How To Direct Filter "exhaust"

[Alps]

I'm looking to buy an eheim or rena xp filter for my 20 gallon tank and was wondering how to direct the waterflow.
It will be a planted tank and I'm afraid the flow will blow the plants too much.
Do most people use the spraybar?

Does anyone have experience with using a canister filter on a tank of this size? should I just stick with an aquaclear?

 

[adamgreen240]

yes i use a spraybar and spray it towards the glass so it dosent disturb the plants

 

[Alps]

yes i use a spraybar and spray it towards the glass so it dosent disturb the plants

That solves the spray bar problem, but would it be worth it to use a smallish canister filter on a tank this small? Has anyone ever used a canister on this size tank?

 

[dylema]

I have a Fluval FX5 (3500lph) on a 20g planted tank and have no troubles. All the plants are fairly robust and planted onto rocks or wood to keep them anchored but they are fine.

 

[2day]

I have a Fluval FX5 (3500lph) on a 20g planted tank and have no troubles. All the plants are fairly robust and planted onto rocks or wood to keep them anchored but they are fine.

A fluval FX5 on a 20 gallon tank??
Isn't that way overboard??? Or have you turned the flow rate down?

 

[ArauraDiscus]

Well I have a Rena Xp3 at work on a 29 gallon discus tank but is graded for 175 gallons. It creates a massive current which I desperately needed to reduce to keep my discus happy. I faced it against the wall but then it started making a tornado motion in the water spinning my fish in circles. So I got another powerhead from the closet and focused the current right on the outlets outcoming stream. This did the trick as now the current is neutralized and there is only current in the water directly between the two streams. Also I put a massive peice of slate in front of the canister filters outlet and that helped slow the current down.

 

[Alps]

holy. thanks for the help. I guess I'll stick to a rena xp 1 or 2 or a eheim classic as they are rated for large tanks but don't filter too much water.

- would people recommend canister or hob power filter though for a 20gallon tank?

 

[2day]

i prefer canister filters... they are just better when it comes to filtering in my opinion... my two cents anyway