Water Movement & Fish Health

Water movement in your aquarium is like a fresh breeze in a stuffy room. Moving the water supplements the gas exchange by moving dissolved gasses out of stagnant areas. Due to the natural activity of life, various gasses accumulate in aquarium water. Moving the water transports these gasses into the main water column where they can be released into the atmosphere. Water movement also supplements gas exchange by mixing up the water layers. Oxygen-poor water near the bottom of the aquarium is pulled up and comes in contact with oxygen-rich water at the surface. Through this active interaction, the concentration of harmful gasses is reduced and oxygen level is increased.

Proper water movement also aids in filtration by moving more waste materials into the filter. Moving water helps keep waste materials suspended in the water column and prevents them from settling into hard-to-reach areas. Larger particles and debris swept up by currents are easily trapped and removed by mechanical filtration. The dissolved waste materials are then efficiently removed by the chemical filter.

Water movement is especially important in reef filtration. Corals and other invertebrates rely on water movement to physically wash away and export waste materials. Without proper water movement, waste, toxins, and other organic chemicals can accumulate on or around the corals.

Because your saltwater aquarium is a closed, relatively small environment, many fish do not have room for active swimming. Providing water movement provides physical activity for the fish, even though the actual swimming area remains the same. By swimming against or through moving water, fish receive physical exercise necessary for proper growth and muscle development. The resistance provided by water movement may also aid fish digestion and metabolism. Re-creating the water conditions found in their natural environment helps to encourage the display of the marine life's natural behavior as well as coloration and physical development not seen in still or slow-moving water.