Surface water movement

Smithers

Smithers

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Is it better to have the surface of your tank still or to be really choppy ?

Short and sweet, need some answers !
 
Choppy helps with the exchange of gasses Smithers. So you want a fair amount of surface movement. Obviously not mini tsnami's as floor will get wet.
 
The reason I asked this is when I turn my pumps off for any reason, you can see a film on top of the water after a few minutes. Surely this is what the skimmer should pull off. By churning the water up would it not affect the production of skimmate ?
 
Gavin, make it choppy so that the oil slick (who had his hands in your tank?) can be moved through the skimmer. Also do you do any form of surface skimming?
 
I have an external over flow box, and only hands in my tank are mine. Can't let Ej put his hands in there, dunno where they have been.
 
mine is extremly choppy i have 2 vortech pumps going with tunze and seios and all is good
 
2 months ago I had my water surface quite still, when I added my seios I noticed quite a big difference in the water surface being quite choppy.. I have not noticed any difference to my skimmer production but it maked=s the MH look cool and I am sure helps with gas exchange, I have to switch one pump off during feeding though.. shame poor fishies get a good workout.

Muz
 
Gass exchange in a system is very important and a choppy surface will aid in this. You will find that if you keep the water calm your pH and other perams will not be a stable as if it is turbulent.
In other words, choppy, turbulent water is best!
 
gavin,you say you got a film on your surface,which means not all the water is getting pushed over the overflow.try and repostion you pumps to allow the water push directly into your overflow
 
ive got my 2 seios positioned on the opposite side sof the overflow , that way all the "dirt" is pushed down the overflow !!!!
 
The overflow is on the right side of the tank. Last night I turned all the pumps off (rewiring) and there was no film. I re-angled one of the pumps to blow towards the overflow. That is now sorted out.
Next thing I need to do is to get a spray bar of sorts behind the rock work. I was thinking of hiding a pump with a 16mm spray bar behind all the rockwork, just so it keeps the shit off the gravel. I am seriously thinking of going barebottom in the next tank. Problem is i love my wrasse.
 
Why not have the best of both worlds !! I have BB under my LR and plenty substrate in front, my spraybar pushes all the detris under the LR to the front. I don't like hijacking threads so if you want let me know and I will post pics of what I have done, I feel like it works very well, but as always.. personal opinion

Muz
 
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