Changing up the flow on your tanks

[Birdsnstuff]

Hi - I have adjustable HOB filters on two of my tanks. I turn them down to feed but  I periodically turn them up and down just for the heck of it. I feel like it adds some variety in the environment for the fish and moves the water around in new patterns. I even turn up and down  my sponge filter.  Does anyone else do this? Thoughts?

Video for attention. Betty the Betta

 

[Pepere]

I turn mine down for feeding.  I much prefer turning it down to feed rather than turning it off. That way no real harm done if I forget to turn flow back up promptly…

[Guppysnail]

I turn mine up and down. I let the temperature fluctuate a few degrees and provide a few degrees cooler in winter and warmer in summer. I change my lights to have cloudy days, bright summer day, and mid light days. Fluctuations within reason are natural to fish so I try to provide that just as I provide a variety of  food with different properties. 

[Tanked]

As @Guppysnail said: Fluctuations within reason are natural to fish.   I don't really see the benefit in turning it down for feeding. 

My fish have learned to swim to wherever my hand is.  The larger, faster fish always get most of the food. For this reason, I either broadcast the food across the surface or directly under the side mounted HOB. The HOB circulates water and food across the full length of the tank, giving everyone a chance.  Some seem to wait for the food to come to them, and some like to chase their food.

[Birdsnstuff]

@TankedI find my black phantom tetras are very top water focused for food. It's like it becomes invisible 3 inches down. So if I turn off or down the flow, they seem to see the food better. Less of it ends up feeding my crop of ramshorn snails. I only have 7 tetras and 4 otos in the tank so for the most part I'm specifically feeding the tetras. I drop wafers and veggies on the substrate for the otos.

My cardinal tetra/ habrosus Cory tank feeds differently. Both of those will go where ever the food is. So I broadcast that food generally. 

The Betta eats where ever as well. She likes floating food or sinking food she can chase but she'll hunt the leftovers off the bottom. 

 It is good to hear how other people do it and how different fish react. You never know when you might need to change it up.

[Pepere]

On 4/2/2023 at 11:36 AM, Tanked said:

I don't really see the benefit in turning it down for feeding. 

It would depend on the adjustability of the hob.  The Tidal 35 slows to a trickle from substantial flow.  Turning it down allows flake food to remain on the surface longer and to prevent submerged floating food from being caught up by the filter.

It is worth the effort.  I can see where other filters might not be worthwhile.

[Tommy Vercetti]

I have my filter on a kasa smart plug. I made a Google home routine, when I tell Google "it's time to feed my fish", the filter turns off for 12 minutes, then turns itself back on.

Edited April 2 by Tommy Vercetti

[Pepere]

 

surface agitation at full flow..

 

And dialed back to minimum.

[PineSong]

I know that my fish seem to get pretty excited whenever there is a change in the flow. I use sponge filters, so there’s nothing to turn up or down, but when I do a big cleaning, I will put an Aqua Clear HOB on for a day or two to polish the water and my guppies always seem to enjoy hanging out in the flow.
 

They also like it when I add an air stone, or replace the air stone with one that makes bubbles in a different pattern. I have a big bubble disk ( 3 or 4 inches across)  I use in my pond and they definitely enjoy that. I’ve seen them using the very vigorous bubbles like an amusement park ride over and over.