# Proper water circulator placement? Need advice.......



## wrangler (Oct 14, 2007)

Bump.... Doesn't anyone have some advice? Or tips? Or suggestions?


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## DaveK (Jul 10, 2010)

The amount of circulation your need comes down to each tank needs what it needs. To get it right for your tank will require some experimentation. You can add another pump. You can change the locations of any pumps and the direction they create the flow. If you want to spend a lot of money you can even go out an get one of those systems that the reef people use that can create all sorts of more or less random flow.

For your tank I'd add another pump, and set it lower in the tank, on the other side, and direct the flow along the substrata. Then adjust it till you like the results. 

I'd also remove as much of the algae as I could manually. Sometimes I've even used a net to remove the top 1/4" or so of substrata to get the algae and replace it with new material.


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## Jeff5614 (Dec 29, 2005)

I like this pattern for circulation.


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## diwu13 (Sep 20, 2011)

Jeff5614 said:


> I like this pattern for circulation.


Yea this is really good/common. Most people with larger tanks use one extra powerhead to aid water movement at the opposite side of the tank as the output from the filter.


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## Diana (Jan 14, 2010)

Arrange power heads and pumps so they help each other, not cancel each other out. A small pump can be aimed into a low-water movement spot, but larger power heads need to be aimed in a way that does not counteract the flow created by the filter.

Try the various equipment in different locations. Watch bits of stuff flowing in the water.


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## dewalltheway (Jan 19, 2005)

One thing that everyone needs to remember here with the tank he has, is that it is a corner bowfront and not rectangular. This very issue is why I am selling my corner and going to a rectangular tank because proper flow is impossible to achieve. The best solution I had come up with was to try and create a whirpool effect by placing my output closer to the front and then also a powerhead in the front corner to try and get flow to circle back around to the intake which was more towards the back on the same side as the output. You will have dead spots no matter what you do.


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## wrangler (Oct 14, 2007)

Ok so today I purchased 2 more water circulators. A 500gph to go in the lower back left side aimed at the lower left front of the tank and the second one a 700gph in the right middle side aimed out towards the left front of the tank. I cleaned out any green algae on the substrate. My plants are all moving around all over the tank. I'm hoping this solves my issue but will monitor to verify......hope this works! And dewall I will be so sad if I can't get this under control as I love my corner bow......... Sorry you had to move to a conventionally shaped aquarium.... ;-(


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## Aquaticfan (Oct 30, 2011)

I have a Bowfront tank.. NOT A CORNER TANK, But a regular bowfront. 46 gallons. I use the method that Jeff posted above to get my flow happening. I push the water across the front hits the end and the suction of the filters is on the same end as the outlet but in the back. Works great. I can see my plants sway and move. be sure not to confuse Current with flow or pressure. You dont want the plants side ways just should be able to see all the plants have a nice movement. Nice an easy.


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## wrangler (Oct 14, 2007)

Well I know that the co2 is being distributed better thru out the tank as my fish were stressed this morning. I run my co2 24/7. I think I am going to get an air pump and stone and start running that at night to alleviate the co2 saturation.


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## Aquaticfan (Oct 30, 2011)

Are you running pressurized co2? If so why run it 24/7? It does nothing for the plants when lights are out and it cuts how long a tank of co2 lasts for in half. So if a 5lb tank lasts say 3 months then yours might last a month and s half. Again thus would be if your using a pressurized system not yeast DIY. And really if you have a good surface ripple and shut your co2 off one hour before lights off or when lights off you shouldn't need to run a air pump and stone.


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## wrangler (Oct 14, 2007)

Because I'm cheap and don't have a solenoid to auto shut off, and I don't like to continuously mess with my co2. So I run it 24/7. I adjust as needed to keep my dc green/yellow but that it it


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## Aquaticfan (Oct 30, 2011)

There are some pretty affordable and decent solenoids out there like the clippard mouse. Get one of those and the adaptors to get it to fit. Bet it would cost you less then $50.00. Then you'd be set. It will save you money overall. By the time you refill your tank for the 3rd time you will have paid for your solenoid set up. Save you even more in a years time by a long ways.


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## Diana (Jan 14, 2010)

I also have had problems with the more-or-less cube sort of tank. 
Mine was a hexagon. When it finally leaked and could not be fixed I was actually pretty happy. I had tried to create a whirlpool sort of circulation, but it did not work very well. My Angels bred in that tank, and were very happy with the (lack of) water flow. 
I hope my Venus Fly Traps and Cobra Plants will like the new iteration.


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