Hello guys.

Interested to hear from those with 4 footer tanks and above. How do you ensure proper water circulation in your tanks? My tank suffers from poor circulation and as a result, BGA is taking hold. I've put in small pump to ensure better water circulation but is this a good way to do this?

TIA!

Well I have a 4 feet too and I'm using an Eheim Classic 2215, flowrate about 620l/hr. More than enough, what kind of filter are you using and whats its flowrate? A filter flowrate of 2-3 times your tank volume in litres should be sufficient. Make sure you put the outlet of your filter about 3-5 inches below the water surface so that it doesn't disturb the water surface too much. Have the inlet of your filter at one end and the outlet of your filter at the other end. You will have enough circulation this way, maybe your filter is stuck? Putting a small temporary pump at where the BGA is growing will remove the BGA, good idea but aesthetically not very good, so only temp. solution. I think 6 feet would need 2 filters or one Classic 2217. I've got BGA before but thats when my filter got stuck, so clean filter if you find that the flow decreases. Hope this helps

I'm using a Eheim Ecco 2236...flow rate supposed to be 600l/hr. I have the original Eheim U shape outlet pipe setup so the water flows out about 2-3 inches below the water surface. However, I find that the water in the middle of the tank is stagnant so BGA tends to be growing there. Also on the glass in the front of the tank. sigh. I don't have any algae problems except for this BGA and it's driving me nuts.

Will be shifting the hoses around this weekend and see if it gets better. Thanks for your suggestions, Overdrive! Yes, I don't like putting the small pump in the tank either. Doesn't look nice at all.

i m using 2217 flowrate is 1050L/H for my 6ft. When i was first rescaping my 6ft. BGA do visit for a week. It is disappearing after i dosed the Photosynthetic Bacteria for 2 weeks.

Tanyp,

Welcome to the BGA club... hahaha..

OK.... I have posted a forum on problem with BGA and there's alot of suggestion on BGA problem.

The main reason for BGA outbreak is as follow.

1. Poor/ worn light quality
2. NO3 is too low... <5mg/l
3. Poor water circulation.

Through my experience, if item 2 and 3 don't solves the problem, most probably is the lighting. How long have you been using your FL tube and what kind of FL u using.

If you are using normal Philip FL for > 8 months, try replacing them.

Water circulation, from my experience.. don;t really remove the BGA but will reduce them.

To increase water circulation, try locating a power head blowing from the mid lever of the tank toward the center. This will stir circulation. Add a spray bar if you want for better circulation.

My solution to my BGA problem,

Have tried increase water circulation - BGA still exist but less.

Induce NO3 - no effect but BGA under control.

Replace FL tube and dose NO3 when light is off - BGA dissapeared after 2 days.

hope this works....

Eheim Eccos are not very good for circulation and their not as effective as the Classic version. But try to turn your original outlet pipe so that the water shoots to the middle a bit instead of putting it straight, that should help. I'm not sure about light effect on BGA unless you do a 3 day blackout which effects BGA and Green Water. NO3 dosing and water circulation is still what I think the most effective way to getting rid of this smelly algae (really stinko man, phew!)