As I have been experimenting with and researching more on rheophilic aquatics, I have come to realize the flow rate and movement of water people "expect" to see is highly underrated.
This is reversed when it comes to aquatic vegetation. We give a very "peak" ecosystem for a few niche areas when styling tanks with plants. Even the natural ones. Nothing wrong with it but I don't think people are aware of how little vegetation is purely submerged. Most is emergent or riparian.
In a 75gal African stream tank I did. I housed 10 male pelvicachromis kribensis with a single female. Due to the flow and keeping fish busy with grazing on algae and plants there was almost no aggression.
I currently have almost 16,000L/h running on a 75gal stream tank and the fish still sometimes spend time swimming directly in the outflow section of the tank. They are rheophilic species so swimming in currents is second nature to them.
I feel, water movement, and more importantly, increased water movement can help a lot of tanks. I do not mean washing machine vortexes. I am talking about thought out water flow plans for the tank using powerheads/circulation pumps etc., as well as decor and tank walls to make a proper "flow habitat". This helps spread food, nutrients, oxygen and helps in many other ways.
