# how to make filter less powerful.



## allaboutfish (May 18, 2011)

i have a tetra 30-60 on my 29 gallon tank and it kicks the sand continuosly throughout the tank. is there a way to fix this? i cant really just buy a new filter, and i dont know if walmart will take it back after it's been used.*c/p*


----------



## rtbob (Jul 18, 2010)

A foam pre-filter on the input will slow it down a bit. Doesn't the 30-60 have a flow control knob still? My old one does.

There is also a DIY flow diverter made out of a plastic bottle I read about somewhere for HOB filters.


----------



## allaboutfish (May 18, 2011)

hmmm where would the knob be?


----------



## rtbob (Jul 18, 2010)

mine is on the very top of the filter at the front edge in the center. Here is the link to the DIY flow diverter. I actually made one when I had a 40g hex and it worked very well.

DIY Flow diverter/diffuser - Aquarium Forum


----------



## allaboutfish (May 18, 2011)

im gonna see how that works bc i dont have a knob, and ill use his idea with the moss. thanks alot.


----------



## rtbob (Jul 18, 2010)

My 30-60 is at least five years old. To bad they took that feature off, it comes in handy at feeding time.


----------



## James0816 (Jun 19, 2009)

rtbob said:


> Here is the link to the DIY flow diverter.


I wonder where I've seen that before. *whistle*

Been using the Gatorade bottle as a diffuser for a long time. Works perfectly! Highly recommend it on those HOBs where you can't adjust the flow rate. Easy to clean too.


----------



## allaboutfish (May 18, 2011)

wll mine has two output flow things so do i need two gatorade bottles?


----------



## James0816 (Jun 19, 2009)

If you want to reduce the flow on both...then yes.


----------



## majerah1 (Oct 29, 2010)

You can use soda bottles too.


----------



## allaboutfish (May 18, 2011)

oh what if i use a 2 liter bottle it would cover both


----------



## majerah1 (Oct 29, 2010)

Try it.Should work pretty good.


----------



## allaboutfish (May 18, 2011)

i used 2 gatorade bottles but i dont hav shears or sandpaper to make the edges less sharp


----------



## nasomi (Apr 20, 2011)

sandpaper is a few bucks at any hardware store. Shears aren't that much either.


----------



## allaboutfish (May 18, 2011)

i might can get my stepdad to bring some. do they have to be clean? it really doesnt matter right now. none of my fish go anywhere near the top.


----------



## holly12 (Apr 21, 2011)

Not to hijack the thread - I like your list of critters in your tanks allaboutfish. I just noticed that you will be putting your betta in with your ADF's.... I've seen vids on Youtube where some people did this and the frogs ate the bettas... the betta may eat the neons, but it also may not.....  (Just don't want this to happen to you). The ADF's, neons, shrimp and snails will be great buddies though!


----------



## allaboutfish (May 18, 2011)

if the frogs ate the betta then they werent real african dwarf frogs. they were african clawd fogs which are very aggressive. also when i st this up ill have a 5 gallon ready for the betta just in case and ill get a dwarf gourami if anything happens, but thanks for telling me. could you send me a link to the video?


----------



## holly12 (Apr 21, 2011)

I will look for the clip. (We have dial up internet this weekend - in laws took the wifi to the cottage).  If it takes too long to find with the dial up, I will look as soon as they come back from the cottage and either post it here or PM you.


----------



## allaboutfish (May 18, 2011)

ok thanks. do you know anything about ghost shrimp? mine came with eggs and i wanna know if they will survive bc i really want them to.


----------



## Donald Hansen (Jan 21, 2011)

The flow of my Aqueon 55 was so powerful the fish did not use that end of the tank. This is what I did to solve the problem. I wired it in place using stainless steel wire. It doesn't reduce the volume one bit, just the speed. Now the fish seem to like being in the flow. If you look close, you can see that the under water part of the plastic plant is full of that good bio stuff. Sorry, forgot what it is called.

DLH


----------



## allaboutfish (May 18, 2011)

hmmmm i might think of doing that with maybe some hornwort, but i always think that if i do that the plant will stop light from getting to my other plants.


----------



## Donald Hansen (Jan 21, 2011)

Since the plastic plant is at the top of the tank and the light is towards the front, it stops very little light. Some of the fish seem to like hang around in the shadow just below it.



DLH


----------

