spraybar mod to reduce flowrate

[revolutionhope]

Hi folks,

i have received some beautiful CRS from heavyD today and i have a situation with the current being too fast for the shrimp to swim very well in. I have the spraybar just below the surface and angled slightly up for maximum oxygenation but it still seems to be a little fast at the lower level of the tank, i can see moss swaying around and the shrimps being blown across somewhat when they try to swim. There is quite a "whirlpool" effect happening.

Aside from replacing the canister with a smaller one; how does one go about lessening the current inside the tank? I thought of 2 solutions but I don't know how wellthey will do or exactly how to implement them -

1)I could make more holes or make the holes larger in the spraybar?

2) cover it with a stocking or sponge or something to slow down the water as it shoots out the holes in the spraybar.

cheers

love n peace

will

[Disciple]

@jayc did a post awhile where he drilled additional holes in his spray bar on the other side of the ones supplied. I cant find the post though

[revolutionhope]

thanks D i remember reading that before, is that what you have done? I recall a picture in your tank where you had the spraybar angled up towards the top slightly to create surface agitation; I think I had copied the idea from you. did you drill holes in your spraybar as well btw>

[neo-2FX]

All I did was close the double taps (assuming you have some) a bit and worked a treat.

[revolutionhope]

hey neo Thanks for the suggestion that would be an easy solution. I think I'd prefer to keep the flow rate inside the actual canister at the same.level if i can because i think it may result in less filtration if i slow the actual LPH down?

love n peace

will

[Heavyd]

I've drilled the extra holes in the spray bar and doubled the diameter of the existing ones. I also removed the end cap of the spray bar as well.

Worked well in my tank.

[neo-2FX]

hey neo Thanks for the suggestion that would be an easy solution. I think I'd prefer to keep the flow rate inside the actual canister at the same.level if i can because i think it may result in less filtration if i slow the actual LPH down?

 

love n peace

 

will

That's a fair point. I have an Eheim 2213 and I think it's way too much for a 45cm anyway. What are you running?

[perplex]

i had the exact same issue, i ended up making my own spray bar, but you should be able to mod the one you have

 

i drilled holes in the back of the spray bar, pointing down slightly (kinda like how you have them pointing up for oxygen at the front) but mainly against the back glass, this way the water just hits a wall and slows down, this way you can keep the high flow

Edited October 28, 2015 by perplex

[jayc]

Drilling extra large diameter holes and adding more holes that output against the back glass will reduce the force of the flow yet still maintain the flow rate through the canister.

[Grubs]

That's a fair point. I have an Eheim 2213 and I think it's way too much for a 45cm anyway. What are you running?

I'm surprised at this.  I have a 2213 on a 45cm cube and it doesnt make a lot of flow.  I removed the spraybar and just have the water coming out of a 12mm elbow so it comes out sideways pointing from the back towards the front.

I actually have a second internal filter sitting in the tank to make more flow.  (perhaps I should put the spraybar back on!)

[neo-2FX]

I'm surprised at this.  I have a 2213 on a 45cm cube and it doesnt make a lot of flow.  I removed the spraybar and just have the water coming out of a 12mm elbow so it comes out sideways pointing from the back towards the front.

I actually have a second internal filter sitting in the tank to make more flow.  (perhaps I should put the spraybar back on!)

It's not a ridiculous amount of flow but enough to make it look like the fish are struggling/not happy.

I would say that the elbow you're using would be slowing the flow down as well. Whatever works :)

[revolutionhope]

im running a 2217 in a 4foot tank. i think ill have to use my awesome (not) handyman skills and use my dusty drill and implement the jayc/heavy/etc/perplexing option :-)

ps tank was meant to be zeb tank but seeing as that didn't eventuate i thought well im noob i still have some issues with rough n tumble neos... so imy may as well keep the more sensitive bees in a big tank.. it looks very sparse in terma of aqua scapr but there is literally NO problems spotting heavyd's bright bright shrimp! im proud of my acclimatisation efforts they settled in superbly :-)

im so stoked with them thanks doron!

[fishmosy]

One simple thing you can try is to face the outlets of the spray bar back towards the glass. That way there is still plenty of water agitation, but the energy of the water coming out of the spray bar is dissipated against the glass.

 

 

[Disciple]

thanks D i remember reading that before, is that what you have done? I recall a picture in your tank where you had the spraybar angled up towards the top slightly to create surface agitation; I think I had copied the idea from you. did you drill holes in your spraybar as well btw>

To answer your question. I just angle my spray bar up and that's it lol. The water flow is quite strong but I don't have too many issues from it. I think it makes my shrimp fitter cause they have to swim against a strong current lol. I am running 2215 in each section though there is a difference there.

One thing you could also do is make a super long spray bar running along the whole four foot. I had it on the set up that I sold and the flow was slow but I had the water pump cranked up.

[al4n]

One simple thing you can try is to face the outlets of the spray bar back towards the glass. That way there is still plenty of water agitation, but the energy of the water coming out of the spray bar is dissipated against the glass.

 

 

Do that and also can drill out the holes in the bar bigger

[revolutionhope]

One simple thing you can try is to face the outlets of the spray bar back towards the glass. That way there is still plenty of water agitation, but the energy of the water coming out of the spray bar is dissipated against the glass.

 

 

could this approach result in too poor circulation? (i do have a super charged air driven sponge in the middle so maybe that would cut it anyway?)

love n peace

will

[jayc]

Alternatively, if you have cash to burn, get an ADA lily pipe spin.

[revolutionhope]

Alternatively, if you have cash to burn, get an ADA lily pipe spin.

wtf?

[jayc]

 

wtf?

 LOL 

 

Water comes out the pipe, travels in a circle around the ... um ... round bit, until it looses momentum and flows gentle out the sides. Ingenious design.

[fishmosy]

could this approach result in too poor circulation? (i do have a super charged air driven sponge in the middle so maybe that would cut it anyway?)

Not in my experience. All it does is slow down the water circulation in the rest of the tank, rather than eliminating it completely.

[revolutionhope]

i just remembered some time ago tried this technique of pointing spraybar back against glass once before and one time it resulted in a very entertaining situation.

A female moulted - I guess near the filter intake and the pheromones must have been coming strongest from the spraybar because all the males in the tank were swimming up against the spraybar flow.. they'd get most of the way up the wall then get violently flung back to the bottom.. it was very very funny. but maybe not so great for the shrimps! im sure k took a video I'll try to dig it up and post it if it is easy to do :-)