Tunze nano mod

[NewSchool04]

I did the mod and connected it to two swirls tonight. Glue is still drying, they will be running tonight. I did it a little different so I could manuever the pump and take out for cleaning.

What do you think?

[mano1192]

now thats a cool idea but what about he cord? will it get wrapoped up as it spins?

[mano1192]

*wrapped

[dhnguyen]

jacmyoung... That's called prop balancing what you did. This is what RC boat builders do to get the best performance from the propellers. The more balanced the prop = the quieter and less vibration which means less resistance + less drag = better performance. You can really fine tune the propeller by using a propeller balancer like the below:
http://www2.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin...&I=LXHY61&P=ML

I DIY my own Mj mod for about $10 in parts plus an old MJ1200 I had in hand with enough leftover parts for 3 or 4 more mods. So this argument about modding a MJ pump costing more than the nano is BS IMO. If you can't or unwilling to DIY then obviously the MJ mod is not for you. The majority of the cost in the kit from MJmods.com is in labour. It takes time to measure and cut the shroud, etc... Time is exactly what you are doing with the nano mod IMO. If you translate that time to dollars, how much do you think the nano mod would cost ontop of the cost of the pump already?

3000gph is also stretching it a bit I think for the MJ mod. From my own testings, the MJ mod spinning the Dumas 3004 propeller is more like 2000-2400 gph range. Not sure about power consumption as I don't have a kill-a-watt to test that. 2000-2400 gph is not even in the same league for a modded 6025. My modded MJ600 (7.5w stock) can easily put out more flow than a modded 6025 with the modded MJ400 (5w stock) feels about as much as the modded 6025.

Remember too that the "MJ mod" can be done on ANY submersible pump and powerhead and not just Maxijet so you can actually do it on any powerhead you have lying around . I've done successful mods on AquaClear, Mag 3, JBJ, Penguin, Walmart's Regent brand ph, even JEBO pumps.

IMO if you are going to mod, why not start with a cheaper pump in the first place? I also think it's kinda funny how a lot of folks tout Tunze being the "best" pump this and that, buy one and then hack it up to pieces to make it better... Kinda an oxymoron IMO. Not that the Vortech is without its own issues, but you don't see anyone modding that pump do ya.... Something to consider.

But to each his own I guess.

[jacmyoung]

dhnguyen, thanks for the prop balancer info. I do want people to be aware that while the conventional prop balance works with hobby boats and even MJMods, it may not be very useful for Nanostreams because the shroud openings are not evenly distributed. The stock shrouds open up more on the top while the full blast mod opens up more at the underside.

The way I balanced my 6055 mod was admittedly more tedious than most people would care for. After sanding down the 6200 prop so the pump draw was 26W and 1.13A, I began filing down on each blade in very small increments, each time putting everything back together and tested as if in real use, after the back and forth filing of one or both blades, eventually arrived at the most balanced state. And in the end the two blades are not precisely the same size, in order to cancel out the uneven flow through the shroud. In another word the balancing of the 6055 mod will be very specific to the magnet driver you use, how much you sand down the driver part, the prop part, and how you build the DIY shroud. Not to mention the loss of warranty. That will be enough to deter most people from such attempt.

Another thing is you really should invest in a Kill-A-Watt meter, it is dirt cheap and give you instant watts reading. You have quoted the stock watts on MJ400 and MJ600, but I will bet when a bigger prop is used to pump out more than a stock 6025, they also consume more watts if only you had the meter to tell. IMO MJ powerheads are probably some of the least efficiently built pumps out there, they all seem to have big enough motor mass (re more material cost) to be able to go up to 30W, yet are sold for much smaller use, by putting smaller impellers in. You simply can not use the so called stock wattage as your MJMod reference power draw. Of course one manufacture's inefficient design is another DIYer's blessing.

After many practices on the Nano mods, I can do the standard 6025 mod in less than 5 minutes, and the full blast mod another 10 minutes. So time is on the nano mod side too.

As far as modding a Tunze being an oxymoron thing to do, you certainly have the right to your opinion, just you know one of the senior RC members commented that he thought of the same but after reading this thread he had completely changed his mind, and so can you my friend

But to tell you a secret, what I really hope all these Tunze Nano Mods do is to pressure Tunze to come out with newer and more improved nano pumps that can rival their own stream pumps and the Vortech, and may be more other new pumps on the horizon. I know for a fact after talking to Hydor preps that they are working hard on more powerful Koralia pumps and a controller too.

