AlexsDaddy
Fishaholic
- Joined
- Jun 13, 2004
- Messages
- 679
- Reaction score
- 1
I have found a really good answer for getting rid of the surface movement created by an over the back type filter!!! 
I built a trough from plexiglass (1.5 inches wide by 1 inch tall) about a half inch shorter than the length of the tank, and drilled 3/16 inch (any size would probably do though) holes in the bottom of it till the water stopped flooding over the edges of the trough. I then attached this in the tank, by suction cups with hooks on them (reason for making the trough a half inch shorter than the length, the suction cups take up about a quarter inch on each side), directly under the output of the filter. The trough catches the water and it drains through the holes in the bottom of the trough thus greatly cutting down on the current and surface movement produced by the filter. My other idea is to make one out of 1 inch pvc. One piece the length of the tank with half of the diameter cut out at one end for a catch basin, put an elbow on the other end, and another piece long enough to reach the bottom with a cap on the end. Gonna drill holes in the piece going down till the water stops overflowing. That sould pretty much eliminate all surface movment for our fishes. I thought these were pretty good ideas, and it proved true for my first idea which is working nicely in my 10g female community, but I think the 2nd idea will work even better. I didn't take any pictures while I was doing the first one, so I think I may draw diagrams and put it in the DYI section, and when I finally get around to doing the second one, take pictures of that and put that in the DYI section as well. Or maybe I'll just draw some diagrams of that as well as I am positive that it will be just as effective, if not more so than my first one. Sorry for the long post, but I just wanted to share and see what you all think of this. But untill then, I'm gonna 
to my so far successful creation. 
Here are a couple pictures of the trough in action
I built a trough from plexiglass (1.5 inches wide by 1 inch tall) about a half inch shorter than the length of the tank, and drilled 3/16 inch (any size would probably do though) holes in the bottom of it till the water stopped flooding over the edges of the trough. I then attached this in the tank, by suction cups with hooks on them (reason for making the trough a half inch shorter than the length, the suction cups take up about a quarter inch on each side), directly under the output of the filter. The trough catches the water and it drains through the holes in the bottom of the trough thus greatly cutting down on the current and surface movement produced by the filter. My other idea is to make one out of 1 inch pvc. One piece the length of the tank with half of the diameter cut out at one end for a catch basin, put an elbow on the other end, and another piece long enough to reach the bottom with a cap on the end. Gonna drill holes in the piece going down till the water stops overflowing. That sould pretty much eliminate all surface movment for our fishes. I thought these were pretty good ideas, and it proved true for my first idea which is working nicely in my 10g female community, but I think the 2nd idea will work even better. I didn't take any pictures while I was doing the first one, so I think I may draw diagrams and put it in the DYI section, and when I finally get around to doing the second one, take pictures of that and put that in the DYI section as well. Or maybe I'll just draw some diagrams of that as well as I am positive that it will be just as effective, if not more so than my first one. Sorry for the long post, but I just wanted to share and see what you all think of this. But untill then, I'm gonna to my so far successful creation. Here are a couple pictures of the trough in action
