# help with flow/ intake return placement



## dredgesclone (Sep 2, 2013)

I got a eheim 2229 wetdry canister doing the bio, then I have a fluval 406 for mech and a little more bio. Plus I need the fluval for my inline heater. The eheim cycles on and off so I don't want to hook the heater to it.

Do you think I should run an airstone?









my flow seems bad, how should I set this up? 
the canister on the right with the spray bar is missing the end cap on the bar and it's a eheim 2229 so if cycles through good flow and trickle flow, it's a eheim 2229 and is a wet dry canister, it fills then empties, ebb and flow. The fluval is constant flow so the inline heater is on that.

should I get another powerhead? Change the location of intakes and outtakes? User another spraybar?

The tank is a 120 gal 4x2'

On metal stand, so I can move things
I could fashion a long return spray bar to go across the back of the tank or hook this extra eheim one that I have up onto the fluval.

maybe keep intakes in the corners and return across the top?










where would the powerheads go?


----------



## jcabage (May 29, 2012)

Two powerheads facing each other on opposite ends of the tank, aimed slightly up, seems to be a good starting point for minimizing dead spots. You will just have to play with them until you are comfortable with the job they are doing.

One canister intake on each side with the outputs as you have mentioned seems quite sufficient.

As long as you have your spray bar pointed up at the surface, I would skip the airstone - unless you just like the bubbles of course :fish:


----------



## dredgesclone (Sep 2, 2013)

cool I should have mentioned this is a heavily planted tank without co2, I think I read something about airstones depleting co2


----------



## nodima (Oct 3, 2002)

In my 75 there are a pair of eheim Pro 2's set up so that both intakes are on the far left, with a spray bar at top left pointing across the tank. The other outlet is also on the back left, pointing across the tank. I have a small hydor pump on the far right bottom pointing towards the front of the tank. This makes the water move left to right across the top of the tank, down the right side and right to left along the bottom. The only area where any detritus accumulates is below the intakes, making maintenance easy.

Mine has CO2 but the important part of a planted tank is good circulation, without strong currents blowing the plants around. The set up described above does just that.

A slightly dated shot - one of the eheim intakes is visible in back left, as is the cord to the pump on far right.



Cheers


----------



## dredgesclone (Sep 2, 2013)

Great tank! I'm trying to do something similar with mine. So you think a spraybar across the back is a bad idea for planted?


----------



## dredgesclone (Sep 2, 2013)

im moving this to the diy area to ask for help


----------



## nodima (Oct 3, 2002)

dredgesclone said:


> Great tank! I'm trying to do something similar with mine. So you think a spraybar across the back is a bad idea for planted?


Depends on your goals. In my case, I'm running CO2 and to avoid needing to split the CO source, I wanted a way to ensure it spread across the tank as evenly as possible. A single spraybar across the back might accomplish the same thing. I used the same filter positioning on a 6' tank where it was a room divider and the only place for equipment was on a end. It worked so well I set this tank up that way too.


----------



## dredgesclone (Sep 2, 2013)

I have a hard time seeing where the inputs and outputs are in this pic:









I have been considering ordering 2 of these and scraping the spray bar idea








I don't know what a lily pipe is, is that a European term? Never heard of it before just now, does this u tube pipe do the same thing?

I'm thinking this is the right size for my green Large 16/22mm 5/8" eheim tubbing?
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00A7ZQVA6/ref=s9_psimh_gw_p199_d0_i1?pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_s=center-2&pf_rd_r=1341H58J4R65G2G8TJDS&pf_rd_t=101&pf_rd_p=1630072222&pf_rd_i=507846









or I could use the eheim spraybars I have









or even put everything on the sides


















what would be best?

I don't use co2 now but might someday


----------



## nodima (Oct 3, 2002)

the second one is the closest to my set up. Ultimately the best answer for you may be different than for me and others. i prefer to avoid seeing equipment in the tank, so having an intake in the front corner is not an option.

Also, any hardscape will play a role in what works and what does not.


----------



## matt duarte (Aug 29, 2013)

nice tank! is that a real tree trunk in their?


----------



## nodima (Oct 3, 2002)

matt duarte said:


> nice tank! is that a real tree trunk in their?


If you are talking about mine, it is a manzanita stump. Got it online, but they are sourced from your area.


----------

