Water Movement

[BigC]

I have been toying with ideas for water movement in my head for quite some time now and today to relieve a bout of boredom I put together this piece of kit.

It is basically a length of PVC downpipe with two Maxijet 900 powerheads, one at either end, attached to the outlets are 2 Hydor Flo deflectors. The Heater/Stat is inside the pipe.
The intake pipe lefthand side leads to my Eheim canister filter and the spraybar on the right returns the flow behind the reef.
There is also a little mesh intake in the centre of the unit.
The back of the aquarium will be painted black so I hope it will be as inconspicious as poss when coraline takes hold etc.
The two powerfilter pipes will also be obscured with live rock.

Well what do you think.....keep it clean.....
Do the membership see any failings in this diy job, if so please elaborate as it's a work in progress whilst my new setup arrives next Thursday.
Regards
BigC

 

[shibby]

woah im liking it, clever idea indeeed!

if only if i had any diy use i could do something .... good work BigC

 

[AndyS]

Im liking that idea, im assuming that the powerhead intakes are at either end of the tube and that will be left open? I have found that you lose a bit of the power from a maxijet using the hydor flo adapters so you might have to see what the tanks flowrate is like once running.

 

[BigC]

Thanks Shibby...

assuming that the powerhead intakes are at either end of the tube and that will be left open? I have found that you lose a bit of the power from a maxijet using the hydor flo adapters so you might have to see what the tanks flowrate is like once running.

Yeah, and I have bored some holes in the back also for water to enter the pipe. In any case the tank is only 610mm in length so 900ltr per hr x2 even with the flow reduction caused by the deflectors there should be ample flow. The external canister will have two sponges and a bag of Rowaphos, its flow rate is catalogued at 1000ltrs per hour, but like you say practice rather than theory will tell all.
I made it in such a way as the sucker holders on the back of the maxi-jets are utilised to stick the thing to the back pane of glass on the tank. I will position the whole unit about 75mm down below the water line so as evaporation wont become a problem.
Thanks for expressing your views
Regards
BigC

 

[SkiFletch]

Makes so much more sense now that I've seen it . Looks great BigC. Too bad those filter pipes dont come in black

 

[BigC]

Too bad those filter pipes dont come in black

Yeah I know ( black would be better)I was thinking that also from the outset, sourcing them is a problem. (especially in Black). I just used some Eheim ridgid pipe that I had lying around.
Thanks for your imput Fletch...always appreciated. Incidentally I got on to the LFS about the delay of my cabinet and they promised me next Thursday deffo.
Cant wait to get started.
Regards
BigC

 

[SkiFletch]

In time, they'll be covered in coraline algae anyways

 

[BigC]

In time, they'll be covered in coraline algae anyways

Guess I'll just leave them as they are in that case.
Thanks again.
BigC

 

[steelhealr]

It's an interesting DIY...let us know how it works. My only question is will the intake be able to supply the gph of the Maxijet pump?

Someone PM'd me about starting a pico subforum, which, I think is splitting hairs, but, I've always wondered about doing up a DIY forum. Hmmmmm.

SH

 

[kkyyllee]

do both?

 

[BigC]

My only question is will the intake be able to supply the gph of the Maxijet pump?

I'm hoping it will as I have drilled a series of 32mm holes along its length at the back of the unit.
Thanks for your comments guys
Regards
BigC

 

[BigC]

Just a little up date... I have modified the unit so as the intake and spraybar pipes are at the outside edges of the unit. I did this inorder for the flexipipe to and from the filter had easier access to the aquarium.