i dont eat fish
11/07/2006, 04:07 PM
I've been lurking these boards for some time now. I think it's about time I made a somewhat meaningful contribution.
I read up on the maxi jet modifications that many others have been successful with. This is my take on the mod.
My tank previously had two ac 70's, one at each end, blowing toward the center of the tank for a little turbulance. It worked just fine and my fish were happy.
I decided to pull one of the pumps and mod it...
Here is my materials list:
AC 70 powerhead
AC "quick filter" cut in half
Dumas 3004 propeller (from tower hobbies <$2)
2 part epoxy "syringe style"
1 papermate ink pen (bic is too big)I used the tube of the pen to attach the prop to the magnet
Tools:
dremel tool (sanding drum and small barrel shaped cutting bit)
razor blades
My review of this mod...
In my 75 gallon tank, I'm still deciding if it's too powerful. My trigger swims against the current all the time. He seems to love it. My pork puffer doesn't seem to interested unless i'm feeding him. I have to turn it off at night because I don't think they can sleep.
All of my sand has all found a new home and now it looks like a rolling hill with parts of the tank bottom showing in some spots.
It sounds pretty quiet. There's a slight hum, but nothing major. When I start up the pump, it chatters for about 10-20 seconds before it gets going.
My educated guess is that 1 out of 5 times I start it up, it will go in reverse. Statistically that's pretty good, but definitely not perfect.
There is a little ripple of water that's up to the plastic lip on the tank's top opposite the pump.
It's not trying to overflow, but it is a decent sign showing the power of this pump.
I attached it using an old magnetic algae scraper I had lying around, it was not quite strong enough so I had to put the old AC suction mount in first, so the magnet wouldn't slide down the glass.
Ok, now for the pictures:
http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid217/p70f251d8b865aa4efd80698adbb744e9/ec4249fa.jpg
http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid217/pb202ca15291ab82bfc8463e71e9320d7/ec4249f9.jpg
http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid217/p3feb5936a1446531967ea04850e76053/ec4249fc.jpg
http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid217/ped167c4b8e9c819906675b4a309d83ad/ec4247f9.jpg
http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid217/p21ca4a769d27ec5e2c6934570a2376bf/ec4247d7.jpg
http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid217/p090bef02959b55ab3a71390dafdce01f/ec424614.jpg
http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid217/p90e580383018953d790e16ae13f245af/ec4245ba.jpg
http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid217/p6e826105c5401003013410cf17084eaf/ec42430a.jpg
http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid217/p7992ba16df83b988dc56e5aafa23385c/ec424128.jpg
http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid217/pac90d900d156631fd6ec74079d172931/ec4240ba.jpg
I read up on the maxi jet modifications that many others have been successful with. This is my take on the mod.
My tank previously had two ac 70's, one at each end, blowing toward the center of the tank for a little turbulance. It worked just fine and my fish were happy.
I decided to pull one of the pumps and mod it...
Here is my materials list:
AC 70 powerhead
AC "quick filter" cut in half
Dumas 3004 propeller (from tower hobbies <$2)
2 part epoxy "syringe style"
1 papermate ink pen (bic is too big)I used the tube of the pen to attach the prop to the magnet
Tools:
dremel tool (sanding drum and small barrel shaped cutting bit)
razor blades
My review of this mod...
In my 75 gallon tank, I'm still deciding if it's too powerful. My trigger swims against the current all the time. He seems to love it. My pork puffer doesn't seem to interested unless i'm feeding him. I have to turn it off at night because I don't think they can sleep.
All of my sand has all found a new home and now it looks like a rolling hill with parts of the tank bottom showing in some spots.
It sounds pretty quiet. There's a slight hum, but nothing major. When I start up the pump, it chatters for about 10-20 seconds before it gets going.
My educated guess is that 1 out of 5 times I start it up, it will go in reverse. Statistically that's pretty good, but definitely not perfect.
There is a little ripple of water that's up to the plastic lip on the tank's top opposite the pump.
It's not trying to overflow, but it is a decent sign showing the power of this pump.
I attached it using an old magnetic algae scraper I had lying around, it was not quite strong enough so I had to put the old AC suction mount in first, so the magnet wouldn't slide down the glass.
Ok, now for the pictures:
http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid217/p70f251d8b865aa4efd80698adbb744e9/ec4249fa.jpg
http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid217/pb202ca15291ab82bfc8463e71e9320d7/ec4249f9.jpg
http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid217/p3feb5936a1446531967ea04850e76053/ec4249fc.jpg
http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid217/ped167c4b8e9c819906675b4a309d83ad/ec4247f9.jpg
http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid217/p21ca4a769d27ec5e2c6934570a2376bf/ec4247d7.jpg
http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid217/p090bef02959b55ab3a71390dafdce01f/ec424614.jpg
http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid217/p90e580383018953d790e16ae13f245af/ec4245ba.jpg
http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid217/p6e826105c5401003013410cf17084eaf/ec42430a.jpg
http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid217/p7992ba16df83b988dc56e5aafa23385c/ec424128.jpg
http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid217/pac90d900d156631fd6ec74079d172931/ec4240ba.jpg