powerheads in nanos.

[stephen sykes]

is it worth putting a powerhead in a nano 24. i've only got the stock pump running at the mo.

[GSMguy]

its more than worth it i think its neccesary
try a hydor koralia 2
http://www.drsfostersmith.com/Product/Prod_Display.cfm?pcatid=15955&inm=1&N=2004+22788+2035

[stephen sykes]

is that to replace the stock pump? i've got the stock pump and a aquaclear powerhead at the other side of the tank.

[YellowDesmo998]

I have a MJ1200 as the primary pump and another MJ1200 as a closed loop that is housed in chamber 2 with the outlet sticking through the bulkhead (I drilled a hole) and the intake attached to some tubing with an elbow sticking in the display area near the stock outlet. It sits just below the surface.

This makes a very nice pattern of water movement and gives me around 20x flow.

[stephen sykes]

so its takes water in from the display and out into the 2nd chamber???

[YellowDesmo998]

Water in from the display and back out to the display. The powerhead is in chamber 2 so it's not seen in the display. The outlet of the powerhead is sticking through the bulkhead so all you see is the outlet nozzle and a small plastic intake. The powerhead is completely hidden. I'll see what I can do about posting a pic...

[stephen sykes]

ah i see. why not have the intake from chamber 2. this would take more water through your media right?

[YellowDesmo998]

First Image is the display area. Number 1 is the outlet. Number 2 is the intake. The stock outlet is just to the right of the intake (number 2) but you can't see it in the picture.


http://reefcentral.com/gallery/data/500/24597Display.jpg




Number 3 is the pump intake with a 90 degree elbow. It is a 3/4" outside thread with a 1/2" barbed end. I had to cut off approximately 1/4" of the threads so it would sit low enough for the lid to still close. If I would have drilled the outlet hole lower this wouldn't have been a problem. The 3/4" outside thread end fits nice and snug on the intake manifold of the MJ1200. It makes a nice tight seal so air doesn't leak in and cause micro bubbles.

Number 4 is 1/2" vinyl tubing connected to number 5 which is a 90 degree elbow with 1/2" barbed end and a 1/2" inside thread fitting. I super glued the stock intake guard that comes with the MJ1200 to it. It won't stay in by itself. The fitting is just sitting there. It's not secured down but it doesn't need to be. It stays put just fine. I got everything from the hardware store (True Value)



http://reefcentral.com/gallery/data/500/24597Chamber_2.jpg

[YellowDesmo998]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9030001#post9030001 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by stephen sykes
ah i see. why not have the intake from chamber 2. this would take more water through your media right?


I did this at first but it was pumping so much water into the display area that the lighting enclosure was submerged and the water line was over the plastic lip where the feeding door rests.

The overflow just couldn't take in enough water to keep up with the output, even with the skimmer off.

[stephen sykes]

nice work!! i've got a couple of spare pumps but they have built in intakes so i use them for mixing my ro. im having trouble finding a maxijet in the uk. i need to take that powerhead out though, they take up space. post a pic pf your tank.
hey you... out there in the cold, getting lonely, getting old, can you hear me????

[YellowDesmo998]

I would but I have a few "no, no" fish in there. And I'm not in the mood to get piled on by the politically correct reefers on here.

I have a small yellow tang and a small hippo tang. I know I can't keep them forever but I'm enjoying them for now.

Awe, what the hell... give me a few and I'll get a pic up of the whole tank.


.... just a little pin *****, they'll be no more ahhhhhhhh ;)

[Kissfan79]

I have a hippo tang in my 24g Aquapod. He is fairly small...about 1 1/2"...myabe 2 at the most. I realize I will have to upgrade tanks at some point (or get him out of there) but as you said...he is nice to enjoy for the current moment.

Jim

[sstimac]

I've heard the 900's are good additions.

[Agu]

YellowD,

A couple of questions. Did you prime the pump ? If so how did you do it ? Does it lose prime in a power outage ?

Based on the design of impeller driven pumps they can't "suck" water to get the flow started if the line drains. How do you get by that limitation ? Granted if both ends are submerged it won't lose prime but I'm confused about the original priming of the pump.

OK, more than a couple of questions ;) .

