Wow close one! (Fluval output tube placement)

T

teriba

AC Members
Jan 24, 2007
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So I've had my tank running for probably 2 months now. About a week ago I moved my filter output (Fluval 204) a little lower so that it wouldn't splash as much and it would be quieter. Then I noticed one night that my gourami was stuck up against the filter intake and all of my white clouds were at the very top. I had no idea what was wrong and tested the levels and they were all 0. I did a 50% water change anyways and then went to sleep. I woke up and watched them for a bit more and they seemed better though the white clouds were still right at the very top and I noticed that their gills were very red. I figured that they must be low on oxygen so I emptied some water so that the water level was an inch or so below the filter output. This made it very turbulent and the fish responded well and were back to normal within an hour or so. I feel horrible now because I know that they were in pain and maybe even close to death!

Anyways, how do you guys have your filter output setup? I now have it so that it's right at the surface level (half above the water, half below). It still produces some good turbulence but isn't as loud because there isn't a large waterfall.

Also, would an air pump/air stone setup help or are they unnecessary?
 
keep mine about an inch, maybe inch-and-a-half below the surface so it ripples the surface a little.... no problems for six years... how warm is your tank? sure your tank's not too warm?
 
My tank is at 76F.
 
did you just check the temp now or are you recalling from memory? I had a similar thing happen with my fish recently, however, the heater decided to not shut off and temp got too hot...everyone was sucking air.

at that temp, I'm surprised that you'd have oxygenation probs.... was there maybe some kind of film on the water surface that was not allowing exchange of oxyen at the surface?
 
I just checked the temp now, it's always a constant 76. There was a bit of a film on the water. Maybe it was that. It went away (or was disturbed I guess) when I did the water change.
 
I have spray bars for all the outputs of my canister filters. I have them spraying across the water's surface, low enough they don't splash, but high enough they move the surface of the water. I made my own DIY PVC spray bars but the stock ones were dandy as well.

As long as you have lots of surface movement, you should be good to go.
 
surface movement is the key to the important exchange of gases in the water like co2 and o2 i guess that how it happens doesn't matter as much as that it happens
 
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