Hydor Koralia Super-Mod - Page 6

humboldt reefer · #**126** 03/22/2007, 01:41 AM

Yeah forgot they are the mj1200 magnets. I'll never go back lol. So much easier and better looking aswell.

chem-e · #**127** 03/24/2007, 11:05 AM

I'm having a problem with the prop spinning in the wrong direction. I have a Dumas 3004 on a MJ1200 magnet and it looks just like Kroe's picture on the first page. When I start it up, it pops out and then eventually starts spinning, but it spins in the wrong way. It does a great job cleaning the pump, but I'd like to get it to spin in the right direction. Any ideas?
Thanks

SeaView · #**128** 03/24/2007, 12:37 PM

I just recieved a K4 as a replacemment for my recalled k2. The flow is fantastic and I don't think I will mod.

smjtkj · #**129** 03/24/2007, 01:28 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by chem-e
I'm having a problem with the prop spinning in the wrong direction. I have a Dumas 3004 on a MJ1200 magnet and it looks just like Kroe's picture on the first page. When I start it up, it pops out and then eventually starts spinning, but it spins in the wrong way. It does a great job cleaning the pump, but I'd like to get it to spin in the right direction. Any ideas?
Thanks

Trim the prop down a little.

chem-e · #**130** 03/25/2007, 02:01 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by smjtkj
Trim the prop down a little.

Thanks. I'll give this a try, but I'm curious why this would help. I can understand if the magnets weren't strong enough to turn a larger prop, but how does a smaller prop help induce the prop to turn in the right direction?

jacmyoung · #**131** 03/25/2007, 07:21 PM

Actually it should be the opposite. Your prop is not large enough to pull the magnet out of the motor when it is running in reverse, so it got stuck on the reverse flow. If the prop is larger, the force of the reverse flow will be able to pull the prop unit out of the motor socket more and allow the magnet to escape the magnetic field of the motor, when that happens the prop stops spinning, and the unit is then sucked back into the hole, a new startup attempt will begin, and this time the rotation may be correct, if not the self-correct process will just repeat itself until the prop get to spin right.

I thought the Octura 1440 works well in K4 and is bigger than Dumas 3004.

smjtkj · #**132** 03/25/2007, 09:22 PM

Try covering the opening in front of the prop with your hand and
removing your hand. It should reverse right away. If it doesn't,
try trimming the ends of the prop down a little at a time. That should do the trick.

Horace · #**133** 03/28/2007, 10:34 AM

Well my koralias are FINALLY on the way. Foster & Smith has a big back log on these pumps. I ordered them almost a month ago and they just shipped them yesterday. I also bought myself a Reefkeeper2 so I can run them on an hour on/off cycle. Running dual modded K4s will be too much for my 75g.

My plan is to have each pushing ~2000gph and switch them to create some changing current in the tank. Right now I have a MJ900 modded with Dual Nitros and a Seio 820, both running on the same side of the tank with no switching. Each K4 mod should put out as much or more flow than both those pumps combined, plus its going to switch. Im really looking forward to it

jacmyoung · #**134** 03/28/2007, 11:18 AM

Just ordered from Drs. as well, $47.99 plus shipping shipped yesterday. Planning on doing the mods also.

jacmyoung · #**135** 04/04/2007, 06:05 PM

Got my K4 and did a quick mod, I used a Tunze 6060 prop with a MJ1200 impeller magnet, the flow increase was marginal and the pump was drawing 19W!!! Although the K4 motor was barely keeping up with the 6060 prop so that may be the cause for inefficient operation.

Will try to use an trimmed down Octura 1440 to see if it will improve the pumping and power use.

jacmyoung · #**136** 04/05/2007, 01:38 AM

I did manage to improve the K4 mod to the point it now draws 16W, and based on the trimming done on the prop and my feel of hand between the modded K4 and my modded 6025, I'd say the K4 modded pumps out about 1600gph.

I found out the best match of the prop and magnet is the Octura 1240 with the MJ1200 impeller unit. I only needed to pop out the stock impeller out of the magnet, and slide the 1240 prop down tightly. For the testing purpose I did not even have to glue them together. Below are some pictures:

MJ1200 impeller drive unit fitted with a Octura 1240 prop:

Modded prop unit in the K4 motor:

Amount of trimming needed on the 1240 prop to get it to work with the K4 motor:

I am currently working on reducing the size of the K4 by at least 1/3, only after that I would allow it in my tank.

jacmyoung · #**137** 04/06/2007, 11:37 PM

Last but not the least, pictures of the original K4 and the downsized K4, with my modded 6025 for comparison.

