# Placement of Canister inlet and outlet



## smackpixi

Getting my first canister filter for a 55 gallon (low tech).

It seems i can have the inlet and outlet wherever i want them. Logic tells me that near the bottom corner of one end of the tank i want the inlet (crud generally being heavier that water) and near the top of the opposite corner the outlet. Or, since I don't really want anything at the very front corners of my tank, opposite ends middle second best, and opposite back a final obvious decision though not the greatest. Assuming the outlet shoots towards the front, just fine anyway.

Is my logic wrong?


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## JG06

I've always placed the inlet and outlet in the rear corners of the tank. Usually put the inlet in the rear left corner and the outlet in the rear right corner with the output pointing diagonally across the aquarium. 

And, I usually park something in front of both to kinda camouflage them. I'm an equipment junky, but hate seeing it. I like it all hidden if at all possible.


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## ghengis

I asked this question in my thread "(Another) Canister Q...". I'm still undecided on the position of my in/out-lets, but for the moment, both are in the same corner, with the inlet down low near the substrate and the outlet up near the surface. The theory (for now) is that this will promote full circulation of the tank, ie; the water enters at one point, moves along the rightside wall, across the front, down the leftside wall, and along the back wall to where it started, to be taken up again. I feel that having the in/out at oppsosite ends may leave some dead spots, particularly along the back wall.

As I said, I'm still undecided on this as yet, but for now this feels like the best arrangement... hth!


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## ZID ZULANDER

I normally place the inlet and outlet at each corner as well. But if the tank is long than you can put them in the middle and point the outlet to one side then the water will make a sweep around the tank.


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## Diana K

You can also add a power head to help out in the slower moving areas. 

I have several canisters and the Aquaclear 110 on tanks of this general size, and prefer ghengis' solution, (inlet and outlet near each other, but top and bottom) but I am changing the inlets to a manifold sort of set up, with 2 to 4 sponges across the back of the tanks. The outlets in these tanks are in a variety of positions, but basically upper back, but some are from one end, others are closer to the center. I am attempting to create certain flow patterns for the fish as well as keep the debris in motion until it can get removed by the filter. The set up that works best for you will likely depend on the layout of rocks, plants, driftwood and so on. Be ready to move the equipment around to see what works best.


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