lilly pipes

[Thomas.w]

What are the pros and cons of glass lilly pipes? Are they worth the expense? Do they work better than spray bars?

 

[aqua_chem]

They are more aesthetically pleasing than many of the outflow options out there (eg, Eheim's giant green spraybar). They also give directional flow, which desirable in some circumstances. Better (ie more expensive) ones can give good surface agitation or a mean surface-sucking vortex, which helps keep biofilm down.

 

[Brian_Nano12g]

Yeah i agree with everything aqua_chem just said.. I have some cal aqua lily pipes that do just that... Creates an awesome vortex to get rid of the protein layer on the surface.. Also, if i raise the outflow a bit, it oxygenates the water like crazy.

Only downsides are (1) they're a PITA to clean, and (2) they're fragile so you have to be careful because most quality ones aren't cheap.

They do make stainless steel ones now but the outflow doesn't do the vortex thing.

 

[Thomas.w]

Kool thanks for the input. I have a Sunsun HW303B and an Emporer 400 on the tank now. I plan on getting another Sunsun can't stand my emp 400s they might come up for sale soon only a month old. Only thing I am conserned with is that the longest inflow I saw was 23cm and my tank is 21" deep with gravel. Will that be deep enough for proper filtration?