Help regarding flow!

**Tankedagain** · 03-03-2012, 12:38 AM

Hello,I finally have a break from work and I am wanting to start knocking out aquarium projects! I am wondering if I would modify my intake to my Rena XP2 to this configuration if I would cook the pump or be safe. The reason for change is for a DIY background and for filtration of a 29g.

intakepic.jpg

The black stand pipe is 1/2" pvc pipe
The orange legs are 1/4" tubing running 12" on center from the stand pipe in either direction. For a total length of 24"

My thoughts/concerns are:

By reducing the intake from 1/2" to 1/4" would this increase the workload onto the pump or will the offset counterbalance everything.

Will I have to take into account of the 24" for total canister filter tubing length. So if the Max tube length is say 50" i need to adjust for the 24"
i.e. 50-24 = 26" tube length?

Will the XP2 pump be able to supply the required flow rate of my proposed intake manifold?

Thank You
Jason

**Cliff** · 03-03-2012, 01:24 AM

As you are adding two additional elbows (one at the tee and one at the end) you will be reducing the flow. Therefore, your two 1/4" lines will not have the same capasity as the orginal 1/2" line. I would stick with at least 1/2" all of the way to be safe. 3/4" up to the orginal XP intake would be best

**Goes to 11!** · 03-03-2012, 01:54 AM

+1 to Cliff and keeping his statements in mind...

My understanding of the way a canister filter works is that the pump pushes rather than pulls.

This is why canisters need to be below the tank level. [Put it above the water line and see if you can prime it and make it work. It may run but it would not self-prime if you ever lost it.]
With this in mind, As long as you do not decrease the flow below the volume that the pump pushes [In theory] you should be fine.

Cliffs advice to go as large as the XP intake is solid IMO because what limits the water wrt how fast it can enter canister is how fast it is pushed out.