# Positioning spray bars.



## Richard (13 Feb 2014)

Hi guys,
I have a Rio 125 and I have just bought an external filter to replace the internal one.I have also bought a Eheim spray bar.This is a really good item to have as it allows you to position the outlet spray in any position you want as the pipe section is in 3 parts.
In short the actual bit that the water comes out of is in 3 sections that just slide together,you can have 1 section pointing up,1 section going straight across the surface of the water and 1 section pointing down,giving you plenty of options.
I'm not too clever on the flow and circulation side of aquariums so what would give me an ideal way to have the jets so as to provide ideal movement in the tank,I am,by the way,injecting co2.


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## James O (13 Feb 2014)

A proven system is to place all the bars along the back, firing along the surface towards the front glass.  The flow then runs down the glass to the substrate and the over the substrate towards the back.  This creates a good circular flow


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## Richard (13 Feb 2014)

Thanks James,
I did wonder,I have it with all the extensions as you say,all rippling the surface of the water,all my plants are swaying in the current.The only thing is,should the actual surface of the water be bubbling or is sufficient to have the surface with just a ripple on it?
The reason I ask is that I was led to believe that too much surface agitation can drive out some of the co2 content,(not sure on that one).


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## John S (13 Feb 2014)

Ripple is fine, you just want to avoid breaking the water surface / splashing.


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## Richard (13 Feb 2014)

Thanks John,I'm sure I read something relating to air curtains saying that they can lower CO2 so I just wondered if bubbles caused by a spray  bar would have the same effect.
Anyway bubbles look horrible and I would rather not have them so I'm quite pleased with your answer.


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## Rob P (13 Feb 2014)

I have my rear spraybar causing quite a strong agitation on the surface, but not breaking it, after trial and error my fish prefer it that way


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## Richard (13 Feb 2014)

Yeah that's how I've got mine Rob,I've been trying to improve the conditions in my tank since introducing pressurised co2,lost the last of my Harlequins today,(6 in total in a week),all the other fish are loving it,I think I'm going to go back to liquid carbon as I'm fed up seeing my fish die.


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## harryH (15 Feb 2014)

Just to add to the mix, I have my spray bar halfway up/down the back, horizontally across the tank. I have a Koralia power head above which ripples the surface.
Below the spraybar and directly under the Koralia is where my Bazooka ceramic CO2 diffuser sits so as the mist rises it is circulated by both the S/bar and the P/head.
It took a while to find the best combination but this appears to work fine in my small 80l tank.

Harry.


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## Richard (15 Feb 2014)

harryH said:


> Just to add to the mix, I have my spray bar halfway up/down the back, horizontally across the tank. I have a Koralia power head above which ripples the surface.
> Below the spraybar and directly under the Koralia is where my Bazooka ceramic CO2 diffuser sits so as the mist rises it is circulated by both the S/bar and the P/head.
> It took a while to find the best combination but this appears to work fine in my small 80l tank.
> 
> Harry.


 
Thanks for your input Harry.


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## Cherry (1 Mar 2014)

Richard said:


> Yeah that's how I've got mine Rob,I've been trying to improve the conditions in my tank since introducing pressurised co2,lost the last of my Harlequins today,(6 in total in a week),all the other fish are loving it,I think I'm going to go back to liquid carbon as I'm fed up seeing my fish die.



Wouldnt have thought it is the CO2 that is killing your harlequins - I have 14 in my tank and pressurised CO2 and they are all fine - I did manage to kill a batch when I moved house  moving the tank was worse than everything else put together.(think it was the change in the PH levels that did it as I didnt adjust it well enoigh)They seem to like the conditions here though as my water is softer here


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