i recently bought myself a 9 watt turbo twist and am currently using a small powerhead to run it. at first, i was checking out external mag drive pumps. i soon realized that an in-line pump with a low enough gph just doesnt seem to exist. upon that discovery, i decided to get a canister filter with a low gph instead. my only problem is that i cant find any info on any brands pertaining to head height and the gph at each added foot of vertical tubing.

anybody got any of the pamphlets that come with their cannister filters? im sure theres a gph chart in them.

or maybe somebody knows a link to a company/brand that actually divulges this info.

thanks,

paul

Toothless here is a remedy too help your situation. I am not sure what canister you have but if it is one of the eheim pros you can purchase a 5/8" ball valve from drsfosterandsmith. The 5/8" valve fits their 16/22mm tubing like a glove. They also sell other sizes too fit basically any tubing, but the 5/8" works on the eheim tubes.
Just add a "T" too the return line followed by the ball valve and then you will be able too control the flow to the Uv however you please. No more than $3-$4 worth of parts.
I have a similar setup on my tank but it is for a trickle filter not a UV.
If you have anymore questions fire away.

jetman,

thanks for the info, i didnt know that they made the bypass float valves for cannister set-ups.

well, i dont have a cannister filter just yet. the uv is running off of a powerhead set on low for now. i just dont want all the clutter that is building up behind my tank. ive already got a penguin 330, a penguin 170, a powerhead and the 9 watt uv. i wan to eliminate the powerhead altogether and eliminate the 170. after that i want to set-up a cannister filter (170 gph at a 3 foot head height) with the uv in-line and under the tank. with the new ifo that youve gave me (float valves with a T) ill be able to ensure that im almost getting the 10X filtration. i figure that ill only let about 50-60gph escape the cannister return to the uv.

does that sound right?

ill still need some head height and gph specs on some cannisters. anybody?

I am not sure what you mean about the float valve because I was talking about a ball valve so you can completely control the flow through your UV. With my setup you could just trickle the water through the UV if need be.
Here is the scenario for a canister return:
You will have some type of return line from the canister that normally feeds a spray bar.
Cut that line and install a "T" fitting.
On the output of the "T" fitting put in a ball valve.
Then run that line coming off of the "T" too your UV and from the UV back too the tank.
Whatever water does not flow through the UV will go through your regular spray bar.
You can easily keep the Uv under the tank. It sounds complicated since I am not the greatest at explanations but it will only take you less than 5 minutes too do.
Give me a few minutes and I will try and post a pic of what I am talking about.
The best part about my setup is you don't have too worry about overpowering your UV.

Jetman are you talking about this?

http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod...ial&Np=1&N=2004

Well here is my setup for my trickle filter. Sorry about the bad quality pic but I am not a photographer.
The scenario I explained would be set up a little different from my picture because in my setup I was running into major head loss. That is what happens when you pump water over 2' higher than it is supposed too go.
All you would need to do is put that ball valve on the output of the "T" instead of above it and you could hook up your UV from there. This could all be done under the tank.
That way you can buy the biggest baddest canister with huge amounts of flow and not worry about sending too much water through the UV which would defeat its purpose.
I also hate the idea of the 10x turnover, but I posted my thoughts on a different thread.
Hold on, I can't find the pic on my computer. Give me a minute.

Here it is
Koko,
That is it. It works great and you can adjust the flow too anything you want with it installed. In case you have not noticed, I love the DIY side of filter design.

sorry, i didnt mean for the confusion. i meant ball valve. i dont know why i typed float instead.

anyway, its a fairly easy concept/design to grasp. im just still in the dark on the head heaight specs on ANY canisters. im trying to be sure that ill get a canister that is rated for a cetain amount of flow with a 3 foot head heaight. so, i take it that nobody kept their spec sheets from when they purchased their units.

basically, i want to be sure that theres companies that take the added 3 feet of head to canisters into consideration when they say that their product is rated for a certain gph. catch my drift? i dont want to buy a canister filter thats says that it is rated for 150 gph only to hook it up and find out that it incurs a great deal of head loss from the 3 feet of tubing that itll take to run the water up and out of it.

i appreciate the ball valve and T suggestion, now i need some numbers.

paul

Sorry I could not be of more help. Your best bet would be too call the manufacturer directly. I even looked at the eheim owners manual and it makes no note of this.