The good thing is Tunze already has the Nanostreams foundation built, and from our mods we know they can easily roll out more powerful version of Nanos. Of course whether they will do so we have no control over. Maybe they don't want to cut into their Stream pumps sale, but that would be very short-sighted.

[mr pink floyd]

DH, alot of this thread, was as Jacmyoung said, to get tunze to change. Read back to the first few pages, all the different things i found to make it better, i wrote tunze should do this, tunze should do that.

This mod is also extremely easy. I did it with a hacksaw and tin snips. Like said before, i have a small tank, i dont like alot of pumps, or big pumps, so this worked great for me .

[GSMguy]

i think that tunze is watching us
at least Rodger is

the new redesigned turbelle stream pumps will be taking a few tricks from the nanos i have a feeling

[NewSchool04]

how loud are your 6025's after modding? Mine seems to have a definitive hum or even growl.

[GSMguy]

Originally posted by NewSchool04
how loud are your 6025's after modding? Mine seems to have a definitive hum or even growl.

mine stayed silent how long have you had yours?

[NewSchool04]

just started it up 5 minutes ago

[GSMguy]

take your hand and cup the pump while it is running sometimes the shroud is a lil off and it vibrates until you properly secure it if that wont work give it 24 hours. then they quiet down
most nano stream Reviews cited vibration during the first 24 hours. my origional 6025s did that my replacements did not.

BTW Tunze customer service is so good rodger replaced both my pumps even though only one was making noise.

[bergzy]

Originally posted by jacmyoung
The good thing is Tunze already has the Nanostreams foundation built, and from our mods we know they can easily roll out more powerful version of Nanos. Of course whether they will do so we have no control over. Maybe they don't want to cut into their Stream pumps sale, but that would be very short-sighted.

this is the very reason i got the nano streams.

i prefer to have ph's in my main display over a closed loop...but:

i absolutely hate the look of full size streams. i also do not like the rough appearance of modding mj's.

the nano's have been what i have been looking for. very small size, decent flow (after modding) and a pretty aesthetic appearance...much more so than a hulk of a pump on an equally hulking magnet mount (reg streams) and the aesthetic rounded appearance which is better than any in tank mounted pump i have seen yet imo (both reg streams and mj modded).

vortech?

one day.

they seem to be very young in its development still but have great potential if they can find some way of directing their flow and controlling their flow (yes, i constantly hear that the controller is coming out).

directing flow? yep, i would love to put a vortech in the back bottom corner of my tank. i would need a 45 degree bend to do what i want. yes, i have read that the vortech gives a great dispersed flow but that's not what i am asking now, am i?

thanks for the mod thread guys! it was this very thread that convinced me that getting a few nano's would solve a lot of what i was looking for. and the way i see it...as a consumer, if i was looking for this...i am more than certain that others are looking for it as well. it is up to manufacturers to realize this and cater to our wants and needs, otherwise, someone else will and profit from that.

[GSMguy]

take your hand and cup the pump while it is running sometimes the shroud is a lil off and it vibrates until you properly secure it if that wont work give it 24 hours. then they quiet down
most nano stream Reviews cited vibration during the first 24 hours. my origional 6025s did that my replacements did not.

BTW Tunze customer service is so good rodger replaced both my pumps even though only one was making noise.

[NewSchool04]

Thand GSMguy, I'll try that.
This pump on my swirl is unbelievable and I haven't gotten the second one on the tank yet! I'm having problems fitting the swirl to the back of the tank, it's too close to the back wall. They may have to be side by side right in the middle of the tank going opposit ways. I'm out to Home Depot to see if I can find some nylon screws that are a little longer than the ones that came with the swirl.

[bergzy]

newschool,

looks like you gotta get that submariner a little more wet in the tank!!!

[NewSchool04]

how'd you know?!

[bergzy]

Originally posted by NewSchool04
how'd you know?!

[NewSchool04]

you're good bergzy!

[dhnguyen]

jacmyoung.... Don't get me wrong I like what you're doing to the nano. But I think it would be somewhat a dream yet to think that one could pressure the manufacturers to change their tunes.

