View Full Version : To minimize current...
satanpie
03-25-2008, 1:23 AM
I have a 75gallon long and i am using a cascade 100...or 1000, not sure but it says it is for up to 100 gallons, it came with a spray bar and and spout thing, it also has adjustable flow for the intake and output. When I have it running at full power with the spray bar it seems to create alot of current and makes my floating plants go all over the place and kicks up dead plant material. Ive tried having it spray directly down and across the water surface and get the same effect, with the spout attached, it creates absolute chaos in the tank and even spits out little flakes, i guess of plant material. So what ive done is leave the intake at full power and lower the output to about 3/4 power. Can I get away with this for long, or will I soon have some kind of terrible thing happen?
DBray6
03-25-2008, 2:46 AM
With my Fluval 403 I have my DIY spray bar pointed straight up. My bar is over 40" long so the current is really spread out. It breaks the surface tension of the water without stirring everything up.
satanpie
03-25-2008, 3:23 AM
straight up? another thing is, my tank is in my bedroom and the noise of the water flow kind of gets to me sometimes, maybe if i drilled more holes into the spraybar the water would come out with less pressure and crete less current
BoredAgain
03-25-2008, 7:44 AM
Just point the flow to the back glass and a bit up...that will solve your problem.
another thing is, my tank is in my bedroom and the noise of the water flow kind of gets to me sometimes
How far below the water surface is your spray bar?
satanpie
03-25-2008, 9:28 AM
usually i place it just below the surface of the water, enough to break surface tension but remain quiet
jmhart
03-25-2008, 9:54 AM
Given that I'm injecting co2, I try to minimize surface tension. Therefore, I have my spraybar pointed back at my back glass, angled down just slightly. I also have a Mag 350 running without a spray bar. The outlet sits low enough not to create surface aggitaion, but still creats flow.
BoredAgain
03-25-2008, 10:09 AM
Yeah, I keep my spray bar about 2 inches below the surface.
satanpie
03-25-2008, 1:47 PM
I thnk i have to keep the output valve closed a little on mine, because when i have it at full power the fish go crazy, my plants uproot, and all the decaying plant material gets kicked up, the filter is rated for up to 100 gallons and this is a 75 so i guess running it at a lower power wont be a problem