PHReef's Powerhead prop mod

[Pat H.]

Very nice PH reef. I'm using a few more crude model's. Let me know if you have any mod's available. Here is a link to the thread on mine.
http://www.reeflounge.com/showthread.php?t=17333

Isn't it amazing how much more flow you get from the MJ's when modified. Thanks for the link. If your from this area, why didn't you post it here?
Have any of your fish ever been injured by the open prop? Seems like a gaurd of some type would be a good idea.

 

[Jill & Brian]

Cool Brian! Nice simple hanger.

Thanks Patrick, At the first BRS meeting I attended, Greg Hiller did a quick demonstration on making brackets out of acrylic. Since then, I have made one for every pump in my tank. They are really easy, and fun to make

-Brian

 

[Pat H.]

Thanks Patrick, At the first BRS meeting I attended, Greg Hiller did a quick demonstration on making brackets out of acrylic. Since then, I have made one for every pump in my tank. They are really easy, and fun to make

-Brian

Man, that guy is multi-talented! Is there anything Greg can't do?! I want to get over his place and check out his DIY calcium reactor too!

 

[robilium]

Hey guys.....

Just picked up one of the mods. WAY COOL.

My Tank Thread at RC with pics of the mod.

At present the mod overpowers my 75 gallon tank its that powerful!!! I know may people have much bigger tanks on here - but a 75 is still a 4 foot tank and 18" wide.

My DIY contribution to the page will be my modding the mod to have LESS flow I was told that by modding the props you can actually reduce the water they push. That will be my little experiment over the next few days

 

[RichConley]

Has anyone actually put this on a Kill-a-watt or a multimeter to see how much power it actually draws?

(for a lot of other pumps, you can change the impeller and they draw more/less power while moving more/less water)


I'm curious to see how close powerwise they are to the standard maxi.

 

[Pat H.]

Has anyone actually put this on a Kill-a-watt or a multimeter to see how much power it actually draws?

(for a lot of other pumps, you can change the impeller and they draw more/less power while moving more/less water)


I'm curious to see how close powerwise they are to the standard maxi.

I had thought of it, but i don't have a Kill-a-watt. Why don't you buy or build a mod and try it out?
Would it really matter if it draws 5 watts more than a stock MJ if you increase your flow by 600% or more ?

 

[RichConley]

Naw Pat, I'm just kind of curious. Not really looking for comparison to maxijet, but more of how it stacks up to other things on the flow-per-energy front. Like, if these are running 20w instead of the 16w(guess) that the maxi is running...sweet..whatever....

If theyre running 45w...then thats a different story... you know what i mean?

It looks to be a nice product... I'm just curious, if it works so well, why havent any of the manufacturers built prop pumps. Theres been the MJ mod on RC for a good year now.

Wtih you, theres a good deal of milling and such to do this, but if Aquarium systems were to turn around and do this sort of thing, and market it as a new pump, it probably only adds $1 to their costs. If a manufacturer puts out a pump that rivals a Tunze for $20, it would knock the Tunze off the market, or atleast severly drop its price.


I guess my question is this..there has to be some drawback to the prop style pump, or more manufacturers would use it. Why not?

 

[Conlius]

the prop will definitely add power use. look at the mags....45 watts for a mag 5...put the mag 7 impeller in it, you are using 60...and thats not with a prop. The prop will actually take more power to turn than the impeller.....try spinning a shovel close to your body then hold it at the end of the handle and do it. It takes more work and more work means more power. Its basic dynamics and fluid dynamics. If using the same magnet though it should not be a huge difference, unless the space cavity in the MJ restrics impeller from spinning too fast (because of pressure in the cavity), at which point the prop would reduce the restriction greatly....thats the only way I could possibly see this thing pushing over 40 watts.

im really not sure though lol

 

[Pat H.]

Yeah, now i'm curious. I really don't know much about these pumps when it comes to electricity. I would be surprised if the mod increased the power usage much. I would guess 5 watts. But that's just my guess.

I can also only guess why a large manufacturer hasn't made this mod. I think this (reef hobby) is just a small part of the market for pump makers. It's just not worth their time and effort. Honestly, it's barely worth mine. I make way more money doing my regular work. This just interests me more.

Anyone have a Kill-a-watt to try one of the mods on?