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11-26-2004, 01:29 PM
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#1
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Little Fishy
Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: la
Posts: 97
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spray bar for bare bottom tank
hey guys. I've read about barebottom tanks and i've read that people have a spraybar of some type to push the sand out to be easily siphoned...i've done some searching and i was unable to find any more detail on this. Can anybody please tell me how to do this as i have a bare bottom tank and spend alot of time trying to get all of the sand out. Do you think i can get a long piece of pvc pipe with holes drilled alongside and attatch a powerhead at each end and hide with rocks? is that basically what it is? thanks.
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11-26-2004, 02:49 PM
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#2
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Golden Shellback
Join Date: Mar 2004
Location: Rising Sun, MD
Posts: 1,282
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Pretty much what you descriibed. Drill the holes about every 1/2 to 3/4".
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11-26-2004, 06:16 PM
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#3
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The Ninja MOD
Join Date: Mar 2004
Location: Planet P.....Why Me?
Posts: 12,583
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I have a spray bar made of 3/4 PVC wich runs along the bottom of the tank. My tank is not drilled so it runs up n over on one end and is pushed by an 850gph external pump. I drilled holes every 1 1/2 inches facing forward and another row blowing up along the back. It does an excellent job of keeping everything to the front. Takes about a minute to siphon the tank. It works great! HTH
Robert
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If you feel so empty, so used up, so let down,
If you feel so angry, so ripped off, so stepped on,
You're not the only one refusing to back down
You're not the only one
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11-26-2004, 07:45 PM
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#4
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Little Fishy
Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: la
Posts: 97
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ok, so i realised that my powerhead was too weak to push water effectively through the entire tank. Can i use a 500gph pump inside and hide it with rocks or do you think that is too powerful? i have a pretty long tank its about 7 feet.
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11-26-2004, 07:51 PM
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#5
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Super Moderator
Join Date: Jan 1999
Location: Southern Oregon, Way West of Dimples ;)
Posts: 22,094
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For a 7' tank a mag 12 might be a good place to start, thats a lotta water to move around 
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11-26-2004, 08:47 PM
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#6
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The Ninja MOD
Join Date: Mar 2004
Location: Planet P.....Why Me?
Posts: 12,583
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Yup, gotta agree with Doug. My tank is 48 inches and the 850 is almost not enough. Spray bars take alot of water to be affective.
Robert
__________________
If you feel so empty, so used up, so let down,
If you feel so angry, so ripped off, so stepped on,
You're not the only one refusing to back down
You're not the only one
So get up
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11-27-2004, 12:42 AM
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#7
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Little Fishy
Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: la
Posts: 97
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ok i am having a problem. My pvc pipe is on the botom, how can i hide them well while still being effective? does anybody have pics of their setup?
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11-27-2004, 01:35 AM
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#8
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Clubs Forums Moderator
Join Date: Apr 2003
Location: Chef at Adidas USA Headquarters
Posts: 4,530
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It will be fine sitting on the bottom. Just have the holes set up so that when it is on the bottom they point toward the front of the tank.
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11-27-2004, 01:38 AM
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#9
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The Ninja MOD
Join Date: Mar 2004
Location: Planet P.....Why Me?
Posts: 12,583
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Let me dig up some pics of the build up. The spray bar is behind my rock but the PVC that feeds it comes over the top and down ilong one corner. It is visible but will be somewhat hidden when I get more rock. The only way to truly hide it is to have a drilled tank. The about the PVC is that after a while the coraline will cover it so it will be the same color as your LR.Give me aday or two and Ill get some pics of the basic set up.
Robert
__________________
If you feel so empty, so used up, so let down,
If you feel so angry, so ripped off, so stepped on,
You're not the only one refusing to back down
You're not the only one
So get up
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11-27-2004, 01:50 AM
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#10
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Clubs Forums Moderator
Join Date: Apr 2003
Location: Chef at Adidas USA Headquarters
Posts: 4,530
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Or you can use a submersible pump, then you don't have to leave the tank at all. The only problem is extra heat in the system during the summer months of course. |
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11-27-2004, 01:52 AM
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#11
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The Ninja MOD
Join Date: Mar 2004
Location: Planet P.....Why Me?
Posts: 12,583
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Didnt even think of that. My 55 is too small for that Im greedy with the space! That would be a clean set up for a non-drilled tank.
Robert
__________________
If you feel so empty, so used up, so let down,
If you feel so angry, so ripped off, so stepped on,
You're not the only one refusing to back down
You're not the only one
So get up
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11-28-2004, 12:17 AM
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#12
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Little Fishy
Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: la
Posts: 97
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alright guys. I took some pics of my spraybar. I wish i could find some black pvc piping that would be excellent. What do you guys think? i know my aquascaping looks really fake i will try to fix it when i perfect my bar!
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11-28-2004, 12:18 AM
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#13
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Little Fishy
Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: la
Posts: 97
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pics
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11-28-2004, 12:39 AM
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#14
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The Ninja MOD
Join Date: Mar 2004
Location: Planet P.....Why Me?
Posts: 12,583
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Thats looks good to me! I have some pretty large pieces of rock on the bottom. I cit 1 in pieces of PVC to set the bottom pieces on wich opens the whole bottom of the tank up for the spraybar to get everything out to the front. This of course isnt the most asthetic setup but it is very efficiant. Nothing gets left under or behind the rock.
Robert
__________________
If you feel so empty, so used up, so let down,
If you feel so angry, so ripped off, so stepped on,
You're not the only one refusing to back down
You're not the only one
So get up
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11-28-2004, 01:09 AM
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#15
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Little Fishy
Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: la
Posts: 97
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if i cover the entire pipe with rock will it even be effective?
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