ok im in the process of setting up a 75 folslr tank and wanted to see how many of you use spray bars in your tank? i was thinking of using one in this tank for water movement behind the lr and along the bottom of the tank just above the sand bed. i would most likely use a timer. also about filtration. how many of you have built your own filters? was it easy or from your experience would you buy one?
spray bars and water flow
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I've never used a spraybar, but i've only had one folr tank.
As for buiding your own filter, what type of filter, skimmer? I've built skimmers, however, for time/cost your ususally better just buying one.
If you mean for a mech filter, I would never run one on a SW tank, unless it was something I could unhook & backflush every few days with the flip of a lever, with almost NO work.
The main problem is they trap detrious and encourage nitrates.
As for buiding your own filter, what type of filter, skimmer? I've built skimmers, however, for time/cost your ususally better just buying one.
If you mean for a mech filter, I would never run one on a SW tank, unless it was something I could unhook & backflush every few days with the flip of a lever, with almost NO work.
The main problem is they trap detrious and encourage nitrates.
hhmmm well thats the thing. wet/dry maybe. but ive been reading up on some stuff, and im curious about the use of a sump similiar to a refuge but im not quiet sure which way to go, its fo so i think a skimmer will probably be necessary
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I use a skimmer, and a sump tower. I have live rock in the tower though. (actually only base rock but same difference). I have a power head in my sump to push water around and I use it point up into my tower and backflush it from time to tome.
Ray
Ray
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2,679 Posts
Nope it was a standard wet/dry tower, but I slowly removed the bioballs (after I was told this was not a good thing) and replaced it with base rock (homemade mostly). I put a powerhead underneathe the tower for flow but with a flip of the wrist, it can blow up the tower to knock off any loose crap. My skimmer resides in the rest of the sump along with my heaters.
Ray
Ray
I don't use a sump at all myself
I use one aqua clear 300 and 3 power heads on a wave master pro and a skimmer. I like the aqua clear because it keeps my water very clean...i just change the sponge out once a month...And if you do regular water changes they will not cause nitrate problems.
I want to try the spray bar idea myself. I am going to work on mine this weekend. I just haven't decided how I want to do it. I have an extra maxi jet 1200 that I will probably install a 20-24" spray bar on.
Seems easy enough to me!
I have been doing searchs on how to make them, check out reefcentral.net and reefaquariumguide.com, good pics at those websites...
Hope that helps
Clay
I use one aqua clear 300 and 3 power heads on a wave master pro and a skimmer. I like the aqua clear because it keeps my water very clean...i just change the sponge out once a month...And if you do regular water changes they will not cause nitrate problems.
I want to try the spray bar idea myself. I am going to work on mine this weekend. I just haven't decided how I want to do it. I have an extra maxi jet 1200 that I will probably install a 20-24" spray bar on.
Seems easy enough to me!
I have been doing searchs on how to make them, check out reefcentral.net and reefaquariumguide.com, good pics at those websites...
Hope that helps
Clay
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1,137 Posts
I use a spray bar. See
this link.. Then look at "Setup Construction"->"Main", then go to the second page.
Basically, the spray bar functions as my return from the main pump. Provides good circulation from the bottom of the tank to the top since the overflows are at the top of the tank. The main part of the flow goes under the rock (it is elevated) towards the front of the tank. Then it goes up the front of the glass and then towards the back of the tank and back down (for whatever doesn't go over the overflow). Detritus is pushed to the front of the tank for easy removal.
-Chris
this link.. Then look at "Setup Construction"->"Main", then go to the second page.
Basically, the spray bar functions as my return from the main pump. Provides good circulation from the bottom of the tank to the top since the overflows are at the top of the tank. The main part of the flow goes under the rock (it is elevated) towards the front of the tank. Then it goes up the front of the glass and then towards the back of the tank and back down (for whatever doesn't go over the overflow). Detritus is pushed to the front of the tank for easy removal.
-Chris
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808 Posts
i dont have a spray bar.
the way that my power heads are arranged there is a ton of flow going behind , around the rocks. i purposely put the rocks in so there would be little to no dead space without circulation. in another tank i do have an eheim spray bar that came eith the filter and it works quite well.
william (bamann) has a good design that i really liked though.
he used clear tubing with schedule 80 grey fittings and put his spray bar going from top to the side to across bottom and it looks great! very non obtrusive to the eye.
building your own filter is easy. use good acrylic with weld on glue. or you can buy a small tank and build just the tower if youre doing a tower. check around and see what design you like best and kinda wing it from there. thats what i did for my 55 till i broke it! worked great!
good luck!
Brandon & Kelly
the way that my power heads are arranged there is a ton of flow going behind , around the rocks. i purposely put the rocks in so there would be little to no dead space without circulation. in another tank i do have an eheim spray bar that came eith the filter and it works quite well.
william (bamann) has a good design that i really liked though.
he used clear tubing with schedule 80 grey fittings and put his spray bar going from top to the side to across bottom and it looks great! very non obtrusive to the eye.
building your own filter is easy. use good acrylic with weld on glue. or you can buy a small tank and build just the tower if youre doing a tower. check around and see what design you like best and kinda wing it from there. thats what i did for my 55 till i broke it! worked great!
good luck!
Brandon & Kelly
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659 Posts
I have a spray bar running across the lower back of my 90 gallon. It works real well. I have it connected to my return pump. A gentile flow of water eminates out of the rock stacked in front of it.
All I did was take a 1" peice of PVC pipe and drilled 1/4" holes in it every 2" or so. My return is plumbed over the back edge of the tank, straight down and into the spraybar. You can barely see the pipe running down the back as I hid it behind the rock. I will drill the back of the tank for a return next time.
All I did was take a 1" peice of PVC pipe and drilled 1/4" holes in it every 2" or so. My return is plumbed over the back edge of the tank, straight down and into the spraybar. You can barely see the pipe running down the back as I hid it behind the rock. I will drill the back of the tank for a return next time.
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