In- / Outflows

Looks matter! Attractive filter in- and outlows

The filter tubes, filter inlets and filter outlets supplied with the purchase of an external filter are often made of green, gray or black plastic. This visually suboptimal accessory is often replaced by so-called Lily Pipes made of glass or stainless steel, especially in aquascaping. This exquisite filter accessory has been made famous by the originator of nature aquaristics, Takashi Amano. Especially through use of a filter in- and outlet made of glass, the filter technology in the aquarium turns almost invisible. The onlooker can enjoy the underwater landscape, without being distracted by interfering elements. But Lily Pipes made of glass need to be cleaned regularly to keep it this way. We have an article in our Aquascaping Wiki on that topic. Filter tubes made of stainless steel are a good and still very stylish alternative, if you are looking for a solution with less maintenance. Filter accessories made of stainless steel represent a durable, virtually unbreakable solution.

In- and outflows made of glass or stainless steel are available in all common hose diameters like 9/12, 12/16 and 16/22 mm. The glassware or stainless steel product is always dimensioned one millimeter larger to guarantee a secure grip between filter tube and the hose. In addition, the Aquascaper has the choice between an attachment method by means of one or more suction cups or the so-called hang-on variant. Lily Pipes of this kind are simply hung over the rim of the aquarium, avoiding suction cups and disctracting suction marks on the aquarium's pane. A great variant, which is especially well-suited for smaller nano aquariums.

With the various filter outlets from our online shop, different flow situations can be created. The classic Lily Pipe outflow offers a rather moderate flow. If you want hardly any surface movement at all, the Loop Pipe is the way to go. Stronger and more accurate water movements can be generated with the so-called Jet Pipe. These and more filter outlets are presented in the article Lily Pipe in more detail.

The inflows (filter intakes) have different options as well. For a clean surface, free from surface scum, a so-called Surface Skimmer is used. This filter accessory consists of a special filter inflow with a surface "drain" - the actual skimmer

Anyone wanting to protect his aquarium inhabitants and especially the offspring of fish and shrimp from being sucked in by the filter inlet, is well-advised using a suitable intake protection. These filter guards are fine stainless steel meshes, which can be slid flushly over a filter tube.

To ensure that fragile glassware such as Lily Pipes arrive safely, those items are prepared especially diligently for shipping. The packages are lined with air cushion bags and loose items are secured against slipping inside the package. In addition, packages with glass content are marked with a corresponding sticker before shipping: Caution Glass.