What's the best direction for your filter output?

[David Dix]

Hi,

I'm a newbie and I recently purchased a Fuval Uno Aquarium Starter Kit which
comes complete with the Fluval One Plus internal filter.

I have set it up with the filter on the side of the tank with its output
sending water down the length of the tank.

I've been scanning a lot of Aquarium sites over the last few days and I have
noticed in the photos of aquariums that a lot of filters send the water
across the width of the tank, not down the length.

Is there a "preferred" orientation for the filter output? Does it make a
great deal of difference which way the water circulates?

I assumed that I need to get as much of the water circulating as possible,
so that was why I have it going across the length of the tank, but it would
be nice to know what others on this group think.

I do have a large rock in one corner of the tank and have noticed that the
fish often rest behind the rock away from the water flow.

Regards.

[Geezer From Freezer]

David,

Shouldn't make any difference. My Fluval flows down the length (or it did before
I got a bubble wand for it)

[Graeme]

"David Dix" > wrote in message
...
> Hi,
>
> I'm a newbie and I recently purchased a Fuval Uno Aquarium Starter Kit
which
> comes complete with the Fluval One Plus internal filter.

My first filter was a Fluval 1, had a few problems with it you may want to
watch out for. The design of the filter media is a single square sponge,
water enters the filter case and though this and then out of the top of the
sponge into where it is released back into the water. I found with mine the
very top of the sponge was soon covered in a layer dirt from the tank, this
slowed the water flow though the top of the sponge, as a result water output
went down.

Now I did have 2 goldfish in the tank, so maybe I had too much waste that
the filter couldn't cope, but keep an eye on the water flow from the filter.

Graeme

[David Dix]

Thanks for the tip Graeme. I'll watch out for this.

How often do you check the filter media?

"Graeme" > wrote in message
...
> "David Dix" > wrote in message
> ...
> > Hi,
> >
> > I'm a newbie and I recently purchased a Fuval Uno Aquarium Starter Kit
> which
> > comes complete with the Fluval One Plus internal filter.
>
> My first filter was a Fluval 1, had a few problems with it you may want to
> watch out for. The design of the filter media is a single square sponge,
> water enters the filter case and though this and then out of the top of
the
> sponge into where it is released back into the water. I found with mine
the
> very top of the sponge was soon covered in a layer dirt from the tank,
this
> slowed the water flow though the top of the sponge, as a result water
output
> went down.
>
> Now I did have 2 goldfish in the tank, so maybe I had too much waste that
> the filter couldn't cope, but keep an eye on the water flow from the
filter.
>
> Graeme
>
>

[Graeme]

"David Dix" > wrote in message
...
> Thanks for the tip Graeme. I'll watch out for this.
>
> How often do you check the filter media?

I was cleaning it every week almost at one stage until I upgraded to a
larger filter, I found it was quite easy to spot the "slow down" just by
looking at the tank. You may not have the problem just depends on the level
of waste you have, but overall the filter I thought was poorly designed.

Just by lifting the output above the water to view the flow will show you
how well it is doing and if it needs a clean.

The larger Internal Fluvals (2,3,4) have the media in 2 halfs and in a
plastic frame, so the water goes though the media and then up though a gap
in the frame, so you never had the issue of waste blocking the waters
outward journey - which is the case with the Fluval 1 I found.

But the tank itself you have is well made - I have one of the larger Duo
ones.

Graeme

[David Dix]

You're right. I checked the filter when I performed a water change today and
it was clogged with waste :-( I also noticed that it was making a little
ticking noise over the last 2 days.

After cleaning the ticking sound has gone and the flow is back up to normal.

Looks like I will have to clean the filter with the weekly water change from
now on.

Thanks for the tip.


"Graeme" > wrote in message
...
>
> "David Dix" > wrote in message
> ...
> > Thanks for the tip Graeme. I'll watch out for this.
> >
> > How often do you check the filter media?
>
> I was cleaning it every week almost at one stage until I upgraded to a
> larger filter, I found it was quite easy to spot the "slow down" just by
> looking at the tank. You may not have the problem just depends on the
level
> of waste you have, but overall the filter I thought was poorly designed.
>
> Just by lifting the output above the water to view the flow will show you
> how well it is doing and if it needs a clean.
>
> The larger Internal Fluvals (2,3,4) have the media in 2 halfs and in a
> plastic frame, so the water goes though the media and then up though a gap
> in the frame, so you never had the issue of waste blocking the waters
> outward journey - which is the case with the Fluval 1 I found.
>
> But the tank itself you have is well made - I have one of the larger Duo
> ones.
>
> Graeme
>
>