# FX5 spraybar help



## 60gallon (Dec 14, 2010)

I just ordered a FX5 thats being delivered tomorrow and I want to make a spraybar for it. Im also using a Hydor ETH300 inline heater so I wont be using the FX tubing.

When I build the spray bar I'll have to use a "y" reducer splitter since the connections on the ETH300 are 5/8". Should I go with # 1 or #2? Im pretty sure #1 but wanted to ask.......

*#1*









*#2*


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## Britnick (Apr 18, 2008)

My initial thought was to put some inline valves to help balance the water flow through the two paths, or even to reduce the water flow through the side with the inline. The FX5 really can kick water out and you are going to generate some real pressure on all the joins.

As an aside, why a spray bar?


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## ridley25 (Jan 5, 2008)

I don't see the need to rejoin the split hosing at the spray bar. One of the spilt hoses would do the trick and the other one could cover a bit of the role of a powerhead...

I am also splitting my FX5 output, but as noted above, I am using ball valves to control flow a little better.

kevin


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## 60gallon (Dec 14, 2010)

Britnick said:


> My initial thought was to put some inline valves to help balance the water flow through the two paths, or even to reduce the water flow through the side with the inline. The FX5 really can kick water out and you are going to generate some real pressure on all the joins.
> 
> As an aside, why a spray bar?


I'll take a look at some valves. Why spray bar? Because Id rather make a spraybar to agitate the water than using fluvals nozzle. My oceanic tank has 2 big glass panels in the middle so its hard to have a powerhead etc. on the left side of the tank that will also agitate the water on the right side of the tank. Hope that makes sense. 



ridley25 said:


> I don't see the need to rejoin the split hosing at the spray bar. One of the spilt hoses would do the trick and the other one could cover a bit of the role of a powerhead...
> 
> I am also splitting my FX5 output, but as noted above, I am using ball valves to control flow a little better.
> 
> kevin


I definitely dont want to output hoses. I'll try to find the right side ball valves at homedepot, hopefully theyll have them in stock.


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## Glaneon (Sep 27, 2010)

My tank is the same. My output of my FX5 has one nozzle pointed almost directly at that middle glass area, the other at the corner of the tank.

I have a cheap sponge filter in the opposite corner angled towards center of tank.

I have a Aqueon 1250GPH circulator in the back right pointed to opposite corner.

I've watched poop float and it always ends up in the intake! It feels like making a full court basketball shot!

(I didn't want the noise of a spraybar)


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## 60gallon (Dec 14, 2010)

My Eheim universal spraybar doesn't make any water noise. I have it below the water line with it pointing slightly upwards.

The FX5 was delivered this morning so maybe I'll just try the fluval output nozzle first...who knows maybe I'll like it!


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## Glaneon (Sep 27, 2010)

Remember you can turn them (individually of course) from horizontal to vertical depending on what you like.


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## 60gallon (Dec 14, 2010)

Im so frustrated Im about to return this FX5. :lol:

I went to lowes, homedepot, autozone, oreillys and NOBODY has a "Y" splitter. Lowes has "T" fittings but theyre not the size I need!!!! Anyone know where I can buy 2 "Y" splitters that will fit 1" x dual 5/8"?????


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## dotbomb (Jan 5, 2011)

Here's what you will end up with to make this work.

2 ball valves
T splitter
reducers that you end up gluing into the T

Even if you find a Y you need a way to balance the flow. Also if you are going with picture number 2 I would instead make that spraybar actually 2 pieces. That way you can visually gauge if you have balanced the flow. Wouldn't it suck to burn your heater out due to a severely reduced flow through that leg?


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## 60gallon (Dec 14, 2010)

I see what you mean about using a valve, glad yall helped me with that so my heater didnt burn up. :thumb: :thumb:

Im going with #1 and I found some "Y" reducers and ball valves online. :dancing: I ordered:

2x "Y" barb reducers: 3/4" x 1/2" x 1/2" 
2x: Two little fishies barb ball valves: 1/2" x 1/2"

Hope that works opcorn:


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## Glaneon (Sep 27, 2010)

Unfortunately for us, 5/8" is not a standard plumbing size. 

