Canister Filter inlet/outlet questions

[powerdyne6]

I was wondering if anyone can please explain to me if there are any benefits to the choice of material used for the canister filter inlet and outlet pieces. I see the glass ones are quite popular and I have seen stainless steel ones also. I have also noticed people quite often seem to use a design with the shape of a bulb on the end for the outlet pipe. Is this a design I should be moving towards?

I currently have the plastic ones that came with my canister filter with my outlet going to a plastic like spray bar. I wouldn’t mind doing something acrylic or stainless. Glass has a good chance of breaking.

If anyone can point me in the direction I need to go as I have no idea where to look for stuff like this.

Thanks!

 

[Wills]

So there is nothing wrong with the plastic kits that come as standard, the flows are designed to be optimal on most models and you often get a jet or a spray bar option which again is pretty optional though some people have a preference.

When it comes to the glass and steel options - the glass ones, called lily pipes, are designed to distribute Co2 bubbles from an inline diffuser or regular diffuser. The glass is also designed to detract less from an aquascaped tank but realistically that is only in photos immediately after cleaning as they gunk up pretty quickly and look brown unless you are taking them apart and scrubbing them regularly (weekly) this is particularly hard with the ones with surface skimmers as they are tough to get the cleaning brushes through them - some people take them off the hoses and put them in a weak bleach solution for a short period of time and then rinse them. Overall for me with the glass, I'd never trust myself as they do shatter reasonably easily and also the constant cleaning - ain't nobody got time for that!

The steel on the other hand I do have on one tank and I really like it, quite elegantly designed and a good size overall, super sturdy feeling and looking and you get the ones with the surface skimmer which in a rimless tank is pretty important. But it is pretty much just cosmetic - the main benefit of having them is that it makes you really cool

I've just set up an FX4 on my 300 litre and I can't get steel pipes for that and the whole inlet outlet system is just clunky - I've got rubber connectors holding the pipe to the plastic fittings, a clip to hold the pipe to the glass, all the bits of plastic are different shades of black, the intake strainer is waaayyy too big and despite being a super powerful filter it just wobbles about so it has to have suction cups on the back... Makes me want to change filters to something with a regular hose size so I can get steel pipes.

Wills

 

[Wills]

Oh and in terms of where to get them - are you in the UK?

 

[powerdyne6]

Oh and in terms of where to get them - are you in the UK?

I am in Canada.

Glass is something I will stay away from. Stainless is something I would look at getting but I am not sure what I would be needing.

I have a Oase Biomaster350 Canister and I am sure I could make it work it would be a matter of collecting the parts for it.

 

[Wills]

I am in Canada.

Glass is something I will stay away from. Stainless is something I would look at getting but I am not sure what I would be needing.

I have a Oase Biomaster350 Canister and I am sure I could make it work it would be a matter of collecting the parts for it.

Cool this is what you need then https://www.amazon.ca/RV77-Outflow-Stainless-Aquarium-Planted/dp/B08V1C4NG8 I have something very similar on my bio master 250 but I think it’s the same tubes so just check the size befor you order, if you have a rimless tank go for this one either the skimmer but if not you’ll find something similar without the skimmer. Though they do look cool when they spin and if you can see the surface from underneath it does help

 

[Byron]

I'm curious as to why you are not happy with the plastic tubing on the filter you have (presumably)? I never had issues with this, on my three large canister tanks, and I liked the fact of being able to easily cut the lengths (of the intake in a shallower tank) and drill additional holes in the spray bar.

 

[powerdyne6]

I'm curious as to why you are not happy with the plastic tubing on the filter you have (presumably)? I never had issues with this, on my three large canister tanks, and I liked the fact of being able to easily cut the lengths (of the intake in a shallower tank) and drill additional holes in the spray bar.

I don’t mind the plastic. Everything seems to be working great and how it is intended too. It is more for the aesthetic features as I have seen a few tanks and I personally think the stainless looks great.

This post is more for research purposes as now I have an idea of what to look for and where to look. This could be a project for down the road or maybe even another tank.