What is the best way to position a canister filter's intake and spray bar?

[Carefree_Dude]

Should the intake be up high? down low?

Should the spray bar be on the back of the aquarium facing forward, or on the side of the aquarium spraying longways?

Should the spray bar be facing towards the intake, or on the same side as the intake and facing away from it?

Should I make the hose to the spray bar as short as possible so the motor doesn't work as hard?

 

[The Morning]

I have three on my tank. I have two Eheims at either end of the tank. I have the spray bars on the sides of the tank from front to back. One I have pointed upwards so that when water level is full the spray just barely breaks the surface water. Creates a lot of surface agitation and I hope oxygen exchange. The other I have pointed down to help move along the water current and keep and debris moving. I have a fluval Fx6 in the middle which has two outputs. Each spray down in opposite directions. I also have a wave maker directly under the eheim, that sprays up. The wave maker is aimed down at the substrate at roughly 45 degree angle. The setup gives me very few “dead” spots for Detritus to accumulate.

 

[Katie_Ca]

I have only one cannister and I have the intake and spraybar on opposite sides of the tank and I have the spray bar point away from the intake. I have the intake at mid-height as I have a sand substrate and don't want any of it that to get into the filter.

It might take a few trial and error adjustments before you get the 'perfect' position to give you the best surface agitation, dead spot and detritus accumulation combination for your tank.

 

[Rocksor]

I have my spray bars on opposites end of the intake length wise to the tank. They are submerged and pointing at a 45-60 degree angle so that there is enough surface agitation while at the same time remaining very quiet. I've placed a coarse sponge pre-filter on the intakes to prevent any sand being put into the canisters.

 

[krichardson]

I like for the intake to be positioned halfway down,which is pretty much where they are made to be lol....as for the spray bars I doubt that there is a "best way" to position them as long as they are aimed in a way to do their job of agitating the water surface.
I do like having them just above the water and aiming downward so the water streams hit the surface nicely.

 

[islandguy11]

I like for the intake to be positioned halfway down,which is pretty much where they are made to be lol....as for the spray bars I doubt that there is a "best way" to position them as long as they are aimed in a way to do their job of agitating the water surface.
I do like having them just above the water and aiming downward so the water streams hit the surface nicely.

I also position my intakes half-way down -- that way if there was any kind of catastrophic failure with the canister (and I wasn't home) at least the tanks wouldn't drain down all the way and my fish could survive (also have sponge filter and big air stone in each tank).

 

[duanes]

In tanks with riverine fish, I place intakes on opposite ends to the outflow.
In tanks with lacustrine fish anywhere works.
I like as much surface agitation as possible, because I tend to keep rheophillic species, and spray bars are not IMO sufficient for my fishes needs. I like concentrated flows or using venturi tubes.

Its obvious how the plants bend in the stream as to how strong, the flow is.

below, 6 ft tank with a venturi tube