Filter flow WAY too high -suggestions please!

[Ellie Potts]

I recently got a marineland internal canister filter for my 55 gallon only to find out the flow is WAYYY too high for my tank. If I point the spout upwards, the water goes flying out of the tank. I currently have a sponge on the spout and have it pointed at a tank wall but it still bounces off the wall and is uprooting plants on the other side of the tank! It's ruined my duckweed and bent all of my Anubias over. There is no way to adjust the water pressure that I can find. Please help!!!

This is the filter

 

[mcordelia]

spray bar is your answer. Google your filter + spray bar, and you will find out if the manufacturer makes one. If not, there are a few custom shops online that make them for the more popular filters, though you can always also make one yourself too. Lots of DIY tutorials on youtube

 

[mcordelia]

ohhh, sorry it's an internal filter. Sorry I don't know if they make spray bars for those. I just read "canister filter", my bad.

I suspect you might still be able to make a DIY spray bar, and it should be a relatively low-stress project because if it leaks or whatever, it'll all be inside your tank so it doesn't have to be perfect

 

[Wolfey]

the way i got my flow down, (juwel bioflow filter) is by adding another angled tube to the spout, basically breaking the flow inside the tube so less comes out

 

[Fishmanic]

or if there is room, you could add more media like a finer sponge which will tend to slow the flow a bit.

 

[mbsqw1d]

ohhh, sorry it's an internal filter. Sorry I don't know if they make spray bars for those. I just read "canister filter", my bad.

I suspect you might still be able to make a DIY spray bar, and it should be a relatively low-stress project because if it leaks or whatever, it'll all be inside your tank so it doesn't have to be perfect

I rigged up a spray bar to a fluval 4+ many moons ago (great little filter that, much better than these U4's they have now). There was a bit of hose between the filter outlet and the spray bar, secured with jubilee clips

 

[Ellie Potts]

the way i got my flow down, (juwel bioflow filter) is by adding another angled tube to the spout, basically breaking the flow inside the tube so less comes out

It did come with an angled tube that supposedly would slide in place but every time I turn the filter on it blows it right off. I'm not sure how to secure it

 

[Ellie Potts]

I rigged up a spray bar to a fluval 4+ many moons ago (great little filter that, much better than these U4's they have now). There was a bit of hose between the filter outlet and the spray bar, secured with jubilee clips

Hm.... maybe I'll give that a go! thanks

 

[Ellie Potts]

or if there is room, you could add more media like a finer sponge which will tend to slow the flow a bit.

Maybe I could. I found that if I put too much sponge on it the filter made a weird noise as water backed up. It did not like that

 

[mbsqw1d]

Hm.... maybe I'll give that a go! thanks

Spray bars are really good though IMO especially in planted tanks, evens out the flow across the whole tank and gives better circulation

 

[Ellie Potts]

Spray bars are really good though IMO especially in planted tanks, evens out the flow across the whole tank and gives better circulation

Alright, thanks! I'll order one to play around with. Any connection suggestions?

 

[mbsqw1d]

Alright, thanks! I'll order one to play around with. Any connection suggestions?

Does this part come off?

If so, find some tube that fits onto the end of the outlet and the end of the spray bar, might be 8mm? Might not need securing if its snug, if it does either use cable ties or jubilee clips

 

[Ellie Potts]

Does this part come off?
View attachment 122956
If so, find some tube that fits onto the end of the outlet and the end of the spray bar, might be 8mm? Might not need securing if its snug, if it does either use cable ties or jubilee clips

That part does come off... I haven't been able to get it to stay on tbh. I ordered some tubing that should fit and a spray bar. Fingers crossed

 

[Ellie Potts]

UPDATE: I put in a spray bar and the tank is doing much better! Flow is still a little high, so I pointed the spray bar at the wall. I secured it to the filter using vinyl tubing and jubilee clips. This was 2 days ago and there hasn't been an issue. Also looks a lot better than the yellow sponge I tried to use.

@mbsqw1d and @mcordelia you guys are lifesavers!!

 

[Fishmanic]

Arent you glad you found TFF?