1st, the original K4:

2nd, the downsized K4:

I cut about 3/4" off the cap of the K4, also cut the shaft and shaft holder on the cross bar accordingly. This is not only to reduce the size of the K4, more importantly to turn the cross bar into a stopper so at the startup if the prop spins backwards, the blades hit the cross bar and stops, goes back into the socket and corrects the spin. This makes the self-correction less noisy and much more swift.

The only thing I can think of is trying to attach the modded K4 to a Seaswirl to create wave motion, since the K4 can not be put on an on-and-off timer.

jsc1362 · #**138** 04/07/2007, 08:36 AM

I found these powerheads at another place because Drs. had them backordered:

Hydor Powerheads

vic8361 · #**139** 04/07/2007, 09:56 AM

jacmyoung did the flow pattern change when you changed the prop?
Thanks,
Vic

N-A-S-O · #**140** 04/07/2007, 10:35 AM

downsized K4?? is that the one on the left? when did they do that?

jacmyoung · #**141** 04/07/2007, 04:20 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by vic8361
jacmyoung did the flow pattern change when you changed the prop?
Thanks,
Vic

No the flow pattern seemed dictated by the front cover.

Quote:

Originally posted by N-A-S-O
downsized K4?? is that the one on the left? when did they do that?

No on the left is a modded 6025. The K4s are right to the soda can, you can see the difference one in the top picture one in the bottom picture. I did them!

jacmyoung · #**142** 04/07/2007, 08:48 PM

Finally put the pump in the tank, the magnet barely worked on my 1/2" glass panel, the heavy side of the pump kept sliding down. Also the flow is so wide it can not push beyond 2.5' even with the large prop.

norcal99 · #**143** 04/16/2007, 01:50 AM

Has anybody attempted to Mod a Koralia 1? I'm thinking of trying to fit a larger prop on it but upgrading the magnet is limiting because the stock one is so friggin small! I can't even fit an MJ600 magnet into it. Is the larger magnet necessary to propel the larger prop?

vt4lifecuf · #**144** 04/19/2007, 01:53 PM

thanks for the tips

jacmyoung · #**145** 04/24/2007, 07:15 AM

After permanently attaching the Octura 1240 prop to the MJ impleller drive, the modded K4 is now consistently pumping out more flow than a modded 6025. It now draws 17W and by my guess pumping 1,600gph.

The modded front cap caused some vibration noise since it was difficult to center it perfectly. Guess the stock cover is the only way to go and we just have to live with the bigger size.

The only concern now is the fact the K4 motor is rated 12W, the long term prospect of over-driving it at 17W is anyone's guess. So any experts here want to speculate on that?

Altpers0na-old · #**146** 04/24/2007, 07:45 AM

its going to fail sooner than it should.... your adding nearly half again the watts it should use... more heat , more stress, less pump life.

but how much less... thats anyones guess...

chem-e · #**147** 04/24/2007, 12:03 PM

I ran the K4 with the Dumas 3004 and it was just too much flow for my 3 ft wide tank. I have a couple of Octura 1435 props on order, so hopefully, these will be more in line with what I need.

For those of you looking for a good amount of flow at a decent price, the K4 w/ Dumas 3004 is the way to go. The only change is the prop and magnet, so it looks stock and it also has a magnet mount. It's a little bigger than the Nanostream, but it moves a lot of water. I don't know about power draw because I don't have a meter.

medic29 · #**148** 04/24/2007, 12:28 PM

I've got a meter and that is the way I did mine. I'll have to check and post in a little while.

jacmyoung · #**149** 04/24/2007, 01:22 PM

You can just trim the prop more for less flow. Any of the props mentioned above will be too big for the K4 motor to handle, I have tried all of them (Dumas 2004, Oct 1435, 1440 and 1240), they all needed trimmed back, so all ended up the same size after the trimming.

The Octura 1240 prop fits the MJ impeller perfectly, no need of any sanding or cutting to fit, I didn't even have to use glue, it is just that nice a fit. And I even like the yellow better.

OK one small correction, I did have to sand the little bump on the impeller shaft in order to press the prop into it. The bump is visible in the prop/impeller picture above, it is right below the yellow prop. After the bump was sanded narrower, the 1240 prop pressed right into it and made a very good and tight fit so no glue was even necessary.

Horace · #**150** 04/24/2007, 01:54 PM

I have two K4s with Dumas 3004 props (trimmed). I have them on a one hour timer. THey do make some noise on startup but other than that they work great on my 75. A ton of flow and by alternating the flow every hour I have a nice changing current as well. Im happy so far.