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actually this is more on the input of a canister. but I have a canister I purchased for my 40g and was thinking about going with a sand type substrate and I know I always hear people complaining that the intake tube is always sucking in because its so low. But I was wondering, what about if I got another spray bar, added a couple more holes and used that as an in take device thats higher up in the tank?

anybody done this before?

Fish tanks are an expensive addiction

I have no trouble with sand being sucked up into the cannister. If it's too low just cut the tube so it sits higher. I did have to do that on a penguin powerfilter that the intake strainer was actually brushing the top of the sand.

Hi,
The problem with sand is that the grain size is so small
that they are easily stirred up into the water column where
they are blown around the by tanks currents. This allows
the sand to be sucked into the filter. If it gets into
the pump, it will chew up the pump and render the filter
useless. Or, if enough sand gets sucked into the filter
it can clog the filter. Startled fish can raise the sand
up into the column, or a careless moment by you as you
uproot a plant or add water too fast accidently.
Wrapping a piece of sponge around the intake can act as
a "prefilter" and keep the sand out of the filter.

Frank


-->>> The Confidence of Amateurs, is the Envy of Professionals <<<--

Most cannisters though are designed so the water flows through the media before reaching the impeller. Unless it sucks up alot of sand it doesn't effect it. You've got more trouble with the media clogging up with sand than damaging the impeller on most cannisters. Even with other filters it's always taken quite a bit of sand to damage my filters. I've only killed one and I frequently left the filter running when the tank was too cloudy to see into. Even after years of sand being stirred up the impellers on my other penguin, whisper, and 2 aqua techs are just fine. The whisper died for other reasons but the other 3 are still running with the same impellers. In my experience it's not a big deal and so long as the intake isn't nearly touching the sand I've never had to do anything else to protect the filter.