Filter question

[TCool]

Hi everyone. I have a Rio 2100 internal power filter in my 55 gallon tank that pumps 690 gph. It creates quite a current (not too powerful for my fish) which was fine when I had gravel (in fact it did a great job of keeping things off the bottom), but now that I have sand in the tank it causes problems. The sand is settled pretty good, but every time a fish kicks some up it gets caught in the current and quite a bit is getting sucked into the filter.

So, what I was thinking of doing was attaching a long piece of pvc to the output on the filter and drilling holes in it to release the water in many different areas (hopefully cutting down on the current). My hope is that when sand gets kicked up it will settle before it gets to my filter. I was also going to put a bio sponge on the entire length of the pvc pipe in hopes that would add to my biological filtration.

So, my questions is, would something like this work/be beneficial at all? Also, one more question. I have a bunch of filter pad, could something like that be used in the same manner as a bio sponge. I know that stuff is meant for mechanical filtration, but it seems to me like it would be a good surface for bacteria. Any advice?

 

[BigJim]

Making a spray bar out of PVC should be fine. I'm not sure covering it in sponge would be a good idea though. It'll cut your flow significantly. Is there a reason you're looking for more biological filtration? If your tank is established, your sand is already a pretty potent biological filter.

 

[TCool]

Well, was established until I goofed (new filter, forgot to put old media in-left it out and it dried.. big oops). But, as far as adding sponge on the spray bar, I just figured a little more bio filtration wouldn't hurt. I guess in this case I was wrong.

Btw, thanks for letting me know what it is called. Spray bar sounds better than "pvc pipe with holes drilled in it attached to my filter" lol.

 

[BigJim]

More filtration never hurts if it's done correctly. I'd just hate to see you kill your pump by putting too much restriction on the filter. I'm not familiar with your particular filter, but I have a similar turnover rate in my 29g with an AC70 and I could stack fish in there like cordwood and still have decent water quality. I don't think you'll ever really have the problem of being underfiltered unless you put fish in your tank that really shouldn't be there. (Oscars, RTCs, etc.)