Trust me, been there - done that.


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## justincgdick (Aug 7, 2003)

I split mine and used Ts. I used a 1x3/4x3/4 T. You have to really stretch the fluval tubing over the 1" barb but it worked. I did however use a 10" piece of fluval tubing from the filter to the T, and clear tubing for the rest. I made my own inline heater though, so that 3/4" would work. Saved me a bit of cash though. My hydor was around 80 bucks and the DIY was about 20 plus the heater I already had.


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## 60gallon (Dec 14, 2010)

After buying those parts I dont even think I need them. I was originally going to just run the FX5 but after setting it up I think im going to keep the Eheim 2217 running as well. And since thats the case I already have 5/8" - 1/2" reducer barbs that I can hook the ETH300 up to the 2217 with. :lol:

So now that thats figured out I went to HD and got some gray PVC parts to make the FX5 spray bar. Before I start I came across a picture of a guy using a "T" section in the middle of his spray bar. Is there any advantage of going that route as opposed to having the water come in from one end only and capped at the other end??










Im going to make a 36" spray bar with 1/4" holes.


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## Glaneon (Sep 27, 2010)

You'd have to test, or know an engineer to see if the water flow would push through 36" of tubing with 1/4" holes (and how far apart, etc) with a decent amount of force. I would imagine the flow out each hole will likely decrease as you get further down the tube.


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## 60gallon (Dec 14, 2010)

Glaneon said:


> You'd have to test, or know an engineer to see if the water flow would push through 36" of tubing with 1/4" holes (and how far apart, etc) with a decent amount of force. I would imagine the flow out each hole will likely decrease as you get further down the tube.


Theres a guy w/ a 90 gallon that did a 36" with 5/16" holes and he said its fine and hes also using sand. So the length shouldnt be a problem. I just though maybe having the water coming in through the middle "T" will help the pressure be equal on both sides of the spray bar and it would have the same force spray on both sides of the "T" and not diminish like it could with water coming in from one side only.

Guess I'll try it out both ways and see......


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## Glaneon (Sep 27, 2010)

Depends on the size of the holes.

I would think if you divide the flow (600GPH+) by the number of holes, and the size, you're going to lose significant force not far from the spraybar.

I find with the nozzles (that came with it), if directed to not ripple the surface, the flow is just enough to cover the entire 6' tank.

I put a 1250GPH circulator at one end and it pushes water/debris/fish, etc until it hits the flow at the other end of the tank (about 4.5' down the tank) - and would keep going had I not have a different flow there (which forces anything in that flow to be directed to the back of the tank to the intake!).

I got a diagram in work now


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## Glaneon (Sep 27, 2010)

Here's mine..










What I'm worried about with reduced pressure out each 1/4" hole would be it would only produce a decent flow out to about 6", and definitely have a harder time moving any of the water near the bottom of the tank (unless that's what your eheim is doing).

I meant to draw your proposed but I ran out of time


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## 60gallon (Dec 14, 2010)

Thats some good stuff right there. 

I ended up making using the "T" for my first trial. I'll have to mess around with it maybe tonight and see if it works.


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## dotbomb (Jan 5, 2011)

T fittings have pretty large pressure drops. My bet is you will find no difference between the two. Go with whichever one is more convenient to plumb in your tank.


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## dotbomb (Jan 5, 2011)

Oh and yes use small holes relative to the diameter of your pipe. You want your filter pump to pressurize the whole tube before the water is then pushed out of the holes. Think of it as though you are trying to get smooth laminar flow in the pipe so that pressure gradient is not along the length of the pipe but rather from one side of the pipe to the other side with holes and then out the hole.

Hope I'm making sense, it is clear as day in my mind :wink:


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## Glaneon (Sep 27, 2010)

laminar flow? 
I have no idea what that is.

Linear?


