Spray bar positioning

[Seanh84]

Hi im new to fish keeping, i have a 3 foot tropical tank set up with various community fish, it has sand subtrate rocks driftwood and plastic plant at the moment, im using a fluval 105 as advised by my aquatic store.
My problem is i want to fit a spray bar and have read people have them at the bottom of their tank to keep it clean on the bottom, is this possible, also i was thinking of a diy spraybar,
Any advice would be appreciated
Many thanks

 

[stingrays4]

Hi a spray bar is placed in the best place for your aquarium? Let me explain,if you keep fish which do not like to much flow,then you would point the outlets towards the back of the tank thus deflecting the flow. Others place it several inches below the surface and have it point upwards at a 45 degree angle,this helps with gaseous exchange and provides moderate flow. Hope this helps.

 

[mfdrookie516]

I would recommend replacing that 105 with a 305... a 3' tank, around 30-40 gallons or so? A 105 would be for a 10-15 gallon tank.


But, spraybars are easy. 1/2" pvc with an end cap and holes every 3/4", with a few suction cups. I would put it on top instead of the bottom though... surface agitation is helpful... more helpful than having it push debris around on the bottom.

 

[Seanh84]

Thanks

I have a air stone running for surface agitation i just was not sure about having the spraybar placed on the bottom of the tank

 

[mrbee2828]

I have an air stone and a spray bar at the top. You can't have enough. The spraybar is meant more for surface agitation imho.

 

[Wy Renegade]

One thing you do have to be careful of with spraybars at the top is evaporation. If you are ever gone for an extended period and nobody tops off your tank or you don't have an auto topoff, the spray bar can and will empty your tank for you.

 

[Seanh84]

Cheers, im going to invest in a powerhead to power a spray bar along the bottom and leave the cannister filter at the top

 

[AddictedtoFishNoW]

wait, so your putting it on the bottom? I'm trying to install mine, It has 2 1ft pipes, can I use them both and connect to make 1 big line of outflow from my fluval? and I have an air stone already but do we point it up towards the surface at a 45 degree angle? or should I have it just shoot across the tank ?

 

[Seanh84]

Well people are advising against fitting it to the bottom due to surface agitation which is why im gonna leave my fluval agitating the surface with the duck bill outlet and a seperate powerhead for a spraybar along the bottom. Have tested it and the bottem is now spottless