Placement of intake and output of canister filter

[tcampbell]

Hi there,
Having looked at your tanks and all the photos I have come to a question. Does it matter where the intake and rain bar is placed in a tank. I have noticed that the intake is always in the bottom of the tank, closes to the substrate as possible and one side, in the back corner (no doubt to hide it) but also to clean from the bottom and prevent the settling of all the junk.

But the rain bar I have seen in the back of the tank, near the top / on the side of the tank near the top, above where the intake is / on the side of the tank near the top of the opposite side of the instake / and finally on the back of the tank near the bottom.

Does it matter.
I am running CO2 so I know hoving it lower prevents surface movement which allow me to keep more CO2 in the tank, but what about water currents?

Thanks

[Fei Miao]

Hi tcampbell, Welcome to AQ
This thread should be in the beginner's section, you will get more responses there.

[|squee|]

Any method is good imho, as long as it ensures that water is circulated throughout the entire tank and there are no dead spots (especially important for big tanks).

Some surface movement is good at night to help dissipate unused CO2.

[ziyao]

but circulation doesn't need to become currents... i think its not nice for the tank imo

[tcampbell]

That is one problem. Dead spots. In a 3 foot tank, I found a few dead spots where ever a place the rain bar. Especially when placed at sides of tank. In the back seems best but down low, the currents move the taller stem plants in a way that is not pleasant, and up high cases too much surface current that removes CO2.
Guess the end result is the rainbar and intake on the same side, with rainbar in the middle, instak near the bottom and Co2 on the opposite side.

Just a pain moving everthing around as by canister is not under my tank, but to the side so it means lots of tubes testing different places.