# Canister intake/outtake placement



## thebuddha (Jul 16, 2012)

whats your hardscape like?


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## shift (Jan 7, 2013)

Havent set the tank up yet.. But my plan will be to have it forest like with lots of manzanita roots and lots of plants


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## Green_Flash (Apr 15, 2012)

I do both on one side usually.


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## dr3ww3rd (Aug 29, 2011)

^ +1.


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## marcnc (Dec 13, 2011)

Just wondering have you setup your FX5 yet? For most part I have same tank, 48,18,25. I have FX5 as well. Trying to decide if I will need to build a spray bar.


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## shift (Jan 7, 2013)

I'm about to set it up in the next day or two. I'm going to place the intake and outtake on the same end. I'm just not sure if the output will be to much for my army of tetras and danios. You can turn down the flow on the intake and outtake on the fx5. If it is too much my backup plan will be a spray bar


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## marcnc (Dec 13, 2011)

shift said:


> I'm about to set it up in the next day or two. I'm going to place the intake and outtake on the same end. I'm just not sure if the output will be to much for my army of tetras and danios. You can turn down the flow on the intake and outtake on the fx5. If it is too much my backup plan will be a spray bar


Cool please keep us updated, as I will be setting mine up in a few weeks as well.

What did you ever do about inline heater?


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## shift (Jan 7, 2013)

It will be an in tank one for now but it still on my list


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## amberoze (May 22, 2012)

Fluval recommends putting them at opposite ends of the tank. And I definitely recommend a spraybar, the increased surface agitation is greatly beneficial.

Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Tapatalk 2


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## shift (Jan 7, 2013)

So on the same end would be a circular motion where opposite ends would be more of a run way flow. I love the ideas of a spray bar but war to avoid the bulky look on a open top tank


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## amberoze (May 22, 2012)

shift said:


> So on the same end would be a circular motion where opposite ends would be more of a run way flow. I love the ideas of a spray bar but war to avoid the bulky look on a open top tank


I don't think it would look very bulky, depending on the positioning of it. If you place it at one end of the tank, running front to back so that it sprays the length of the tank, I think that would minimize its profile and make it less noticeable.

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## shift (Jan 7, 2013)

Possibly. It will be going on a fluval osaka 320. It's open top and I want to keep it looking slick as possible. A clear Acrilic spray bar may work and look if I go that route


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## Jeff5614 (Dec 29, 2005)

Like this.


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## blink (Feb 22, 2012)

Don't forget the Osaka has that silver trim band at the top which will hide all kinds of evil if you use it properly.

What I'd do is put the spray bar at the front of the tank, hidden behind that trim and have it spraying towards the back of the tank. That way you get the benefits of a spraybar with it being practically invisible.


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## amberoze (May 22, 2012)

Jeff5614 said:


> Like this.


In my experience, it hasn't worked like this. Stop the strong flow part at about 1/3rd the tank length from the out put, then fill the rest of the tank with weak to no flow at all.

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## chew (May 18, 2012)

amberoze said:


> In my experience, it hasn't worked like this. Stop the strong flow part at about 1/3rd the tank length from the out put, then fill the rest of the tank with weak to no flow at all.
> 
> Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Tapatalk 2


Sounds like you might have just needed a stronger filter for how long the tank was


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## amberoze (May 22, 2012)

chew said:


> Sounds like you might have just needed a stronger filter for how long the tank was


I was (and still am) running a fluval fx5 on a 6ft, 125 gallon tank. Not to certain that this was the issue.

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## javajive1981 (Feb 20, 2013)

I have both on the same side. It seems to create a nice circular current.


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## shift (Jan 7, 2013)

javajive1981 - how big is our tank? are they both on the same side.. or same corner?


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## javajive1981 (Feb 20, 2013)

Its a 55 gallon its 3.3ft, i have a eheim 2217, the intake in the back left hand corner and the spray bar on the top left hand side. I had to drill the holes in the bar bigger because through flow rate is so strong.


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## bankruptjojo (Feb 9, 2013)

I always have two filter especially for bigger tanks. Then we Dont have this problem because there is a inlet and outlet on both sides. My 125g has a fx5, jbj canister and AC110.


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## shift (Jan 7, 2013)

I have a nexx filter as well but i don't really like the intake pump. To bulky to hide


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## marcnc (Dec 13, 2011)

I think I have decided to just go with a spray bar for my FX5. It going in 90G marineland tank, that has black painted back ground and I will use same color. Now to drill holes in PVC, for that matter get them all in same line. ha ha

I think it trial and error, and depends on where you like input/output for your tank, also what looks best to you. I have realized we can all try it as others suggest, but until we see it working is when we will know what works for sure.


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## shift (Jan 7, 2013)

Let me know what size pipe you go with and what you attach the pipe to the fluval hose with 

I may build one aswell just to try it out. Would you shoot the water straight down or sideways to it ripples the top water?


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## marcnc (Dec 13, 2011)

shift said:


> Let me know what size pipe you go with and what you attach the pipe to the fluval hose with
> 
> I may build one aswell just to try it out. Would you shoot the water straight down or sideways to it ripples the top water?


I went with 3/4 PVC. I would have rather used 1/2, but I don't think the fluval hose would work with the 1/2

Going to build it this weekend, maybe, wife and kid just came down with stomach flu, so maybe not. :icon_conf


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## shift (Jan 7, 2013)

Keep me updated!


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