• You are viewing the forum as a Guest, please login (you can use your Facebook, Twitter, Google or Microsoft account to login) or register using this link: Log in or Sign Up

Short Spraybars

squiggley

Member
Joined
18 Apr 2008
Messages
218
How would having shorter spraybars affect the performance of the filter?

Presently I have 2 Tetratec 1200 on my Osaka 155, the spraybars each run the 60cm length of the tank, on underneath the other. Would shortening the spraybars to 30cm increase the pressure coming out of them, thus increasing the flow or just create back pressure?



Thanks

Darren
 
typically on a ex1200 i use 3 sections of spraybar. i find this gives enough water velocity and keeps flow up.
 
If you use less pipes, the pressure is increased and the little rubber stopper on the end gets blown out. Well, mine did
 
Like the poster above said, if you're using a shorter spraybar I'd put a lot more holes in it. If you don't then you will increase the velocity out of each hole but that is done at the expense of overall flow as you will have increased the frictional head on the pump by restricting the outlet.

I prefer not to use a spraybar at all as I think that unless you make them larger than the standard ones (like a double length one or adding extra holes) that come with a filter they are all restricting the flow. Look at the size of the holes and compare them to the cross section of the pipework and you'd need a lot more IMO to have the same area.
 
I am no longer using a spraybar with my tank, I found it to get blocked very quickly and reduce the flow from the filter but a large margin, I just have the end of the return pipe in the tank pointing to a corner where I have a Koralia 1 on top to distribute the flow across to the other side where I have another Koralia to circulate it the other way to form a circle. Seems to work much better now and no more reduced filter output due to blocked spraybars!
 
Jase said:
If you use less pipes, the pressure is increased and the little rubber stopper on the end gets blown out. Well, mine did


Had this happen to me, super glued them in and now their a pain to clean the last section.

Was thinking of replacing them with spme stainless steel ones but can only get 30cm long ones.
 
squiggley said:
Jase said:
If you use less pipes, the pressure is increased and the little rubber stopper on the end gets blown out. Well, mine did
Had this happen to me, super glued them in and now their a pain to clean the last section.

Me 3! I tried siliconing it in but it still popped out!
 
Was thinking of replacing them with spme stainless steel ones but can only get 30cm long ones.

Maybe some clear acrylic tubing with holes drilled in would do the trick?
 
LondonDragon said:
I am no longer using a spraybar with my tank, I found it to get blocked very quickly and reduce the flow from the filter but a large margin, I just have the end of the return pipe in the tank pointing to a corner where I have a Koralia 1 on top to distribute the flow across to the other side where I have another Koralia to circulate it the other way to form a circle. Seems to work much better now and no more reduced filter output due to blocked spraybars!
and you have 1 less thing visually in the tank apart from the tiny 1" bit that is part of the plastic bit that hooks over the edge of the tank.

a good shout!

i quite like the FX5 design with two jet nozzles.
 
Back
Top