Should filter intake be as low in tank as possible?

[BobMc]

I just went to hang a Penguin 100 filter on a standard 10 gallon tank, the the intake tube hits the gravel if I have the extension tube on there. If I take the extension tube off, the intake is only about half way down the tank. Does that matter, or would it be better to have it closer to bottom for some reason? If it is better for any reason, I'm sure I could easily hack saw the extension tube in half to get it down another couple of inches, but I have know idea if that is really desirable.

Thanks,
Bob

 

[kanakaia]

Some of my tanks intake are half way and some all the way to the gravel. For me it make no deference tests read the same for all tanks. Some say deeper intakes pick up more waste

 

[Kasakato]

It really doesnt matter because the water going in is the same. However there are two differences, when its lower more garbage might go in because when wast settles, it goes down, towards the filter. Also this wont really make a difference but, the impeller has to work a BIT harder to move the water around when its lower.

 

[thesydmonster]

I have that filter on my 10 gallon tank and I cut the tube with a razor blade so now the bottom of the intake tube is close to my substrate but not in it. Since it has 2 intake areas, I like having one kind of low and the other in the middle. It helps me to have the intake a little higher than the substrate because I have sand and don't want it to get sucked in

 

[Jericho]

The only real bad thing about having it that deep is if you have a failure and it dumps the water out the back of the tank it will drain your entire tank as aposed to half of your tank.

 

[thesydmonster]

You mean a filter failure? I don't understand, I guess. Personally, my filter does not dump water out the back of the tank that I have seen during power outages or when I turn it off for cleaning.

 

[Kasakato]

The only real bad thing about having it that deep is if you have a failure and it dumps the water out the back of the tank it will drain your entire tank as aposed to half of your tank.

The filter walls are always higher than the output, unless the water came rushing in really fast you will not have a problem.

 

[Jericho]

The filter walls are always higher than the output, unless the water came rushing in really fast you will not have a problem.

Yes they are higher but I know people have had failures and drained their tank. It is a long shot but if and when it happens you will drain the tank...

 

[mooman]

Hang on back filters will never drain your tank during a power outage (unless you live in some demension where water flows up hill). Your friends were probably using sponge filters/UGF powered by an air pump. When the power goes out addhesion/cohesion can cause water to crawl up the airline tubing (the same way the water level in a straw sits a little higher than the water level in a glass). If the water in the tubing reaches the peak of the airling tubing and starts to spill down toward the air pump, then a siphon is started, and your tank drains. A $2.00 peice of equipment called a checkvalve is usually placed between the pump and the tank. It keeps water from backsiphoning into the air pump.