Flow in tank ?

[henrik_hundslev]

Hi
Are there any guidelines on how much flow is recommended in a shrimp tank?
I have started a 20 litters tank with taiwan bee and are unsure of how much flow is needed.

[2Toned]

Good question and I think you'll get a range of opinions. I run 10 tanks all with huge variance in flow rates.

For instance, I have a 100L cube for my CBS with a 1400L/h flow and 4 x 40Lt long tanks for breeding CRS & Golds with 60L/h. Each is using Hamburg Matten filter and each is effective. Here's a pic of one 40L...
http://i621.photobucket.com/albums/tt300/2Toned58/Native%20Mosses/09072011-1.jpg

Then outside on my balcony I have a 145L heavily planted tank with DIY substrate that I use for culls that only has a 100L/h internal powerhead with no filter. The powerhead is purely to keep even temp. Here it is...
http://i621.photobucket.com/albums/tt300/2Toned58/Shrimp/Shrimp%20Tanks%20140111/Aquarium%20Life%20Posts/030711Mid-left.jpg

IMO each is successful. Why? Filtration. A good/large filter bed with slow flow allows beneficial bacteria a relatively long time to scavenge all nitrogen from the water. A high flow with poor/small filter bed does not.

Ensure you have a good filter with plenty of media and even flow across all media and you should have no problems. Hope this helps...

Tony

[imke_j]

Are there any guidelines on how much flow is recommended in a shrimp tank?


Are you referring to the flow rate of a filter, or to the flow that finally agitates the surface of the water?
For the later, I guess that most caridina shrimp need very few flow. In their natural habitats, they often live in calmer basins and areas of the creeks, where leaves are and stones offer some hiding place. So my advise is to have a moderate flow only - especially when you have juveniles.

[henrik_hundslev]

Are you referring to the flow rate of a filter, or to the flow that finally agitates the surface of the water?

sorry my mistake! I mean how often the water must pass through the filter per hour

[imke_j]

sorry my mistake! I mean how often the water must pass through the filter per hour

I have an 30 x 35 x 90 tank, with a net volume of around 80L. It is filtered by an Eheim 2224 for tanks up to 250L and flow rate 700L/h. If you calculate, the water is moved ~8 times per hour, and filter is three times over-sized than recommended.

To make a long story short, we shrimp keepers tend to over-filtration. I would recommend double sized filter/flow than recommended by manufacturer, and always head for an canister with adjustable flow rate.

[henrik_hundslev]

I've made the entire back wall of the aquarium to a HMF (foam filter) which is driven by a powerhead with 120L flow rate. so with a tank capacity of 20L, I think I'll try to continue with this setup. thanks for your comment!

[2Toned]

Stick with it, h_h. This HMF matures like a fine... moderator.

[imke_j]

Just wanted to add an image to the over-filtration topic, taken from a Japanese blog:
http://blog-imgs-45-origin.fc2.com/a/k/a/akabee/rise2011-0723-2.jpg

left side: inlet of canister, made shrimp proof with a sponge
middle-left: double sponge filter
middle-right: canister filter outlet with additionally O2 injection
right: air driven UGF pipe

On the rack left hand, you see CO2 and temperature controllers. Taken from BEE SPEC:
blog, http://akabee.blog97.fc2.com/blog-entry-619.html