"Richard Sexton" wrote in message
...
In article .com,
LM wrote:
Hi all,

I'm going to be installing a spray bar on my tank when I switch my
canister filters. Now the question is, is there an alternative to
using suction cups to hold it in place? My experience with all sorts
of suction cups is that usually within a year or so, they harden, and
then stop adhering.

So buy a half dozen spares, replac4e when they get old. End of problem.

I've found the Hagen black ones sold as parts for fluvals last many years,
7-8 years so far and they're still ok but YMMV. They're the same ones
as on the Hagen sponge filters too. The Green Eheim ones are good
too. I have never had luck with the clear ones.

I suppose I can get some high-power magnets, silicone-glue few to the
spray bar (or spray bar suction cup itself) and use another set of
magnet outside the tank to hold it in place... but not sure where I
would even find a magnet strong enough (and right size, and
non-corroding in the tank.. i'm sure most magnets have enough iron in
it that will rust when kept in water too long) to keep things in
place...

That'll work. There are rare earth "super manets" that are unbelievably
strong, commonly available. I'm not sure I'd bother siliconing them,
I don't *think* they're gonna rust and anything they leech into the
water is going to be so slow any halfway decent water chage regimen
should take care of it.

If you do use silicone use as thin and flat a layer as you can.

Use the smallest rare earth megnets you can find. They're so damn
powerful then SSSSNAP! into place and can do so with tremendous
force. Enough to break glass? Good question. Possibly.

I have a bunch of spare suction cups and don't worry about these things
:-)




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The only thing I can add is that you should tie off the hoses in some way,
such that there is NO stress on the suction cups. With stress they will
fatigue with time. Without the initial stress, they can last for years.
Remember to tie off the hoses somewhere along the path to the filter, so
that filter maintenance does not inadvertently add stress later on.

Some other ideas, sometimes the suction cup stays on and the spray bar pops
out. I've seen cups with an elastic band to go around the pipe (on the
newer Fluval canisters), but I haven't tried them yet. I have used 2 small
ty-raps to do the same thing. One around the cup base, and the other around
the 1st ty-rap and then around the pipe.

After I have the hoses & spray bars in position, I then set about hiding
them, first with strategically positioned rocks and then some silk plants.
I frequently use the rocks to pin the pipes/hoses back against the suction
cups.

hth
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