# Reverse spray bar?



## kingpoiuy (Jun 9, 2008)

:lol: Maybe not a good name for it, but I've been thinking. Would a 'spray bar' set vertically or even horizontal under the surface or well....pretty much anywhere in the tank be a more efficient way of picking up debris in the tank? So basically your return and your inlet would be spray bars. Has anyone tried this?


----------



## Deeda (Oct 12, 2012)

You can use the return/output as a spraybar to keep gunk stirred up. The inlet/suction is rarely, if ever, used as a spraybar.


----------



## MightyWarMonger (Mar 20, 2007)

It sound like an UGJ system more than a spray bar


----------



## Charlutz (Mar 13, 2006)

How are you planning to control the tank level and maintain siphon?
It's possible and there are a few threads dealing with it, but you need to think about it.
Personally, I find that surface overflows work just fine for picking up debris as long as there is adequate circulation. The use of fine media is much more important to keeping the water clear IME.


----------



## kingpoiuy (Jun 9, 2008)

Ok, good input. My goal was just to spread out the inputs to try to keep the water as clear as possible. I do agree that clarity is not important, but it was more or less just an idea to improve clarity.

My tank is drilled so I would use the standpipe on the outside of the tank not the inside to control water level.










Or as *MightyWarMonger* said you could design it like a UGJ but it would be reverse.

Dunno, I'll have to just try it i guess.


----------



## Cich of it all (Mar 29, 2007)

I don't see any problem with it functioning properly. With your standpipe your tank level will stay high if the pump shuts off. 
I would say that the idea here is a good start, but if you use a standard spraybar as an intake, those small holes are going to be very susceptible to becoming clogged. If this happens, you lose your drain and will have a flood. Also, looking at your diagram, it would seem that the suction near the bottom of the "spray intake" would be greater than the suction near the top.


----------



## kingpoiuy (Jun 9, 2008)

Ah, some excellent points, thank you. I'm going to be working on several tanks in the near future and the overflow method seems good but before I go that direction I want to rule out any other ideas that looked better.


----------

