Oh wow! This is great information! Could flow help plants grow? If so how does it help? I admit I followed the rule of 8-10x filtration for my HOB and my canister doesn’t follow the 5-8x rule though.
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# The Importance Of Flow In A Planted Aquarium

#### Awaken_Riceball_

##### Well Known

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Messages533Reactions558

I created this topic to discuss the importance of flow in a planted aquarium since I think it is overshadowed by other common major factors to create a thriving environment for optimum plant growth. I never thought that flow played a major role in a planted aquarium since I thought it was more commonly associated with saltwater / reef aquariums but something was off because the left side of my aquarium, the Argentine Swords, was experiencing stunted growth compared to the Argentine Swords on the right side of the aquarium. To paint a more vivid picture, the Argentine swords on the left side is between 4" - 6" tall and the right side is at least 12" - 15" tall.

Thus, I began my research for the cause because I knew it could not be the lack of fertilizers ( Root tabs + EI Dosing), CO2 since I inject pressurized CO2 or lack of light since everything else is growing exceptionally well. I came across a short Youtube video that discussed optimizing flow in a planted aquarium by ADU Aquascaping.

After watching the highly educational video and reading other discussion boards on the topic, I realized that the most likely cause to the stunted growth is due to dead spots on the left side of the aquarium. Armed with the knowledge, I watched my tank for 30 minutes and saw that the plants on the middle to the right side were swaying in the current, but the left side had zero movement on the bottom. In addition, I noticed that there were quite the detritus buildup as well.

To fix the problem, I initially bought the Hydor Koralia 565GPH Powerhead, but it created a current so strong that my Amazon Swords were bending over like palm trees getting blown by a hurricane. A little bit more research, I settled on two 240GPH version to keep the "Gentle Flow" idea in the planted aquarium.

Since I am using a spray bar, I set the two powerhead one on the left side and one on the right side facing the same direction of the spray bar but aI'm downwards a little. After a week, I noticed quite the difference on the left side as the Argentine Swords turning a brighter green color and produced two new leaves in a week and the detritus buildup on the substrate is getting picked up by the current for a cleaner look.

"Gentle Flow" in a planted aquarium is important due to the following reasons:

1. It brings nutrients to the plants

2. It helps spread out the detritus so algae does not have a lump of fuel / food source to grow where the dead spot (no flow to little flow) was causing the buildup

3. It helps the filter pick up the detritus

4. It stops the detritus from settling on the plant leaves promoting algae growth

5. The fish enjoys swimming in the current

6. Aesthetic appeal seeing the plants sway in the current

7. Dispersing light (Credit: junebug)

Final Thoughts:

I wanted to share my experience because it might be the overshadowed reason for poor growth and algae problems. Furthermore, I realized the importance to go with over-filtering the aquarium to achieve good flow to prevent dead spots that will lead to other problems. Over-filtering is most commonly associated with improved water quality / chemistry; however, in a planted tank, it brings another benefit of flow. If your filter is under-filtering or rated to the size of the aquarium, then add some power heads to bring up the GPH and get some flow going! In closure, I hope the information and experience I am sharing helps shed some light on how important flow is in a planted aquarium!

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#### JamieXPXP

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Messages3,601Reactions1,545LocationOntario

ive always known flow was important but wasn't sure why but now I do so thanks for sharing ^.^

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#### junebug

##### Fishlore Legend

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Messages13,278Reactions2,258LocationSan Diego

Water movement is one of the most important aspects of a successful planted tank, really. It doesn't have to be insane. But steady water flow is very helpful for the even distribution of nutrients, and for dispersing light.

OP

#### Awaken_Riceball_

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Thank you Junebug, and I did not know that dispersing light is another benefit as well!

#### aniroc

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Messages1,249Reactions449

How can you disperse light by increasing the water flow?

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#### Awaken_Riceball_

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Messages533Reactions558

I believe it may have something to do with creating the "shimmering effect" where the light is refracted when it hits the water to scatter the light. I might be wrong, but I think it has something to do with it.

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#### aniroc

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Messages1,249Reactions449

Thank you Riceball; not sure if that is what Junebug meant....I was thinking about the true meaning of "light dispersion" such as "prism effect".

#### junebug

##### Fishlore Legend

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Messages13,278Reactions2,258LocationSan Diego

Haha well water doesn't have prisms unless I'm seriously mistaken but yes, I have noticed that in my planted tanks with a decent amount of water flow, more light seems to refract down from the surface to reach the plants. Not necessarily a lot, mind you. But there is a noticeable difference in my tanks.

#### Discusluv

##### Well Known

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very informative, thanks @Awaken_Riceball

#### bigdreams

##### Well Known

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You know you are into planted tanks when you randomly think of flow patterns while walking down the street. I was going to do a rescape, and remove some overgrown swords and started thinking about the new flow patterns I wanted to try out.

One thing I wanted to mention... People convolute filtration with flow.. they are two different things. I usually ignore people who blindly say you need more filtration when they really mean to say you need more flow. I like your write up, just want to hammer home the point that filtration contributes to the amount of flow in the tank, and adding gentle circulation pumps is usually a good idea in general. The idea of people getting one super powerful canister filter , for example, to achieve the correct flow when they could have a reasonable sized filter with multiple powerheads cracks me up. I treat mechanical and biological filtration separately in my 55 gallon planted tank. Rules of thumb like get a filter whose flow is 10x the volume of the tank is as bad as one inch of fish per gallon of water rule, IMO.

