# aquarium sprinkler system



## baos (Jul 3, 2009)

I'm posting this because I was asked to. Any feedback good or bad is welcome

I came up with this idea to combat my constant oxygen problem. It's overkill, it works, and it's cheap.
I'm not so great with artwork but if anyone wishing to copy this needs more detail I'll be happy to provide it.

Ideas for improvement

1) you could buy more of the expensive hose and put a computer heat sync on it to chill the water just a bit. It could simulate cooler rain to help induce spawning.

2) One could also try hooking it to a canisters return line.

Current problems
1) a sponge is required on the pump or you have to clean the sprinklers often by shoving a pin through them to clean out gunk.

2) Anywhere your tank has an open space it will splash water out. I used saran wrap to temporarily seal the holes until I get new glass cut.

parts list
1 x aluminum bar the length of your tank
4 x plastic tie wraps
1 x 3/4 inch cheap hydroponics shop hose the length of your tank roughly. cut to fit.
1 x 3/4 inch elbow
1 x 3/4 inch expensive bendable hydroponics hose (89 cents for 1 foot)
1 x water pump mine does 300gph and has more than enough pressure
6 x plastic sprinklers from hydroponics shop ($1.20 each) Hint: You could match this to the power of your pump




























And as requested a video of the sprinkler in action


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## medicTHREE (Feb 5, 2010)

Nifty concept, but I would hate the noise. Further, couldn't you have taken the pump used, pointed it at the surface and gotten agitation to get the gas exchange you needed?

I doubt a heat sink without (or even with)active fans would cool the water much if any at all, unless the water was pumped through aluminum tubing attached to the heat sink using a thermal compound. Plastic is a good insulator, it will prevent much heat exchange.


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## baos (Jul 3, 2009)

Don't really hear much noise from it as my air pump is louder. I have played with different outputs on my eheim 2217 but nothing seemed to work. I still noticed my fish panting. I perhaps have too many organisms consuming oxygen.


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## PeterE (Feb 9, 2010)

That is a good idea. It would also be really cool on a paludarium setup, to simulate rainfall and keep the humidity up.


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## AquaDean (Oct 29, 2009)

That is a cool way to simulate rainfall.

If your fish are still panting and you are not using too much CO2 maybe the temperature is too high or possibly they have gill flukes. Also have you checked for ammonia?


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## medicTHREE (Feb 5, 2010)

You run an air pump and this? Something is a amiss if that is the case. 

I can't imagine you have too many organisms consuming oxygen, but likely water is too warm or another problem is present.


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## baos (Jul 3, 2009)

AquaDean said:


> That is a cool way to simulate rainfall.
> 
> If your fish are still panting and you are not using too much CO2 maybe the temperature is too high or possibly they have gill flukes. Also have you checked for ammonia?


I've begun treatment for gill flukes. Most of my fish are wild caught with stronger immune systems and so the only symptoms I have are oxygen problems and mild flinching which I took to be a fake charge. Also the fact that I keep some rarer species there isn't a lot known about temperaments. Oh and I haven't had any rapid breathing since adding this system. However the eheim 2217 and a venturi powerhead didn't solve the problem.

As for the other questions my ammonia, nitrite, nitrate all read 0. I have to put tons of nutrient into the tank just to try and have a detectable level. 1 cup cheap nitrate solution per week at times.

This summer if I can find a big enough tree stump I'll drop the tank water down a bit more and start some emergent growth.


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