DIY spray bar help... need advice!

[fishfanatic]

I recently built a spray bar out of 3/4 inch PVC pipe for a Fluval FX5 filter. I am trying to calm the hurricane that this massive filter seems to create. It is in a 90 gallon freshwater planted tank. The specks of the spray bar are: 21 inches long (the longest it could be) there are 19 evenly spaced holes, each hole is 3/16 of an inch.

Even with the spray bar I seem to get a hurricane effect. To prevent this should I:
a.) Drill the holes out bigger
b.) Drill more holes
c.) I could put a elbow "T" in the PVC and make it 15 inches longer
d.) A combination of them
e.) Any other suggestions?

Thank you everyone for your help!

 

[slyhog22056]

Your filter didnt come with a valve to go on the output side to throttle it down??? If it didnt come with one just get a cheap pvc ball valve and glue it inline at the head of the tube.

 

[fishfanatic]

Your filter didnt come with a valve to go on the output side to throttle it down??? If it didnt come with one just get a cheap pvc ball valve and glue it inline at the head of the tube.

Mine did come with the valve on the canister. I wasn't looking to necessarily lessen the flow of water, I was looking to spread the flow of water.
As inpatient of a person that I am I already went ahead and drilled more holes. What I did is I drilled out the current holes to the other side. So now there are 38 holes 19 facing the back wall of the tank and 19 facing into the tank. This seemed to do the trick, the fish seem to be much happier! Thanks for your help

 

[CorallineAlgae]

When making a DIY spraybar I like the idea of having the holes offset a little, meaning in addition to the normal row of holes their is an additional row of holes drilled slightly lower, like:
. • . • . • . • . • . • . •

Gets flow to the front and to the middle. It's just one way out of lots of options. I like your method, too.

 

[Autumnsky]

CorallineAlgae that seems like a great suggestion for the holes.

Some good info on the double quantity too as I was following along on this thread.

 

[fishfanatic]

When making a DIY spraybar I like the idea of having the holes offset a little, meaning in addition to the normal row of holes their is an additional row of holes drilled slightly lower, like:
. • . • . • . • . • . • . •

Gets flow to the front and to the middle. It's just one way out of lots of options. I like your method, too.

That is a great idea! I might do that as well