10 minute spray bar

[neoreef]

Hi,
I needed a way to get more movement, looking at my tank, a 55 gal.
I took some clear flexible plastic tubing I got at home depot, 5/8" diameter, and cut it the length of the tank. Folded over the end and tied it with a plastic ziptie. Cut some holes (tiny) along the length with the tips of my strong scissors. Attached it to a maxi-jet 300 with another ziptie. Suspended it from the center brace with a bigger ziptie, and tucked the end behind some other equipment at the surface. Turned on the pump. Voila. Lots of water movement at the surface and down the back.
I only cut the holes so the water would spray in 2 directions, out and down. That way the water does not spray out of the tank.

So, what do ya think?

 

[wester97]

very nice and easy! i tried something similar with an old pump and black flexible tubing, the pump died - but worked well for a while!

 

[tony detroit]

Buy Loc Line fittings online, buy the circleflow parts and the male pipethread adapter and you're set, they're adjustable and look and work better than any spraybar.

 

[jmesmcm]

I replaced my lockline standard return on my AGA 90 with a spray bar made from the following:
a 3/4*1/2*1/2 schedule 40 T that went over the return line in the overflow box
2 1/2* slip FPT adapters
2 1/2 inch FPT caps
1 24"*1/2 riser bar with 3/16 holes drilled in it about every inch
1 12"*1/2 riser bar with 2/16 holes drilled in it about every inch once outside of the overflow box
Works great and dramatically improved the flow in tank. Only problem is that stuff tends to collect behind the spray bar for which reason I am thinking of drill a single hole on the back side of the bar to create current pushing the stuff out from behind the bar.

 

[boadyboom]

can anyone show some drawings?

 

[saltymist]

Originally posted by JmesMcM
I replaced my lockline standard return on my AGA 90 with a spray bar made from the following:
a 3/4*1/2*1/2 schedule 40 T that went over the return line in the overflow box
2 1/2* slip FPT adapters
2 1/2 inch FPT caps
1 24"*1/2 riser bar with 3/16 holes drilled in it about every inch
1 12"*1/2 riser bar with 2/16 holes drilled in it about every inch once outside of the overflow box
Works great and dramatically improved the flow in tank. Only problem is that stuff tends to collect behind the spray bar for which reason I am thinking of drill a single hole on the back side of the bar to create current pushing the stuff out from behind the bar.
I used a spraybar for a while, because my tank always had surface oil slick on it, so a spray bar pointing upwards somewhat so that it broke the surface tension seemed to work for a while, then I noticed that the oil slick was hanging around in one corner and as like you, behind the spraybar.
I drilled 4 holes total, two to point down at the glass behind it (was getting algae buildup from not enough flow) and 2 that pointed up behind the spraybar towards the glass and surface.
The end result was that it kept the oil slick at the top of my tank to a minimum behind the spraybar, but it just pushed it over to another corner of the tank.
I finally ditched the idea of the spraybar and got a Hagen surface type skimmer and hooked it up to my canister filter. Now the surface of my tank is always crystal clear. I also added 2 more powerheads to compensate for the spraybar loss of flow, and now my tank is usually sparkling clear.
The only advise I would give it if your going to drill extra holes, to drill them smaller then the other holes to start out (as you all may well know, water will find the easiest path), so by starting out with smaller holes you can then increase them till the desired effect is found, if you start out large, you may find too much current going one way that you dont want it to go.