Fluval doesn't have anything in their manual either.

Rick

huh? do i smell a conspiracy? just kidding!

i guess im going to have to do just that.

thanks for the help, guys!

well, i went ahaed and searched the net for canister filter manufacturer webpages and all i could find was, of course, eheim. im beginning to think that their reputation as "top-dog" here at kokos isnt for naught. anyway, i was able to find a link on their homepage to post my query about the 2217, 2215 and 2213. ill be eagerly awaiting their reply.

i appreciate everybodies help and ill post any info that i recieve from eheim.

Paul,
Sometimes we all have too learn the hard way, but overall you get what you pay for.
Are the eheims cheap initially?
No, They are downrite expensive.
I have been running a professional 2028 for close too two years now. The only thing you have too replace is the fine floss since it is impossible too recycle it.
I have absolutely no experience with any of the other canisters but I find it hard too believe you could maintain them for only dollars a year.
Buy the eheim pro 2028 with media and one box of the eheim floss and you will be set for years too come.
The blue pads rinse out well.
The extra ehfimech that I bought has been sitting in my closet since I bought the filter. That stuff just rinses out in seconds.
The bio part you just rinse in tank water and reuse.
Did I mention it is completely silent and is rated at 277 gph(not sure about your head height question though but I am sending part of my return over 2' above the tank level with excellent flow).
From there just hook up my DIY system and you will be good too go. You can completely control the water output through your Uv and send the rest through the spray bar.
What more can you ask for.
Disclaimer:
I am not affiliated in any way with eheim but just love it. A great filter with a great track record.

thanks jetman!

i remember hearing koko highly acclaim eheims quality. ive always regarded them as very good just because koko said so.

being that i dont really have the need for ALL that filtration, i think im going to start with a smaller set-up. i can always invest in a bigger, better model later on if the need arises.

i appreciate your help and hopefully ill recieve the info that i requested very soon!

paul

I have to say they are on the pricey side of things, but Oh man I love my Eheim and would never buy another kind of canister again.....

I just have to say that Koko convinced me to get an Eheim. She told me about it when we had a really great dinner together last month. (that steak with blue cheese and garlic mashed potatoes was something else!)

I told myself when I got a chunk of extra money I would buy one. Right around my birthday I unexpectedly sold a piece of my artwork. (I never expect a sale so it is always a surprise)

So, my b-day present to myself is the Eheim Pro 2028. I just set it up and man does that thing go!

I had a bit of some excitement with the spraybar--I had the holes facing up and water flew up and out everywhere. But luckily my studio floor is raw concrete so spilled water is no problem.

Good story Wynkin
I did the same thing after I cleaned mine the first time. Plugged it in and not realizing which way the spray bar was facing I received a very nice shower. It only took a few seconds too get completely soaked.
I will never do that again.

I have a fluval 204 canister filter hooked up to a 9 watt turbo-twist uv sterilizer. My 204 flow rate is 180 gph and my uv sterilizers flow rate is 100-200 and it works great.The fluval costed me $65.99 from www.drsfostersmith.com you might be able to get one a little cheaper from www.bigalsonline.com they have good prices on their stuff.

iamruss. i'm setting up the same situation with my 304. what type of clamps did you use to hold the Fluval hose on the UV.

Thanks,

I just used the barbed fittings that was on the uv . Didnt really need any connectors the only thing i really neaded was about a foot of 5/8" vinyl tubing coming from the uv sterilizer running back into the tank. Some time i plan to get me 2 rubber connector's like the one that came with my fluval, that goes on the ends of the plastic hose's so i can use a peice of the hose that i had left over from when i first hooked up my fluval.