Question: Filter too strong

[yellowpebble]

I was given some bad advice by a pet store who recommended a filter much too strong for my axolotls, and it has no control for current output it was expensive and i don’t have the funds for a new one. It is an submerged under water filter, just wondering, is it possible to just stuff a piece of sponge in the hole the current comes out of, so the water can escape but it's not as strong? or would that be bad for the motor?

is there anything else i can put over the output?

I'm really annoyed i listened to the dimwit pet shop assistant. I told her they don’t like strong currents and she just looked at me like i was dumb and said "it what we use in out tanks and ours are fine". They were not fine. Thank god i didn't get mine from there. What was left of their gills were all curled up or missing/bleeding, one was so covered in fungus it was floating on its side in the tank with all the others. I asked about it and another assistant said it was fine because they were medicating the whole tank . They were also under very bright light, in a tiny space, on gravel like the rest of the fish.

And i still bought the filter... Because apparently it was the best one blah blah... annoyed at myself.

sorry for the rant... anyway. Is it possible to slow it down some how?

 

[Mandy6]

Can you position some plants or a rock against it so the flow hits something else before hitting the water?

Or are you able to position the filter so the flow hits the glass before the water?

 

[celticcrow77]

Yeah, a lot of people point them towards the glass to soften the flow, and you can also surround the filter with plants and decorations to spread it out. Another great option is a spray-bar, which a lot of people make themselves. It's usually just a piece of hose with some holes in it that spreads out the output of the filter. If you search the site for spray-bar I'm sure you'll find lots of good advice on how to make one.

 

[yellowpebble]

the filter is quite large and the filter output is at the top of the tank, none of my plants or rocks are big enough to obstruct it check out my sweet diagram. This is pretty much how my filter looks, the blue part is the water output which is too strong, although its direction is adjustable.

its also in a deep hexagonal tank, which means no matter where i put the filter, i cant swivel the output to face a glass side, see below. The red lines are the full extent of the movement.

i will try to find more tall stuff to place in front of it. Would the sponge idea work?

 

[celticcrow77]

I'm not sure about the sponge- I'm new to aquariums in general, so hopefully someone more experienced can say about the sponge. But that type of filter would probably be a prime candidate for a spray-bar. The hose could come out of the output and stretch across the tank to distribute the water over the whole length of it.

 

[yellowpebble]

ok a spray bar sounds like a good idea I will see if i can buy one that fits it or make a cheap one, thanks

 

[yellowpebble]

does it matter if the spray bar hangs out of the watter and makes a waterfall like thing into the tank, or does it have to be in the water?

 

[celticcrow77]

I've seen pictures of them out of the water. If you go to axolotl.org and check out their Housing section, there's a picture right at the top of a tank with a spray bar, and it's out of the water. So I take it they can be both in and out. The holes shouldn't be TOO big or too many, so it really shouldn't create a waterfall, but I suppose MINI-waterfalls from each hole are ok. Hope this helps!

 

[Mandy6]

I have my spray bar out the water, and also with the holes facing upwards, so by the time it hits the water its a nice gentle flow ^^

 

[memojo1979]

I don't know if it would be bad for the motor or not, but I have read posts from plenty of people saying they've shoved some filter sponge in the flow output pipe of their filter.
I have my filters lying horizontally on the bottom of my tanks + the output pipes then aimed at the tank wall, but it looks as if your filter is too long to try that? Luckily for me, my filters JUST fit.

 

[pookiewn]

Does your filter fit not fit on the smaller angled side? You may be able to stem the water flow against the glass. Apologies if you have already tried this.

 

[Morrison]

Hmm, maybe if you tie a piece of... let's say... a panty (folded a several times) in front of the output, so that the flow slows down a bit?

 

[horsyqueen]

i had a spray bar but i changed it to a pape with large holes in. i did have it out of the water but it was loud and my mum told me to lower it because it sounded like a toilet. the quieter way is in the water.

 

[Morrison]

i had a spray bar but i changed it to a pape with large holes in. i did have it out of the water but it was loud and my mum told me to lower it because it sounded like a toilet. the quieter way is in the water.

Lol, exactly. When it's out of the water it makes me 'angry' somehow.
Also a pipe with holes in it might work too.

 

[yellowpebble]

Cool, thanks for all your advice

I got a spray bar but my filter is so tall it sticks out of the water and makes lots of noise. I'll try putting the filter on its side tonight.

I actually tried the sponge too, but it made water backfire out of the tube for the air inrake! (my filter makes bubbles too) ...not fun, water everywhere!

 

[yellowpebble]

is there any difference between filter sponge and a normal sponge?

 

[blackdog]

Just use the spray bar, but put it underwater on the side of the tank and face the holes to the wall.

I know, i've seen your drawings, it wont work.......

Get some clear, flexible tube from the fish store or bunnings, with a diameter wide enough to fit over the filter outlet and the spray bar inlet.

Hook up the flexible tube to the filter outlet, run it around whatever corners you need to, and connect it to the spray bar.

Bren

 

[yellowpebble]

great advice, thanks! i'll try it out and post results