# spraybar and venturi question



## billsy (Nov 29, 2008)

Hi guys!!

I have recieved a small filter for my 5 gallon tank, it says it filters 200 litres per hour and suitable for tanks up to 35 litres so this should be ok??

It came with a spray bar and I quite like the idea of it but I want to keep neons so would the spray bar reduce the water movement? or would neons be ok if the water wasn't moving as much as it would be without the bar? I'm not particularly bothered about using it as I would rather happy fish.

It also came with a "Venturi pipe - for the venturi effect and to increase oxygen levels within the tank" it's basically a clear flexible tube with a plastic end with some holes in it. I'm probably going to sound stupid but what is this for? what is the venturi effect? And to top it all off it has no where to attach itself to the filter lol it will fit on the spray bar but surely the would just pump out water?

Thanks guys!!

: victory:


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## Gizmo24 (Jul 26, 2009)

A venturi basically suck in air and mixes it into the outlet of the filter, so on top there should be a hole or nipple sort of thing to attach it to.

Spray bar's a good but not needed to be honest, as long as you get a good ripple to the surface of the wather is the most important thing as this allows more oxygen to diffuse into the water than just injecting air!


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## HABU (Mar 21, 2007)

5 gallons is more of a bucket than a tank... it's very small... and things happen quickly is small tanks...

bubbles help drive out c02... they don't really oxygenate the tank much... a surface current breaks the surface tension allowing oxygen to diffuse into the water better...


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## billsy (Nov 29, 2008)

HABU said:


> 5 gallons is more of a bucket than a tank


It was given to me, I had no intentions of keeping fish but now I have been given it I first thought of a goldfish but after reading a few threads on here decided against it and i'm going to get a few neons and I have been told that they would be ok in a tank this small?

So no real need for the spray bar or the venturi pipe then? Just the filter and heater? It's a 25w thermostatic heater. 

Thanks for the advice.

:2thumb:


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## hippyhaplos (Jan 12, 2010)

billsy said:


> It was given to me, I had no intentions of keeping fish but now I have been given it I first thought of a goldfish but after reading a few threads on here decided against it and i'm going to get a few neons and I have been told that they would be ok in a tank this small?
> 
> So no real need for the spray bar or the venturi pipe then? Just the filter and heater? It's a 25w thermostatic heater.
> 
> ...


:notworthy::notworthy::notworthy:

Yeah 25w filter is fine, as is the filter without the venturi or spraybar... I do like having spraybars attached though.

Just take it slow and read up on fishless cycling etc.


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## billsy (Nov 29, 2008)

hippyhaplos said:


> :notworthy::notworthy::notworthy:
> 
> Yeah 25w filter is fine, as is the filter without the venturi or spraybar... I do like having spraybars attached though.
> 
> Just take it slow and read up on fishless cycling etc.


Thanks for that and I have started to read a bit and as this is going to be done bit by bit I will be ordering a water testing kit and then starting to give a real good read into it. I am not going to put live plants in it just yet as I don't want to bite off more than I can chew so just going to be a few neons or guppies.

I thought about a few shrimp to go in with them but from what i've read I would be better off with a few live plants so might go with one or two cory's (think that's what they're called)

:2thumb:


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## hippyhaplos (Jan 12, 2010)

Plants are easy... just choose carefully! Crypts, vallis, anubias etc are all cheap and easy to grow!

I'd be cautious adding corys to a tank that size- you could get away with some dwarfs, but I don't know if I'd bother- they'd need at least 5 or 6 for company!

API test kits always get my vote, as does seachem prime for dechlorinating- it works out the cheapest by a fair bit and a bottle last for ages!


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## billsy (Nov 29, 2008)

Ahh right i'll steer clear of them then!

Think i'll just stick with 5-6 tetra's, quite like the look of the green one's. What temperature should I set the heater to? I have noticed you can get some fairly nice looking fake planted wood ornament's so will probably go with something like this and see how it goes.

You never know I could end up enjoying them so much i'll end up saving for a big tank and have a go at live plant's along with a nicer collection of fish :whistling2:


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