Spray bar

[Race2d]

I have a fluval 306 and I am making a spray bar out of half inch PVC anyone have any thought on how long it should be and how big the holes for the water to come out should be?

 

[Wy Renegade]

I've ran them over 24" and used up to 1/8" holes - of course the longer you get the smaller you want the holes, as you'll lose pressure out on the end. Don't make them too small however or they plug up on you. Be sure and set the spray bar far enough down on the wall that if some evaporation occurs when you're goine you don't empty your tank onto the floor.

 

[Race2d]

So u would point the spray bar up?

 

[john7110]

It all depends on the pressure of your pump. I would not have holes bigger than 1/8 inch. the more holes you put in the less pressure. same with length. make it as long as you want and start with several holes. you can always drill more but if you have too many, you have a mess!

 

[Wy Renegade]

So u would point the spray bar up?

No, towards the front of the tank and slightly down.

 

[Race2d]

And why do u say slightly down why not point it towards the top of the water and break up the surface

 

[Rutrag]

I made a spraybar return for my 75 and I drilled two rows of holes: one pointed forward and up and the other pointed forward and down. I'm runnign two Rio 2500s into it and I think my spraybar is about 24" long. (I didn't really measure. I just made it go as far across the back as I could.) Mt thought was to both create some surface turbulance and to create a current around the live rock. This is also supplemented by two Maxi-jet Pro 600s set at opposite ends of the tank in the circulation pump configuration. One points at the front of the tank and the other points at the back. I figure I have kind of a cirular flow the way my rock is stacked.

The picture below isn't terribly recent, but I think it will give you the idea.

 

[Wy Renegade]

If you point it up, and the water level in the DT is allowed to drop (say you are off on vacation and nobody tops off), and you have enough pressure, the spray bar will shot the water over the rim of the aquarium and onto the floor. Pretty soon you have a empty aquarium.

 

[Race2d]

Well I don't have that problem cause I am always home and plus I have a glass lid on the tank