Odyssea B45 puts too many bubbles into water

[neuendri]

Re: Odyssea B45 puts too many bubbles into water

Thanks for the tip on the O-cats... That sounds like a much better option.  I'm not even sure when I'll get to the point of needing one...

That brings up a question... How many hours/day do you generally keep the lights on for your planted tanks?  14-16 like the daylight hours?

Thanks,
neuendri

btw, ek, were you still interested in a 10 gallon stack rack?

[eklikewhoa]

Re: Odyssea B45 puts too many bubbles into water

I am actually wanting something to possibly hold a few 5.5gallon tanks.

With the lighting on your tank as it is I would probably start with 8hrs and go from there since I don't think you are planning on using ferts or co2....without the later two too much lighting will kill plants and cause algae. You might even have to go lower.

I am running about 9hrs of intense lighting over my tank right now but it has really good substrate, ferts and plenty of co2. The more light there is the more the plants will try and soak up and if there is nothing there to soak up then it goes downhill.

[neuendri]

Re: Odyssea B45 puts too many bubbles into water

I was planning on using some ferts, but not injected CO2.  I heard mixed reviews of Flourish Excel for Carbon replacement, but not sure if it works much better and 25-30 fish.  As for substrate, I planned on getting ADA substrate from City Pets.

[eklikewhoa]

Re: Odyssea B45 puts too many bubbles into water

Flourish Excel works good but not economical for a big tank like the 45g and the initial cost of pressurized co2 will pay off in the end.

[Mzungu]

Re: Odyssea B45 puts too many bubbles into water

I agree, if you plan on using ferts and have the means financially to get a pressurized CO2 system now, DO IT! You'll be extremely happy.

I run the lights on my tanks anywhere from 8 to 12 hours. I think anywhere in that range is fine for you, since you're not going to have really high light in that tank.

And you're right, you never really NEED an algae eater, but I think otos, for instance, are really fun and good because they're always working and never get large. They can be a bit sensitive, though, so I would agree with you to wait on them until everything is cycled, and especially until you actually have some algae in there for them.  :)

[Spot86t]

Re: Odyssea B45 puts too many bubbles into water

I might be interested if you have a 10gallon stack rack....

[neuendri]

Re: Odyssea B45 puts too many bubbles into water

pm sent

[High-PH]

Re: Odyssea B45 puts too many bubbles into water

I have a Jebo R375 (375 liters, I think) that was out before the Odyssea brand. I have historically had pretty good luck with the filter box providing enough filtering and bacteria for fish health.  The flow from the powerhead that comes with it is pretty strong though. I've tried various things to slow it down some, but as for the air bubbling, mine had a venturi attachment on there, and if I didn't want air bubbles mixed in, I just shut that off and had no problems with air.  When I decided to try it planted, I took out the powerhead and am currently using a little Aquaclear 301 stuck up the spout. It's a little weak, but I'll find the right thing eventually. The lights crapped out some time back, but I got a 30" Coralife PC that does fine.
I know this sounds like enough trouble to have given up, but I really do like the clear, curved glass on it.

[eklikewhoa]

Re: Odyssea B45 puts too many bubbles into water

Totally forgot about the venturi thing...I hate those.

So did you ever figure it out Neuendri?

[neuendri]

Re: Odyssea B45 puts too many bubbles into water

I was in Houston today and stopped by Mike's place and he had a couple Odyssea's there, so we brainstormed about it for a while...  Nice place, by the way.  Can't wait to watch it transform...

The problem was the round downspout was acting like the drain in your bathtub, creating a vortex and drawing air in with it.  I tried a blue coarse Eheim filter pad over the downspout, but it was too restrictive and backed up the downspout and caused the water to exit through the emergency downspout.  Then I tried the white Eheim filter floss and the same thing happened.  Mike thought I should try bio media.  I had two bags cycling in my 35 gallon corner tank that I planned on putting in this new tank anyway, so I tried on of them.  Same thing, it backed up too much.  Then I tried some filter media that I cut from the inside of an intake sponge and still no luck.  Next, I tried just some fiberglass screen door material rubber-banded over the downspout thinking it would break up the flow enough to stop the vortex, but it didn't.  Finally, I had some of the cheap, blue and white bonded filter media laying around.  I cut a piece to size and, with the screen door material still in place, I put the filter media over the downspout and it started to back up, but finally hit an equilibrium and flowed smoothly.  Still, quite a bit of the water was getting to the last compartment by flowing over the top of the last divider instead of underneath through the channel.

I've checked on it periodically and the water level over the downspout has actually even dropped a little, just to the top of the filter material and nearly all the water is flowing into the last compartment through the channel beneath the filter media.  I guess I finally found media with little enough restriction to work for this.  I will easily know when it needs to be replace...  When the water level gets too high and it makes it to the emergency downspout, it will definitely cause bubbles again.

Thanks to everyone for their prompt and useful input.  I am truly a fan of HFB and it's members!  I'll try to get some pics up soon.

Thanks again,
Richard