# Can you use a reducer backwards?



## fish.com1 (26 Mar 2009)

Hi guys,

Could you put an eheim reducer the wrong way round in the filter tubing? So say the tubing is 9mm could you put a 12mm to 9mm reducer in backwards, so effectively a 9mm to 12mm increaser? I am wanting to do this because i can't find any 9mm lily pipes, so i could use the reducer backwards and get some 12mm ones. Would doing this obstruct the water flow?

Oh, and another question, the internal diameter of the tetratec ex1200 tubing is 15.2mm, so would i be ok to use 16mm lily pipes?

Thanks.


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## Ed Seeley (26 Mar 2009)

Yes, they can be used in either direction.


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## fish.com1 (26 Mar 2009)

Thanks again ed.

Do you think the 16mm lily pipes will fit the 15.2mm tubing?
Does anyone use lily pipes on a tetratec ex1200, and if so which ones?


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## Ed Seeley (26 Mar 2009)

IMO they should fit fine to 16mm lilies.  If it's a tight fit then some hot water will stretch the tubing so it will fit over.


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## fish.com1 (26 Mar 2009)

Thanks.


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## fish.com1 (26 Mar 2009)

I was talking rubbish when i said 16mm lily pipes! AE don't sell 16mm ones and can't find any on ebay. Could i use a 16mm to 12mm reducer (right way round!) and use 12mm lily pipes or would that put too much stress on the glass.
In other words because the filter has been designed for use with 16mm tubing, does that mean the water flow will be too much for 12mm pipes?


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## Superman (27 Mar 2009)

I always try and consider the internal diameter of the tube/pipe compared to the external diameter of the glassware.
I have a 12/16mm filter pipe/tube which will go on a 13mm external diameter glassware set. Should the internal diamter of the tube be the same size (or less!) as the external diameter then it'll just fall off.
My filter is designed for the larger diameter tubes but will be fine with this setup.


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## Garuf (27 Mar 2009)

I use 13mm lilys on a 60x30x30 tank with a ex1200 and find that they with the heater really do crush the flow, I'll be using a spray bar on my tank when I add water I think, I think the biggest problem is the intake and not the output, the tiny slots really do kill the flow.


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## Steve Smith (27 Mar 2009)

For the EX1200 you want 17mm lily pipes.  I have 2 EX1200's on my tank and I'm seriously considering a 17mm Cal-Aqua set, but 2 sets at Â£90 each...  :?


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## Garuf (27 Mar 2009)

I bought my nano cal aquas before you could buy them here direct from cal aqua and they ended up costing Â£18. I wish there was a short 17mm set of lillys, I'd be happy then.


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## Steve Smith (27 Mar 2009)

Garuf said:
			
		

> I bought my nano cal aquas before you could buy them here direct from cal aqua and they ended up costing Â£18. I wish there was a short 17mm set of lillys, I'd be happy then.



I was considering that, but you don't seem to be able to buy direct from them at the moment.  I seem to remember you could last year/year before?


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## Garuf (27 Mar 2009)

They've probably stopped it. I snapped it up like a well oiled snail.


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## fish.com1 (27 Mar 2009)

Right i'll go for 17mm ones then but Â£90!   Seen some 17mm ones on ebay for Â£30 delivered from hong kong so i'll go for them instead.


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