# Help! Why is my spraybar blasting high pressure on one side?



## scifisarah (Jan 4, 2013)

So I made a spray bar for my FX5 on 75 gallon tank and have *not* been able to get this simple concept to work for me. No matter how I set up the holes, too much pressure comes out the last few holes of the bar and blasts my Tahitian Moon sand off the bottom and flings it into the filter intake. I have tried all small holes, large holes going to small holes, small holes going to large holes, all huge holes and nothing will work. More current always comes out the last foot of pipe and blasts the sand there until the bottom of the tank is down to the glass. I am using 3/4 ID and the OD is about 1 1/16". It is 34" long and holes are spaced in an even line 1" apart. The end is capped and it is held on my suction cups. I aim it slightly upwards so it creates surface agitation. Below is a photo of my first attempt of all smallish holes - sorry for the bad reflection! *Any ideas on how I can get more even pressure, and not have the sand blasted from the bottom?*


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## rotccapt (May 31, 2011)

you might try adding a tee to the middle so that you have holes on either side of the tee and the pipe from the fx5 goes to the middle of the spray bar. this may balance the flow.


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## rgr4475 (Mar 19, 2008)

I haven't built one but this is from another thread.



13razorbackfan said:


> k7gixxerguy said:
> 
> 
> > Very nice, I'm about to do this for my soon to be mine 125 next week. Do you notice any difference in pressure coming out of the holes on the far end from the inlet hose? I was wondering if this would be a factor such that a T in the middle may be in order. Obviously that would not look nearly as clean though.
> ...


Also, did you construct your spray bar like this - viewtopic.php?f=30&t=239826

or this - viewtopic.php?f=6&t=248582


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## sumthinfishy (Jan 26, 2013)

i'm no expert or engineer, but it seems to me that the pressure coming into spray bar is to high so the water blows right by the first holes and goes to end. at the end it hits cap and comes back creating extra pressure on far end near cap making it rush out last few holes harder. i bet if u drilled a hole in end cap it would eliminate the pressure build up on that end and even out flow. thats just a thought.


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## scifisarah (Jan 4, 2013)

It is built like neither of those. It does not have any joints, just the fluval rubber connector going over the end of the pvc pipe. I think my problem is that the water flow does not have to make any turns - it just shoots straight from the hose into the pvc unimpeded. I will try making it exactly like one of the plans instead of trying to simplify things.


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## theoryguru (Oct 11, 2011)

scifisarah said:


> It is built like neither of those. It does not have any joints, just the fluval rubber connector going over the end of the pvc pipe. I think my problem is that the water flow does not have to make any turns - it just shoots straight from the hose into the pvc unimpeded. I will try making it exactly like one of the plans instead of trying to simplify things.


Increase the size of the holes to 1/2" at every other hole, if it's still strong then increase the hole diameter to 1/2" on 75%-100% of holes.
Other option is to reduce the output at the valve.
good luck!


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## scifisarah (Jan 4, 2013)

I've done that, but the output it still high at the end, and low at the begining of the pipe. Throwing that one away because it is full of huge holes now and starting over doing everything word-for-word from someone else's plans.


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## sumthinfishy (Jan 26, 2013)

cmon, try my idea that i stated earlier. what u got to lose. your gonna start over anyway. at least this is a chance for this one to work. humor me. lol


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## 13razorbackfan (Sep 28, 2011)

OK...I have made A LOT of spray bars for the FX5. I even have one on my 75g. The pressure will be stronger at the far end of the spray bar UNLESS you make the first 15 holes or so bigger than the holes on the other end.

I have 38 total holes, spaced 1" apart and they are 13/64" in size. I also point my spray bar slightly upwards to keep sand from being moved from front of tank.

So....make the holes bigger where the hose attaches to the spray. That will fix the problem. Then rotate the spray bar more towards the surface. I am not sure how you made the spray bar but it should be able to rotate. If not then I would spend $20 and make one like I make and is linked above in the second link in RGR4475 post. Let me know if you need any further help. I will be glad to help. You can PM me if you want.


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## GTZ (Apr 21, 2010)

scifisarah said:


> Throwing that one away because it is full of huge holes now and starting over doing everything word-for-word from someone else's plans.


If that doesn't work, consider building one that uses a 'T' to split the outflow to a bar on either side. That's how I built mine, works fine.


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## chmey (Apr 29, 2010)

I'm with sumthinfishy - 
Years ago when I built my first spray bar, the first thing I did was drill a hole in the end cap. 
From there I drilled back, until the spray pattern was what I wanted. 
Sumthinfishy is correct - your spray bar needs a hole in the end cap to reduce pressure.


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