floating plants and too much surface agitation

blazingazn

blazingazn

AC Members
Oct 2, 2005
170
0
16
Queens, NY
i have two hob penguin filters in my 30 gallon tank and i wanted to try some frogbit as a floater. the hob's are creating too much current and the plant is spinning every which way and ends up near the corner where it will receive less light. is there a way i can reduce the surface agitation without reducing the intake flow? is there a spray bar for hob filters to divert the current?
 
The only way you can reduce flow is to reduce intake. What goes in has to go out.

I reduced the agitation from my HOB on my 30 by putting it above the power head for my RUGF...but that probably wouldn't work for you. If you could aim it at something, like a tall piece of driftwood, it could block it. Otherwise HOBs don't offer that versatility.
 
jpappy789 said:
The only way you can reduce flow is to reduce intake. What goes in has to go out.
Click to expand...

well i said reduce surface agitation, not reduce flow, because i realized that if i wanted the input to be the same, the output would be the same as well.

besides raising the water level of the tank, maybe i can put something over the outflow lip to absorb some of the impact before it hits the water... hmmm
 
agitation is going to correlate with how much flow you have ;) raising the water level works, but some HOBs say only put your water line up to the output or to this spot or whatever. But then if you have evaporation problems (like me) it doesn't stay that way for long anyways.
 
well if u have the same amount of flow, but direct it into the water differently, then agitation will be less. and since the output flow is a component of the equation i wasnt looking to change, then the only other viable option is to alter the way the water from the filter enters the water in the tank. so basically i wanted to reduce the kinetic energy of the outflow by either having the energy absorbed (something placed over the outflow lip to reduce impact) or having the energy spread out (spray bar). and yes, i do have considerable evaporation. well if i cant think of anything, my only last option is to reduce intake, bleh! thanks guys.
 
Try this......Get a small air hose and make a loop (like a large feeding ring). Put out-put lip over loop and let it float,--now you have one area of high flow and keeps plants away from out-put. .
 
I had a similar problem, but it was because my betta didn't like the current. I bought a suction cup soap holder thing from walmart and then stuck it to the glass under the output. this stopped the surface agitation.

Something like this:

998012418_100107_sg.jpg
 
blazingazn said:
well if u have the same amount of flow, but direct it into the water differently, then agitation will be less. and since the output flow is a component of the equation i wasnt looking to change, then the only other viable option is to alter the way the water from the filter enters the water in the tank. so basically i wanted to reduce the kinetic energy of the outflow by either having the energy absorbed (something placed over the outflow lip to reduce impact) or having the energy spread out (spray bar).
Click to expand...

Your on the right track here. Diverting the flow on a HOB is the best solution.
My solution is very simple. I use a water bottle of the appropriate length, cut the top and bottom off. Slice down the middle and tape one end to the lid of the HOB. This diverts the flow without reducing it. You can angle it to flow out one side or the other if you want.
 
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