Pretty newbish question: Quick one about filter intake

[Marconis]

I have the Penguin 200, and am just curious about something with the intake. On the intake tube, in the middle, there is a little lever. I know it adjusts intake, but how do I know if I am allowing more or less intake?

 

[tropicalfish]

It is simply a mid level intake. This allows water to be drawn into the filter from not only the bottom, but also the middle of the tube. When you open it, there will be a strainer/grille thing exposed.

 

[SparKy697]

The more lines you see the more water thats going through

 

[Marconis]

Im sorry but if there was pun intended I still don't get it man lol.

 

[SparKy697]

Lol, no pun intended. I was just trying to say that as you move the little blue plastic shutter, you will expose slots that are cut into the square intake tube. When you see those slots you are seeing where water gets in.

 

[neilanh]

I have that too on my penguin 280, and without modification, I can't use both pieces together, as then the tube is too long for the height of my tank. So I'm currently running it without all the pieces, and it's intake is mid- depth in the tank. Should I modify one of the tubes (read chop off) and make it so I can intake from the bottom of the tank and the mid (or just the bottom), or is taking in from the middle okay/better anyway?

 

[SparKy697]

I run mine so that it draws from both. In my opinion it lowers the suction at all points so that little fish and snails are not as likely to get stuck to it. Plus not all debris is at the bottom of the tank and the mid vent helps pick that stuff up too.

That's my $.02

 

[supermazz9]

The more lines you see the more water thats going through

No, that is not right. Your pump only has a certain amount of draw. One intake will allow "x"gpm. Two intakes will have approx 1/2 * "x" gpm each.

 

[STARFYRE]

I'll take that $ .02 to the bank Sparky. I'm gonna go open my mid intake grate right now!

 

[neilanh]

That's a good point I didn't think about. I think I will chop that thing up a bit today and make it so that I can have both a low and a mid- depth intake. If nothing else, that way I at least have the option.

So, Since I'm chopping it, how low should I go? an inch from the bottom? 2"?

 

[tropicalfish]

normally, I go about 1 inch from the bottom.. but if you have finer substrate, you will want to make it higher.

 

[neilanh]

normally, I go about 1 inch from the bottom.. but if you have finer substrate, you will want to make it higher.

Thanks for the info, that's where I'll start at least. Just running standard gravel substrate, so no concern of that getting sucked up.

Now, where is that dremel of mine???

Thank You!

 

[SparKy697]

The more lines you see the more water thats going through

No, that is not right. Your pump only has a certain amount of draw. One intake will allow "x"gpm. Two intakes will have approx 1/2 * "x" gpm each.

What I meant was that the more you open that shutter, the more water is moving through that opening. Yes you are right, when you open that shutter you are taking away from the amount of water that is being drawn through the bottom strainer. This has the effect of spreading out the area used for drawing water into the tube and lowering the amount of suction that will be felt at each opening.

 

[cabezon]

I never got to fluid dynamics in college, but if one were to open a mid level opening, I would think a lot more fluid would enter from there than the lower opening, because of the pressure difference. Since my intake gets clogged with fish waste, I would be hesitant to lower the available suction to that grate.