#### NavigatorBlack

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Messages4,090Reactions5,024LocationCanada

Sometimes walking along a stream and looking at plants says more than we realize. There are some local plants that only grow in fast water, and others never found out of slow. You quickly realize that "plants" is kind of an empty word - just like "fish". If you can gain a little knowledge of which species of plants, how it grows in nature, etc, you can pick up useful info on water flow.

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#### Discusluv

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It should always be kept separately, even in a tank that doesn't have a single plant in it. You know, that idiotic idea about keeping your mechanical media in until it disintegrates? There is no logic behind it--- it is a mantra that has been repeated so many times that, instead of analyzing it, it is just done. When you ask people why they believe it or do it they have no justified reason for it--- only "because that is the way it is done".

#### Jocelyn Adelman

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Messages4,896Reactions2,982LocationNJ

100% agree, all my tanks have a powerhead somewhere...

#### jenmur

##### Fishlore VIP

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Oh wow! This is great information! Could flow help plants grow? If so how does it help? I admit I followed the rule of 8-10x filtration for my HOB and my canister doesn’t follow the 5-8x rule though.

I think I do have a dead spot?? Or at least a spot where there is build up. It’s a spot under a Wisteria that is rather dense.

OP

#### Awaken_Riceball_

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Yes, adequate flow will help plants grow because water movement will bring nutrients to the plants in addition, it helps to prevent algae from growing on the plant leaves. Check to see if your plants are swaying in the current, but not blowing away bending over.

#### The Rover

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Messages853Reactions386LocationGeorgia

Would adding a sponge filter be in the same category as adding a powerhead when it comes to increasing flow? Not saying it will generate as much flow but I just added sponge filters to my tanks on the opposite side of my HOB's and it seems to have obviously increased aeration, but wondering if you would also call that "flow" as well?

#### jenmur

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I have seen swaying, even in my newest crypt wendtii. So tiny!! There is some slight movement in my Val’s and Wisteria. The Val’s are so long most of them that they do bend down by the HOB. But they keep growing and sending out runners. I use SeaChem root tabs but that is all I’ve used.

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#### Awaken_Riceball_

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Messages533Reactions558

I honestly do not think a sponge filter will contribute to more flow regardless putting it on the opposite corner of your HOB. Aeration is associated with water agitation which is important for gas exchange. A power head will create a water stream / current that helps to circulate the water. If you can, then put the HOB filter on the side of the aquarium to send the flow across the other side of the tank rather than on the back where the flow is directed towards the front of the glass and disperses the flow from there.

The Jungle Val are one of the plant exceptions where it can bend over from the flow because it helps keep the Val underwater rather than breaking the surface and growing out the water. If you have swaying plants throughout the aquarium, then you have adequate flow to help bring the nutrients to the plants and keep algae from growing on the plant leaves.

This guy on Youtube explains it pretty well about flow with Jungle Vals.

#### The Rover

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Messages853Reactions386LocationGeorgia

I understand your point, but when I look at my plants they are swaying from flow coming from somewhere. Does the flow have to be uniform in it's direction to be optimal? I'm looking at my tank right now and everyone of my plant leaves are swaying and moving due to some sort of flow. Even my crypt parva, which are planted in the substrate are swaying pretty nicely so if the point is that the flow has to be in a uniformed direction then no, my sponge filter set up on the opposite side of the tank from my HOB is not contributing to flow. But if the direction of the flow doesn't have to come from the same direction then I would have to respectfully disagree just based on my observations (which may not mean a whole lot! )

OP

#### Awaken_Riceball_

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Messages533Reactions558

Thank you for the informative information regarding sponge filters because I do not have experience with it since I use an HOB filter for my QT tank. It is amazing to know that the sponge filter is actually producing some type of flow, but you are correct that the flow does not have to be in a uniformed direction.

#### The Rover

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Messages853Reactions386LocationGeorgia

The bubbles are primarily for aeration obviously, but if the sponge filter is turned up high enough the stream of bubbles seem to be creating flow. Again, I'm just going by observation so I could be totally wrong, but just giving you my point of view from what I'm seeing in my tank.

#### jenmur

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Oh wow! Good to know . My Val’s stretch from end to end on my biggest plants. I have. 55 gallon with a HOB on the left hand side and a canister with spray bar attached to right side panel of glass so it’s pushing water over to the left side of the tank where the HOB is. I will watch that video tonight when I get home.

Here’s a pic of the tank

OP

#### Awaken_Riceball_

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Messages533Reactions558

Very beautiful tank and Vals are the only plant I know so far that is an exception to the blowing over rule.

#### jenmur

##### Fishlore VIP

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Thanks!! Looking at it now I could have planned a little better on plant placement but I never thought they’d grow like this!!! Those Italian Val’s started as 3 plants that barely touched the surface.

That video was pretty good! I liked the tank and it made me giggle a bit since I was just trying to have movement in my tank with filter placement

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