[cobs00]

I've seen some really nice nanos with just the stock pump. The most common thing nano owners do is change the stock pump with a maxi 1200. Thats what I do and it works great for me.

[stephen sykes]

does it have to be a maxi? i've seen some other 1200's.

[YellowDesmo998]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9032438#post9032438 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Agu
YellowD,

A couple of questions. Did you prime the pump ? If so how did you do it ? Does it lose prime in a power outage ?

.

No need to prime it. Water will start to flow to the impeller immediately but it takes another 20 to 30 seconds for all the air to be replaced by water. When it does you get a huge blow of micro bubbles then quite, airless operation.

Like you said, because both ends are submerged it doesn't lose its prime when the power goes out. I normally turn this pump off for a few minutes when feeding the tank and it starts right back up when I plug it in again.

[maxdout]

yellow: that is a great work there. I have a few questions...
did you predrill the hole into the false wall before you added your inhabitants or did you do it afterwards?
how did you get your MJ to stay suspended and does it make much vibrating noise?

[YellowDesmo998]

I drilled it after the tank was setup but all I had in it was live rock and a small clean-up crew. The particles from the bulkhead will float and are readily scooped up with a fish net. Just turn off all the pumps before starting.

What I did was drain the water several inches below the point where I wanted to drill. Then I drilled a small pilot hole then drilled the main hole.

Without looking at the drill bits I don't remember the exact size, but what I did was drill the size of the outside diameter of the tube that clips on the output nozzle of the MJ1200. The one that the flanged piece snaps on to. It's figure 1 above. This tube should slide right in to the hole that was drilled. It may be a little snug but that’s good as you don’t want too much water seeping through the bulkhead.

Then I put the suction cup bracket on the MJ1200 and positioned it so the suction cups stick to the inside wall of the bulkhead. They don’t stay perfectly but it adds a damping between the MJ1200 and the bulkhead thus reducing any noise. Then I slipped the output nozzle through the hole and into the tube that has the flange (again, figure 1).

There is enough friction that the MJ1200 stays securely. Every once and a while I’ll reseat the suction cups but it seems they stay rather well.

The longest part was finding the elbows I needed. The one that attaches to the MJ1200’s input manifold is a white nylon piece. I found it at True Value near the gray barbed pieces we’re all familiar with. But because I drilled the hole a little high I had to trim down nylon elbow.

Let me know if I can help any more. I can take a few more pics if that will help.

[GSMguy]

one maxijet added to a 24g would not be enough for me sorry

[YellowDesmo998]

Agreed... that’s why I have two. One as the return pump and one as a closed loop

[Monkey55]

well, is there anything else you can replace the stock pump with in a Oceanic biocube 29. that puts out 600GPH out od the stock output. I don't want an eyesore, and I don't want to have to drill or mod my tank anymore. I have cut and hacked it up enough with skimmers and lights and filters.

but I am looking to do 20X turnover per hour. And am wondering if spittin all that water out of the stock output is efficient enough and mix make my tank happy?

[elmatth1]

I saw a thread somewhere where a guy had a closed loop wrap around the front upper lip of his nano using flexible black tubing with two or three nozzles for water output. Looked nice and discreet, too bad i can't remember where I saw it. Hopefully someone else here can post a pic of it if they know what i'm talking about.

[Monkey55]

why can't you just put a maxi jet 1200 on top of the stock pump. then plumb a second line to a second out put. Maybe put a hydor flo on the second output. Then you would have 600gph, and a pulsing water stream from one out put, It would also look very discreet.

[YellowDesmo998]

I can't speak for the other nano's but the NanoCube 24DX can’t seem to take in enough water to keep up with the pumps. I had two MJ1200's running at first and the water level in the display area was so high that the lighting fixture was submerged and the water line as millimeters away from overflowing the tank.

I even tried adjusting the surface skimmer but it didn't make a difference. The pumps were sucking the chambers dry.

[sditch]

Nice Looking Work......I will have to try and get that installed on my tank, I already replaced my stock pump with a MJ1200 and I have a MJ900 sitting around.

[rreynell]

As Bill Gates would say...WOW..
I put a mj1200 in my 20G as a replacement pump and almost overflowed the 2inch lip...
What flow though...will have pictures once everything settles down...