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## dotbomb (Jan 5, 2011)

There are two types of flow in fluid dynamics/engineering. Laminar means it is nice and orderly (each layer of fluid flows smoothly with each other as it goes down its path). The other is turbulent. Turbulent flow usually has high velocity and large pressure drops as it travels a length of pipe.

His T could create a pocket of turbulent flow as the stream hits a blunt spot and is forced to split. That is why T fittings have larger pressure drops associated with them compared to 90 degree elbows (elbows still have pressure drops for similar reasons just not as much as T's)


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## Glaneon (Sep 27, 2010)

See! This is the guy that can _esplain_ if having a 36" pipe with 1/4" holes at intervals will work


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## dotbomb (Jan 5, 2011)

1/4" is probably too big for spray bar holes.


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## 60gallon (Dec 14, 2010)

Well I made it. I made one first using a "T" fitting but it wasnt stable on the rim of the tank so I went w/ the capped it and now that youve replied Im glad I did. :thumb:

The spray bar itself is 36", not including the elbows. I agree, when I was looking at the bits, 1/4" was too big so I made the holes 1/8", spaced an 1" apart. I maybe shouldve gone smaller than that but oh well, too late now. I cant test it out until friday. Once I test it out I'll see if I need to trim the spray bar or enlarge the holes or make another one with smaller holes.

Since I have scrap pieces Im also going to make a PVC intake tube so it'll match the spray bar. And Im going to run 1" I.D. PVC hosing on the FX5 instead of their ribbed hosing.

Thanks for the help guys!!



















And the reason theres no holes in the middle of the spray bar is because of the Oceanic glass brace. That the main reason Im making a spray bar is because the FX5s nozzle doesnt move the surface on the right side of the tank because the glass brace blocks it. :x










And for those making one, use a straight piece of wood. I used a 1/2" piece of furring strip. Bring the PVC up to the wood and use the wood to draw a straight line. Then use a tape measure OR mark the wood at 1" intervals (or whatever spacing you want) and mark the PVC pipe. Then use a very small bit to drill pilot holes then enlarge the holes with the final bit.


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## Glaneon (Sep 27, 2010)

You won't need to move the water on both sides, it will oxygenate just fine.

I put a sponge filter over there just to get the detrius going back towards the intake - working great so far.. and very cheap!


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## dotbomb (Jan 5, 2011)

Looks great. I'm sure it is going to work just fine regardless of the science behind it. :thumb:


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## 60gallon (Dec 14, 2010)

Spraybar in action  :

Oh and the noise in the background isnt the filters, it was the wifey making some desert. :drooling:


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## Glaneon (Sep 27, 2010)

Looks great!


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## 60gallon (Dec 14, 2010)

Glaneon said:


> Looks great!


Thanks!


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## Flippercon (Mar 5, 2011)

I made one for my 125 and runs the whole length of it, 72 inches. I have a post in the DIY section,but no pics yet. Waiting on the cure of glue and paint. I used a t ,8 90s , and a 90 t street . I should've th pics up In a week.


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## Flippercon (Mar 5, 2011)

Ok I have set up my 72 inch spray bar with 7/64 holes 2inches apart with 1 t and 9 90's . I got flow all the way across the top. I will make a video and post it soon. It is possible to go the distance. The Fx5 is a Beast!


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## 60gallon (Dec 14, 2010)

Yep its a beast!!

Id like to see your video to see how much current there is on the surface compared to mine....even though we have different size tanks / holes / spraybar. :lol:


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## Flippercon (Mar 5, 2011)

Let me shoot a quick viewing with my cellphone and see if I can get it up here. I had to remove my duckweed because it swirled around the whole tank. I also have to re arrange the power heads and air stones so there isn't as many micro bubbles.


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## Flippercon (Mar 5, 2011)

sorry for the glare, and mind the video its off my evo.

http://s1228.photobucket.com/albums/ee4 ... EO0028.mp4


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## 60gallon (Dec 14, 2010)

Even at 6ft and "T'ed" off that still makes a lot of current. NICE JOB! :thumb:


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## Flippercon (Mar 5, 2011)

Yeah gonna do another style in the future . Thanks


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