Water Circulation

Anyone? 

The outlet is pointing left towards the inlet atm but not much seems to be finding it's way to the inlet pipe.

I've no experience in external's either so this is just a guess, but wondering whether directing the outlet to the right (i.e. away from the inlet) could help? It sounds as if you are creating a left to right flow, hence why the leftover food is settling underneath the outlet, whereas you perhaps need a right to left flow so that the opposite happens - theoretically the 'pull' of the inlet could then continue the circulation??

Yes, although I wasn't sure how close it was to the glass. Can you also angle the outlet up/down? If so you could try it angled down or at water level whilst directing it right. Still a shot in the dark though!

Didn't work db, just collected front right instead of back

fc76 I tried that but couldn't find one. Loads about taking it out of the box though 

Thanks all anyway, I've emailed the Hagen help desk people for their opinion, seems like they are very helpful

You don't want the water to flow from the outlet directly to the input; That would just filter the same water over and over again. You say there's not much water finding it's way into the input of your filter. If you sit and think, this is illogical. If there is water coming out of the filter, then that much water, no more and no less, is finding it's way into the filter. That's what we mean by 'circulation'!

I apologise if you found my post patronising; That was not my intention. When formulating an answer to a post I have little idea of the target of my reply. You may be a professor of fluid dynamics or a science hating teenager, It isn't easy to find the right tone.

You appeared to expect the food being washed around from the outlet to get sucked into the input and I assumed that you expected the water flow to be directly from output to input. If this isn't what you meant, then, yes, perhaps you should have been clearer.

As to what you should do, well most people with an external filter would arrange the input and output as you have; One on  one side of the tank, the other on the opposite side. It is undesirable to set up your filter so as to suck in food. The food is for the fishes, not the filter. It will get stuck inside the filter, decay and increase the ammonia load on your filter. Not to mention being a waste of money. Secondly, it is almost impossible to arrange your filter to prevent dead spots, especially if you have any obstructions such as plants, wood, rocks or plastic deep sea divers in the tank. These will all divert the flow in some way. This holds true even if you use a spraybar. A spraybar just alters the circulation patterns and is usually used to reduce the force of the flow from the output. So if your flow is too strong, use a spraybar; if it isn't, you should be OK with what you have.

Thanks nm, not a fan of turning the filter off but I will try turning it down when feeding.

Cheers Steve, so would you leave the outflow facing right to left or is there a better direction to point for better circulation? Also I'm not saying that I want food to be sucked into the filter, I'm just concerned that anything that should be filtered to keep the tank crystal clear will not find it's way there. Sorry if I was a bit grumpy, it was late and my plastic deep seas diver has died 

If you have plants, fiddle with it until the leaves of your plants flutter; Just a little sort of waft will do, to indicate there is some current. It's difficult to give a general rule, perhaps a professor of fluid dynamics might help, if we have one around 

Just as an example, mine points at 45^o towards the front of the tank and the inlet. But this just works for me.

As for your grumpiness; I have a reputation for being a grumpy old git, so I can take it so don't worry about it.

I have a reputation for being a grumpy old git,

Indeed! 

try placing a spray bar half way down the back of the tank
you might find it will help