Hi,

I just wanted to say recommend an article by Rick Hess on Goldfish Connection entitled "The Ultimate Intake Tube":

Ultimate Intake Tube

I made one up today and installed it in my 29 gallon tank..the difference is AMAZING! Ever since I have had my tanks I have never been able to get intake tubes for my HOB filters that reached to the bottom of the tank and all the gunk that builds up because the filter cant get to it..

All you need is a piece of PVC pipe (I used 1" although the article says 2" which is MASSIVE) and drilled four rows of 5 holes each like it says in the article, then fitted it over the intake tube. I had just cleaned off some gunk that had build up on my bubble wand and it was all floating around in the water, 2 minutes later it had ALL GONE.. Such a clever idea! Thanks Rick!

PS. My apologies if someone has already posted this ingenious idea somewhere on the forum..

I have seen that on Rick's website, and there was a discussion about it here once, but I forgot to show it to DH to see what he thought about it. So thanks for the reminder. And it's even better to know that someone else tried it and sees that it works!

Going to have to try that one. My emperor 400 comes with extensions, but when I use them they're TOO long, so I have to stay on the shortest setting. Didn't give me much option. But they have a square intake tube. Hmmm..

Glad to remind everyone then!

I am so pleased with the 29 gallon one, where I live its hard to find extras for tanks like extension tubes, and anyway they dont always fit..too long..too short, etc;

Yesterday I made 2 more! One each for the 10 gall Quarentine Tank and 15 gall.. It makes sooo much difference especially for the QT which is running bare bottomed right now and the intake on that hardly comes halfway down the tank!

Have a go guys its VERY easy!

Good Job! What Brand of Filter's were they?

All my HOB's are Whispers, the 29 gall has 2, whisper 40 + a 10, the 15 gall has Whisper20 and the Hospital tank has a 10 on it which I inherited from the person who gave me the tank so it's ANCIENT

I was going to get into canisters, but was put off by all the maintence involved These Whispers just keep going and going!

Uh Oh! now I have probably put a curse on them...

But the nice thing about the Intake Tube idea is that it fits over ANY filter tube, you just get PVC pipe to fit your particular size..

As I said, the article called for 2" pipe which I figured was WAY too big.. but I thought if I got it wrong PVC pipe is so cheap I could juct get bigger, but 1" seems to be working like a charm!

I guess the one in the article was a massive filter....