Spray bars..

[redgold54 4]

Is there a more efficient/proper way to set up spray bars?

1) I've noticed that If I set the spray bar a little higher than my water line, the output splashes with more force which creates thousands of mini air bubbles that flow through the tank.

2) If I set the bar up on the water line, the water just comes through with little splash and doesn't create as many bubbles.

Is option 1 more beneficial for the fish/water quality because of the bubbles. Bubbles do bring gases to the surface I've been told or read somewhere.

[JouteiMike 5]

Back in the days of when I had a canister filter and a spray bar, I would submerge the spray bar, and aim it up. That way it created plenty surface agitation. And at times I angled it up sharp enough to pierce through the surface and splash a little, without too many bubbles. Your best bet is to submerge it, and aim it up. Hope this helps.

Edited October 15, 2012 by JouteiMike

[number20121 2,663]

I've had a similar question about my bubble wand a week ago, about the benefit of a ton of micro bubbles as your spray bar is producing, because this concerned me a bit for a couple reasons (air accumulation in the filter which can cause the filter to malfunction was my main worry).

dnalex then brought up the other issue I wondered about, which is super saturation of the water with oxygen. Overly oxygen saturated water can cause gas-bubble disease in fish.

http://www.kokosgold...__fromsearch__1

Scroll down to find Alex' great post

With that, I would choose option # 2 or as Mike said. I have no spray bar (aaaaaaggghhhh) myself so I can not give any more advice on this.

Edited October 16, 2012 by Oerba Yun Fang

[redgold54 4]

Back in the days of when I had a canister filter and a spray bar, I would submerge the spray bar, and aim it up. That way it created plenty surface agitation. And at times I angled it up sharp enough to pierce through the surface and splash a little, without too many bubbles. Your best bet is to submerge it, and aim it up. Hope this helps.

I've had a similar question about my bubble wand a week ago, about the benefit of a ton of micro bubbles as your spray bar is producing, because this concerned me a bit for a couple reasons (air accumulation in the filter which can cause the filter to malfunction was my main worry).

dnalex then brought up the other issue I wondered about, which is super saturation of the water with oxygen. Overly oxygen saturated water can cause gas-bubble disease in fish.

http://www.kokosgold...__fromsearch__1

Scroll down to find Alex' great post

With that, I would choose option # 2 or as Mike said. I have no spray bar (aaaaaaggghhhh) myself so I can not give any more advice on this.

Thank you!

I found the article by Alex. Very interesting.

I can't fully submerge my spray bar and aim it up because of my water line level (1.5 inches under the rim of the tank), so I just submerged it halfway and aim it at down at an angle (doesn't produce a ton of bubbles but produces water flow).

[koko 14,364]

some one say spray bar

[dnalex 13,633]

some one say spray bar

I've been holding back!

[kortniee 452]

You don't need actual bubbles to create good gas exchange; you just need the surface of the water to be agitated by the water flow. So, since you can't submerge your spray bar, I'd say just about any way you set it up would be fine for the purposes of allowing oxygen into the water.

[Jay 1]

Back in the days of when I had a canister filter and a spray bar, I would submerge the spray bar, and aim it up. That way it created plenty surface agitation. And at times I angled it up sharp enough to pierce through the surface and splash a little, without too many bubbles. Your best bet is to submerge it, and aim it up. Hope this helps.

I do this with mine, I have mine submerged just under the waterline and have it pointed at a 45 degre angle up, creates a small wave at the top, but have noticed food can get trapped behind the wave and spool around but does get fired out by the wave eventually

Did try it without the spray bar and found it to be too much of a current for my fish