1. It costs, and it costs A LOT to retool/redesign for mass production.

2. It also costs to QA the redesigned product. Gotta have decent QA to know what you can or cannot support in your product.

3. Especially since the nano mod isn't difficult to do, more the reasons why a manufacturer won't redesign it. I mean why would they when people can just as easily buy the product and mod it or pay someone else to do it for them.

4. Bottom line here again is money. They will only change if it makes them money and as long as people keep buying an inefficiently designed product, they will never change. This would be true for any manufacturer and not limited to just Tunze.

5. I also think it's highly unlikely for Tunze to design a nano version that can put out as much flow as the larger 6000, 6100, and 6200 behemoths. That means they would have to phase out 3 product lines to do this and these have been the cash cows for Tunze thus far. Only way to make this happen is if other manufacturers start putting out nano like pumps that CAN compete with the larger stream pumps. Hydor maybe doing just that ...

If the MJ mod haven't yet pressured Aquarium Pharmaceuticals/Marine Land/ Instant Ocean or what have ya to start producing these stream style pumps from their own MJ motors, I don't hold much hope for the nano mod being able to change Tunze's ways either. But I could be wrong and just maybe.... Just maybe they would wake up and give the consumers what we REALLY want and not what they THINK we oughta have.

[jacmyoung]

Originally posted by NewSchool04
Thand GSMguy, I'll try that.
This pump on my swirl is unbelievable and I haven't gotten the second one on the tank yet! I'm having problems fitting the swirl to the back of the tank, it's too close to the back wall. They may have to be side by side right in the middle of the tank going opposit ways. I'm out to Home Depot to see if I can find some nylon screws that are a little longer than the ones that came with the swirl.

If that does not work, you can try a 90 degree elbow (or 45 degree) to connect the SS to your nano clamp mod so the 6025 will stick out more. The beauty of the nano is the clamp can be any orientation and the ball will be fully adjustable.

[jacmyoung]

dhnguyen, a few points:

1) Tunze does not need to redesign the nanos to put out more flow, if I can do it so can they. The motor is rated 24V and 1.2A, much more so than the 6055 really needs. You can say they built a very inefficeint motor, or I can say they were preparing for something bigger to come, all a matter of perspective. As an example, they can easily upgrade the transformer for 6055 and allow the prop to spin much faster, put out more flow without any retooling. They have done so for the Stream pumps. The 6000 can be turned into a 6100 by replacing the transformer. Or they can easily make a more pitched prop for 6055 and drive the flow higher, in this case the new prop is all they have to make.

2) I don't think 6025 and 6045 are inefficient. Yes the flows are restricted, but the nanos are just that, made for nano tanks that need sub-1,000 gph flow.

I agree with you they will not do anything if their Stream pumps sale is not under any threat, but now we have VorTech and other newcomers on the horizon so things can be different.

BTW, the newer batch Nanos have already implemented some suggestions posted in this very thread, and in fact I recall one comment you made very early on about the advantage of using a stainless steel washer, did you know they have one in every new nano pumps now? You are giving yourself too little credit

[jacmyoung]

Wrong click.

[jacmyoung]

BTW, I also trimmed down the 6055 prop to the point that my 6045 could consistently drive it, at that point the pump was drawing 8W. My bag test showed the flow was not much less than earlier test with the stock euro-prop (6055 prop) which was 1500gph, it is now about 1450gph. It will be a tough call if the extra 250gph is worth the trouble though.

Similarly hand trimming down the prop if done right could further reduce the pump vibration, my 6045 pump with the slightly trimmed 6055 prop indeed vibrated less than when it was driving its own prop (6025/6045 prop).

[dhnguyen]

jacmyoung... The retooling I was talking about is for a redesigned shroud which would incorporate some very simple mods to increase the flow and also add a prop stopper to make the nano more efficient (basically all the stuff that you have been doing to the nano). Remember even a small and simple change will require retooling for the new mold and that costs major money when you're talking about mass production.

Speaking of changes in design, I noted that the Hydor K pumps have recently started using ceramic shafts. Bad idea IMHO, we all know how fragile ceramic is... Better to stay with stainless steel or use a better/stronger material likie carbon fiber IMO.


D.

[dhnguyen]

DP...