don't seem to mind.

[nc0gnet0]

AC or purigen will remove the tanin's, although as stated it is not neccesary just a personal preference for some (aestics). Won't harm the fish in anyway.

[morillonj]

how do i get rid of the color? water changes?

[nc0gnet0]

how do i get rid of the color? water changes?

AC (activated Carbon) or Purigen will remove the color. Water changes will too a degree.

[Jhhnn]

ok thanks. so i should have enough. its cause im thinking my water is dirty cause of a brownish tint it has. im thinking its that big piece of driftwood. i already let it soak for a week. should i let it soak some more?

The effect of the driftwood should diminish over time w/ regular water changes... but it kinda depends on the particular piece. It may affect the pH, too, so you'll want to check on that...

Some keepers intentionally introduce tannins in water for discus and other S American fish, believing it makes the water more like what they'd experience in the wild...

It won't harm them, unless the pH goes very low as a consequence...

[morillonj]

i actually need the ph to go down. its kinda high from the tap. i just did a 100% water change right now to see if all the tanins are out. this would be the 3rd time in a week.

[morillonj]

oh and its malaysian driftwood.

[Discus master]

your water is not dirty. thats tannins from the wood. will not effect the fish. I run an ehiem 2128 and a rena xp3 on a 120 gal. (48x24x24) with the spraybars on each side facing each other just low enough to ripple the water for air exchange and my discus don't seem to mind.

wait a minute so your 120 gallon is the same length as my 55 gallon? just wider and taller?? is that standard then for a 120?

mine is 48 long by 13 wide (I think 13 wide) by 19 high or something like that?

Do you like the wider and taller foot print? for me I think I would like the wideness of it as 13 inches is not that wide but I would rather have it longer than higher like kepp it 19 high and throw the remaining 5 inches to the length and or width??
I am only courious because I really want to up grade from the 55 to a 100 or better but my wife keeps sayin that will be too big for the room if I can say the foot print really not that much diferent maybe I will be in the clear? like honey its the same length just a little wider and taller is all?? so what do you think??

[Discus master]

oh and its malaysian driftwood.

I am not sure what kind of drift wood I found but I just put mine in and I have that tea color going on rite now he is rite my book even says tannis is no big deal in fact it mimics their natural habittat like a black water effect and the discus probably not only not mind it but possibly even prfer it. Yet still I like my water crystal clear like others so I have been told and even read that water changes and even using some activated carbon will help clear this up quickly just change the carbon often because folks who care for discus do not like to use carbon well most of them do not because ther may be a possible link between the use of AC and hole in the head on larger chilids like angels and Discus but I think if its used sparingly and changed often you would be fine to use it for a ittel while to help clear the water up but use a high quality carbon one with low dust rate as some believe it is the actuall dustthat causes the hole in the head and change it often like once every two weeks as some feel it is the leeching of contaminents back into the tank that cause it, there may be a good chemical filitration that would work just as well for you that will not leech anythig back into the tank or so the mfg says I think purigen is a favorite among discus keeprs you may want to look inot that if you want ot get rid of your tannins for my I just do like 90% water changes every day and this is helpping