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(ideal) position of inflow and outflow?

Subtlefly

By Subtlefly
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Subtlefly Shrimp Enthusiast

Subtlefly

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Hi team,

So still working on my tank stand and have come to a point where I have to make a decision..  In my imagination my tank is in the middle of the bench and there is an opening in the timber on one side for the outflow pipe and there is an opening in the bench on the other side for the inflow- so the current runs in one direction Right to Left.  Looking online however I see a lot of aquascapers having the inflow and outflow in the same position on the tank.  So in that case the current flows to the end of the tank, gets turned around and comes back on the other side..  Do you guys have a preference?  How do you set up your lily pipes on your tanks?

I have done some looking online for an answer but there is nothing definitive.. so just asking what you prefer and why

Thanks and have a great day

Aaron

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jayc Shrimp Guru

jayc

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I don't think it matter which you choose. When people have the inflow & outflow on one side of the tank, it's usually for aesthetics and convenience. They put the canister on one end and have shorter pipes run to one side of the tank. It means less pipes and obstruction for viewing on the other side. This is best done on tanks that can be viewed from all sides.

Tanks that are viewed from the front only, can have pipes run in the Left-Right orientation. The background will cover any unsightly pipe runs. 

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sdlTBfanUK Shrimp Master

sdlTBfanUK

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I agree with JayC that it probably doesn't matter much, but I do like the flow idea that you would get bu putting IN one end and OUT the other end. I would put them both on the back each end so that keeps the appearance of the whole tidier, assuming you will be covering the back of the tank somehow? It also makes sense as this is a long shallow tank to help circulate the water having them opposite ends.

Simon

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Subtlefly Shrimp Enthusiast

Subtlefly

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Check out this reply from the planted tank forum....

The length of tank will be problematic with only one return nozzle, you got probably around 6-7x turnover of tank realistically with that filter, which is plenty. Pump is rated a 600l/hr, realistically depending on how you pack media and head height/length of hose it has to push against figure 500l/hr or slightly less moving in and out of tank. If your using inline co2 reactors and/or heaters knock another 10% off that.

I’d split canister output to a Y and set it up as 2 returns to tank, one at back wall blowing water downward at 10-15° angle, high->low, moving water right to left. Nozzle at left end blowing at 5-7° angle to right just under surface making surface ripple for good gas exchange. This will cross tank back to front and when it hits front glass and spreads out, it will sweep water left to right as well as sweep water and gases down front glass down to plants at bottom. You’ll be setting up good high->low nutrient and gas movement around tank as well as setting up a mild rotating current around tank that will keep debris moving around till filter intake can pick them up. You’ll see plants all over tank wiggling slightly in that light breeze of a current but none of those currents will be so hard that fish can’t swim or plants getting blown over sideways. That’s how I would setup this tank if I was doing it.

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(Back to me) - As it happens I did end up keeping the ADA short lily pipes for DOOA aquariums and also bought a VIV knock off set from Hong Kong - so I could actually do this.. I hadnt really thought it would be needed.  What do you think?  I kind of am still leaning towards the inflow and outflow at each end, just for uniformity of the current and plants movement, as the shallow tank and rocks and everything will be going with the "flow". 

Edited by Subtlefly
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sdlTBfanUK Shrimp Master

sdlTBfanUK

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Whoosh, thats way over my head! You will want the current as before to keep the debris/detritis moving so it can be drawn into the filter and that is why I would do IN one end OUT the other end, water will be drawn that way.

Bare in mind your tank is shallow and no allowances have been made for the large rocks that will obviously have some affect on flow/circulation, though you could split the OUT so you have 2 OUTs and put one midway to give more movement using a Y as suggested, that is easy to do and would help circulation I am sure!

Simon 

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jayc Shrimp Guru

jayc

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13 hours ago, Subtlefly said:

Check out this reply from the planted tank forum....

Are you planning on keeping plants, so that the plants are the priority in the tank or are the shrimps the priority?

Cross flow in the tank like that is great for eliminating dead spots in a planted tank, so that nutrients can reach the plants. But there is no longer a low flow area for shrimps. Shrimps prefer some still water. I'm assuming you are turning this into a shrimp tank since you posted in a Shrimp setup area. If the tank is for fish, than the fish won't mind either option.

If flow across the entire width of the tank is important to you, than a long cross bar outflow is better than a lily pipe. The cross bar pipe will create a much wider flow pattern.

We are limited with options, and some compromises are to be made in a closed loop system like an aquarium. So just pick one option that is most suitable for the inhabitants of the tank that you are prioritising. 

 

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Subtlefly Shrimp Enthusiast

Subtlefly

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Yeh that is good advice.  I want the tank to be a naturalistic home for the plants shrimp and fish if possible.  I think because my hardscape has lots of stone and sjeltered places the shrimp will be able to find quiet areas.

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