How to make a spray bar to replace the AGA overflow nozzle

[Fonchy]

Is by the PVC section but not on the PVC isle, on my lowes I go by the PVC isle and at the end I turn a right and is right there at the end of the next isle.

 

[Fonchy]

Michael950, one other thing you can do is a close loop inside your tankthis way you can get more water flow in your tank and dont have to mess around on widening the theet of the overflow.

 

[electric130]

What section of Lowes is this siloflex in?

if you're in the university one, it's in the irrigation section. in other lowes', i've seen it by the hot water heaters, PVC or a couple other odd-ball locations.

 

[thrlride]

if you're in the university one, it's in the irrigation section. in other lowes', i've seen it by the hot water heaters, PVC or a couple other odd-ball locations.

Time for a break from work.

Unrelated question, is it better to use threaded or glued type connections for the plumbing? Considering leaks and ease of use.

 

[Fonchy]

For the longest time I used threaded because I ws always moving, changing, etc. and it was easier for me and if I had to turn something it was easy but I changed to glue because I was getting leaks. but I used a coupling adaptor on my pipe. If you need a pic of it go to US plastics and look for couplings and male adaptors by lasco.

 

[electric130]

Time for a break from work.

Unrelated question, is it better to use threaded or glued type connections for the plumbing? Considering leaks and ease of use.

i use threaded as much as possible. i also use the pipe thread compound instead of teflon tape. it's easier to use IMO. long runs or elbows, i'll usually use glued, but i always try to put a true-union ball valve or a union in as many places as possible to make cleaning, moving or changes a lot easier. i just saw your other thread, so i'm commenting there as well.

 

[DrBDC]

I did something similar but with 2 spray bars running vertically and pointing out away from my center overflow. I was getting detrius build up in the tubes and sticking out the holes of the spray bar. How do you combat that, regular cleaning or should I make my holes larger? I also wonder that about Anthony's Califo(sp?) manifold design. I was having cyano or dino's or somthing going on my sand bed and in 1 day after removing and just having a 45 degree instead of the spray bar, the stuff is all gone. When I cleaned the spray bars, there was some nasty stuff going on in there. I'm talking bad, and I have 2 in diapers and am used to @#$%^ smells. But I did feel that I was probably getting better behind and through the rock flow. Maybe it flows anyway with the general tank movement. This flow direction thing is as bad as my constant rearranging of rock. This hobby feeds my obsessive compulsion side too well.

 

[electric130]

you'll get buildup on the holes regardless what size they are. this is one of the reasons that i put mine at the top of the tank where it's easily accessible for cleaning. i don't recommend vertical spray patterns. just from playing around with mine, i found i got the best flow from a horizontal bar at the top of the tank. if your spraybar had buildup in it, then you weren't cleaning it enough. what diameter were the holes? i have redesigned my original design to allow for easier cleaning. you can't have the spraybar behind rock though.

 

[Homebrew]

OK... bringing this thread back from the dead. I too was unhappy with my AGA single nozzle spray and had also considered splitting it and then decided a spraybar would be much better. I had planned on doing the same thing as Electric130 (except with std. white PVC) and did a search here on RC to validate my plan, but black Sil-O-flex is much more appealing, so off to Lowes I go!

One question first though... I have the same 90G AGA with the single corner overflow. My big dead spot is the front right of the tank (exact opposite corner of overflow). I was planning on making my spraybar and "L" to run along the top back and the top right side to basically push the water flow (and stuff) towards the overflow end. Any "cons" to this? It is a FOWLR with fairly big fish that make fairly big waste (if ya know what I mean!). Sand bottom is only 1"-2".

Thanks!
Greg

 

[electric130]

i seriously don't think you'll need to do that. that corner is not a deadspot with my spraybar. it gets lots of flow. maybe go with 1" pipe (you'll have to adapt from 3/4" if you have the AGA plumbing) and put a few more holes at the far end in proportion to the end closer to the overflow, but don't go nutty and put 25 holes on the far end and 5 holes on the near end. your flow will suck. you want them pretty much evenly spaced.

what pump are you running with this? i see you're near Charlotte. i'm in huntersville. you're welcome to come see mine before you do this if you want. the Lowes in University has the siloflex if you have a hard time finding it somewhere else.

 

[Homebrew]

JR,

I'm just "over the border" in Fort Mill, spitting distance from Carowinds. Had the 2nd RASOC meeting here (sorry you missed it and there wasn't enough advanced notice on RC for the meeting).

My brother lives in Moorseville, and I have a good friend in Davidson so I go past Huntersville every now and then. I'll send you a PM, 'cause I would love to see yours.

I run a Pan World 50PX (rated 590 GPH at 0 head as I recall). It is not a reef, but a FO so I have a lot of flexibility with the LR placement. I will take your advice and try the straight line first.

Thanks again, JR!

Greg

 

[electric130]

no problem. just shoot me a PM if you want to come up sometime.

 

[thrlride]

homebrew,

I have pan world 50x-x, I'm not sure if they are the same or not. If they are, mine is rated at 1110 gph at 0 head. What size fittings does the pump have? Reason I ask, if they are 3/4" instead of 1" it is probably pressure rated instead of flow rated.

I will agree with electric130, there really aren't any dead spots in mine either. Here is a picture of my water surface. You can see in front of the overflow that the water is moving good.

<img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v73/thrlride/Salt%20tank/DSCF1761.jpg">

 

[Homebrew]

Nice pic.

The double "x" is twice the flow as the single "x" model. It is the same motor, but a different impeller and impeller housing. I'm going to try the straight spraybar first and see how it does with my current configuration. I just got back from Lowes! Heck, taxes can wait... I'm going to visit my drill press now...

 

[thrlride]

:thumbsup: That's what I used!

 

[Homebrew]

Ryan,

I know you have the "XX" (1110 GPH). I have the "X" (590 GPH) Seemed like a good fit at the time of purchase....

Well, I did 17 holes at 7/64"... bad move (yes, I KNOW, I KNOW Electric130, you said don't drill too many on the 1st go). Overall flow is MUCH better and more even, but there no surface turbulence now and the water looks like it will be fairly stagnant at the top. Also, I think my big Powder Blue Tang already misses the big main jet of water that he would swim against for fun. SO... what should I do?

1. Tell my wonderful wife that I now MUST purchase the Pan World 50 PXX pump at 1110 GPH and get more flow through my FO tank.

2. Go back to Lowes and spend another $2 and drill smaller and/or fewer holes.

Thoughts anyone?

Greg

 

[thrlride]

I drilled every 1.5" or so. I think you need to get the bigger pump.

 

[skyfireblaze]

I vote for both 1 and 2. Get the quick fix now and then increase the flow as well.

I love the way a spraybar can increase flow through the tank while keeping the velocity manageable.

 

[gitsumpottery]

sorry it this has been talked about, but i haven't read the whold thread.... I currently have a spraybar in my tank, and it works great. Now I was wondering if I added a scwd and plumbed two spray bars, one by the surface of each side, do you think that would make a difference for sps type flow? I was trying to think of a way to have switching current without getting rid of the spraybar. I have overflows on each side of my tank, so I could pretty much hide these spray bars, especially with siloflex.

 

[Homebrew]

I beleive that is discussed in this thread. If you look and it's not, I can find it for you on another where I would have seen it.

Greg