I just added a second one, which I really like, but I would like to turn down the current because my tank is relatively small and my top-dwellers are complaining about being swished around like minnows. Within a day or two of a water change the evaporation is enough to significantly enhance the waterfall effect, the sound of which is not appreciated equally by all members of the household, and my guppies can't decide if they like the waterfall or not, but I'm worried about their fancy tail fins. To minimize the waterfall, I would need to top off the tank, but I've heard that you shouldn't do this. Do I have any options?
I have this same issue somewhat as i have this same filter. Everybody tops their tanks off from evaporation, what did you hear that was wrong about this practice? As long as you are treating the top off water you shouldnt have any problems.
As for the current, there is no way to manually set the current on this filter... i have heard of a few tricks to slow/quiet the current a bit. One is to secure some filter floss to the output, so that the water trickles down the floss and into the water.... this reduces the speed a bit and makes it so there is no splashing. also, do you have any water coming out from the tiny tube to the right of the output area? (in between the output and the intake tube)
sorry to butt in here guys, but am i reading correctly that it is wrong to keep my water above the spillway on my HOB filter? I don't have any water noise bacause I keep the water level about 1/4 inch up on the spillway....no "waterfall" action.......this is an incorrect practice?if so can you explain why? thanks, snowboss
Topping off the tank is considered bad only when you only do this and never actually do water changes. The water evaporates, but all the pollutants are left behind. Therefore, if you never actually do a water change and instead just top off, you are allowing the pollutants to build up. That is why this practice is often called bad - because some people think topping off is the same as a water change.
Snowboss, you just need enough surface aggitation to break the water surface tension. This allows for a good gas exchange of CO2 leaving the tank and oxygen entering it. If you have ripples on the surface, then you are probably fine. Also, observe your fish. If they are gasping at the surface, if they are hanging out by the filter output (usually the most oxygenated portion of the tank), or if you see bottom-dweller constantly having to go up top then you probably have a problems. If you don't see any of these and your surface has ripples in it - you are probably good to go.
yes i agree with miami.... snowboss i also keep my water level above the output level so i dont hear the waterfall, but i have two powerheads pointed at the surface that create a ton of agitation, so i dont need my filters to do this job. When i didnt have powerheads, i needed to let the water drop from my filter to agitate the water enough or my fish would gasp.
I don't remember why I heard that topping off was bad, but it sounds like it has been explained. A small top-off has helped the surface agitation, but it is still rather significant. I guess it's good for oxygenation though. Although, it doesn't seem as though my fish have even been close to gasping for air. They're all over the place, very busy fish.
I do get water coming from the tiny tube to the right of the spillway on my existing filter, but didn't notice it happening with the new 2nd filter I just added.
This run off is in case the filter gets clogged, to prevent water from piling up and spilling out of your filter onto the ground... its like a safety release. I was going to say if there is water coming out of this, its safe to assume you have the highest output coming out of the filter... if you mess around with the placement of the filter pad, you can control whether water comes out of this safety release... or, when i add the carbon bag to my filter, it lets in less flow and so water comes out of this safety release... either way, sounds like ure filters are doing good
If anyone is interested I found a work around for this. The output of my two filters was creating too much current for some of my fish, but the filter can't be adjusted. I cut a section of plastic out of a half-gallon milk jug, including a length-wise corner piece. I taped the piece of plastic to my filter so that the corner piece of the plastic hangs down and forms a "cup" in front of the "water fall". This is keeping the water from rushing out and is instead diverting the water out to the sides of the plastic piece. There is still surface disturbance, but my fish aren't caught in the rapids anymore.
nice fix man ...i love hearing ans seeing mods..............
I also have power heads and a protien skimmer return in the tank so surface agitation is not an issue for me .....yipiiiiii i get to keep my water on the spillway......the sound of water dropping into a tank for some reason makes me insane ......{well insane being a relative term in my case...lol } great post guys....Snowboss
There's an easy fix to fixing fast evaporation of your water (if your water level falls 1" between water changes, like you say just that inch can be annoying.
I purchased a new ''hood'' for my 16 gallon bowfront. There's a company out there, which I forget which makes a variety of glass/plastic top hoods to fit your aquarium. The idea or premise is simply a flat hood with a glass front and plastic rear, the rear plastic snap-ins are trimmable to fit whatever you may have going into your tank, and as a result you can trim them to go right up against whatever you may have which forms a good seal.Just make sure it isn't TOO good. Evaporation in my tank has dropped to almost nothing as a result of this, and I have no worries or fears of any of my shrimp ever doing a double spring backflip from a leaf of watersprite out onto my livingroom floor in the middle of the night. As with anything there is a drawback..and that is the hood can trap heat generated by lighting (mine doesn't generate much) and ambient temperatures from your water, giving the water a chance to heat beyond what your heater is set at. I only have problems with this when the inside room temp is about 5-8 degrees above the temp of the tank, in which case I just crack the hood.
As far as the topping off stuff...like everyone has said it leaves the toxins in the water and also allows things like minerals to build up, possibly even drastically hardening your water, but with frequent water changes it shouldn't create a drastic or harmful impact. Hope this helps.
Keep in mind the more airtight you leave the hood so that evaporation dips, the less oxygen will be reaching your water surface for proper aeration. there should be a balance.
