Probably a silly question: should the spray bar of an external filter be set above the water line, below the water line or spraying outside of the tank? I know the last one isn't right so if anyone has any opionions please help....This is a serious question by the way.

it doesnt matter and is up to you. the instructions on my eheim 2215 said to put the spray bar either just above the water line or just below it. angled straight out or at a 45 degree depending on how you want a bit of water flow. it didn't recommend angling directly down though

Depends how often you want your self and/or your guests to go to the toilet.

Get wot I mean??

Alan

Because of the noise generated (Alan's comment) I have mine just below the surface where it still causes a ripple on the surface but no actual noise.

I've positioned mine just below the waterline with a bit of the spray bar above the waterline so that there is not a lot of noise also if you feed your fish pellets then the water current by the spray bar will push the pellets down into the water instead of them all gathering between the spray bar and the sides.

Although, it does look interesting having the spray bar above the waterline pointed straight down. Looks kinda like a reverse waterfall of bubbles.

I have mine below the water line pointing upwards ( for 3 days of the week....by then the water has evaporated below the spray bar :roll: )

Because of the noise generated (Alan's comment) I have mine just below the surface where it still causes a ripple on the surface but no actual noise.

Same here... its a shame tho, i love the look of it out of the water, but cant handle the noise!

i have mine just below the water line with a hole on the inflow just above the waterline in case of pump failure then no back syphon but i do have a non return valve on the line anyway

Well I must thank the wise one upstairs for my bladder (apparently got it from Harrod's in anticipation of a fish fetish in later life). I have my spraybar positioned just above the waterline and love the sound of the "waterfall" (when I can hear it over the bubbling BBS factory that is).

I usually prefer mine to make a bit of splashing too. Though, mine are below the surface a little pointed upwards enough they still splash a little. I like the sound.

If you want to grow plants well, put it below the surface so any CO² isn't expelled. If you have CO² injection and your spray bar is above the water, you're wasting CO².

I'm with Warren on the c02.

However i'm against the use of spray bars alltogether. I took mine off, looks 10x nicer. Have you noticed that the Fluval filters don't use them anymore and just have that little jet looking thing? UBER.

Good point Pies, I don't use spray bars either - just a water return discretely hidden below the water level at the back of the tank...

Thanks Pies for actually pointing that one out - I hadn't really thought about it but agree - the bar looks horrible - modifications in progress....

Hmmm, I think the bar looks better than the new fluval nozzle thing and I like the current better from the spraybars.

Thanks to everyone who posted on this topic...I have learnt heaps .....

If you got a lot of plants in your tank I would fit the spraybar under the watersurface so not to disturb it and loose CO2.

If you got a lot of plants in your tank I would fit the spraybar under the watersurface so not to disturb it and loose CO2.

I have 4 filters running on my tank without spraybars, its driven by C02 and is heavly planted. No problems for me.

Pie

If you got a lot of plants in your tank I would fit the spraybar under the watersurface so not to disturb it and loose CO2.

Hang on a sec? what do you think? that water produces Co2 for your plants?? you need water movment to obsorb oxygen along with Co2.

Shae 250

Not if you are injecting CO2. The amount of CO2 in the atmosphere is tiny and amount of CO2 in the water is therefore low (in equalibrium with the atmosphere). When you have CO2 injection the CO2 level is 10x+ higher (and not in equalibrium with the atmosphere). Any surface movement allows the CO2 to escape back into the atmosphere.