No Bulkhead? No Problem! Newbie Additional Circulation for 24G NC

[steelhealr]

Hi...experience is the best teacher. I lurked and read here for more than a month before setting up my 24G Nano Cube. So, who knew that a bulkhead wasn't just a partition in a ship or submarine (doh!). So...I can only dream of a tank like Tighaboy's or Uchiha's with only 10X flow...but......hmmmmm.

 

You know, I tried that famous mod of putting the stock pump in my first chamber since I swapped it our for a Maxijet 1200 in chamber 3 (see..I did my reading). Didn't fit well....shot water upward...pulled debris out of the sponge (which I have since gotten rid of)....you guys must know something that I don't. LOL. It still made more sense to me tho', that, flow should continue in a progression from chamber 1 --> 3. So...I had a Maxijet 400 that I had purchased for mixing salt..decided to use that instead of the stock pump...and tried to see what I could do with it. Here it goes:

 

Parts:

1) 1/2 elbows, Home Depot, sprinkler area

2) black tubing

3) ratchet ties

 

 

 

 

 

I apologize for the slightly cloudy pic as I stirred up some stuff while putting the mod in. The outflow nozzle actually doesn't have a big profile at all and I feel much better that I didn't have to put the entire powerhead in the chamber. The clearance between the splash guard and the tubing is close but the hood closes completely and securely. The water level in all three chambers hasn't fallen. The only thing I have to watch now is water temp. By my calculations, I should have 17X flow.

 

So...this certainly is not the greatest mod compared to those who have the technical skill and time and forethought to drill a bulkhead ( a what?? lol), but, I'm posting this, as with my other thread, to help out other starters like myself. I hope this helped. Thanks for your time. SH

[Rott]

Nice man keep posting stuff. I have been fallowing all the mods that you have been doing. going to start moding my 24g cube soon. any updates on the submersible light in the 2nd chamber?

[steelhealr]

Hi Rott...sure. After Almost 1 1/2 weeks, the macro in the back of the sump is STILL GREEN!! My tank temps have not climbed....so, unless macro takes a long time to die, it is still thriving to date. Still not sure if the light is enough to process nitrates, but, I just got out of the cycle phase and I'll report back on that. I think the submersible light makes a viable refugium.

 

As per the flow mod and the light mod, it's not that I'm not technically adept...I built an 8 LED moonlight with timer and dimmer for my 46G FW tank...I just wanted to find 'mods' that regular people could do that would open up 'nano doors' and save them money and time. Some people aren't electricians or can afford dremels or drill bulkheads or can spend 6 hours doing a project....some of these mods give them access to refugiums and better flow to keep the corals that some of the 'big boys' have. Thanks for keeping up with me. I think my next project will be the float valve thing for an auto-topoff....but...hopefully made easy, understandable and affordable for us newbies. SH

[NanoBob]

steelhealr:

Do you have 2 pumps in the 3rd chamber? I can't really tell from the pics. If so, is the second pump on top of the first? If it is is there any vibration?

I have the 2nd pump for movement in the display and I am thnking of moving it

thanks, Bob

[trekbear]

Good Job SH!

 

That MOD is FABU! Easy / no drilling techniques are always valued by the not so DIY savvy!

 

Keep up the good work!

[steelhealr]

Hi NanoBob..yes..I stacked the two pumps in chamber 3. The bottom pump is a Maxijet 1200. The second pump is a Maxijet 400. Total flow 401 GPH, or about 17X. There is no vibration. My tank temp is stable at 78. There is a very slight drop in water level in chambers 2 and 3 but, what I would call insignificant. Here is a post by another reefer using a soldering iron to punch a hole in the back...his pic looks like there is some slight drop in water level also:

 

http://www.nano-reef.com/gallery/showphoto...ium&cat=2&page=

 

Obviously, drilling a bulkhead is the more technically better way to go, but, here are two other satisfactory methods. If one is unsure about 'punching a hole' thru the back chambers, these alternatives appear to work well. Let me know if I can be of any further help.

 

BTW..total cost for this mod was about .50 cents each for the elbows @ 1.50, $15.00 for the Maxijet 400 , $2.00 for ratchet ties and probably most of you have 1/2" vinyl tubing laying around. SH

[NanoBob]

Thanks steelhealr you da man! By weeks end I will no longer have a pump cluttering my display!!

Bob

[steelhealr]

WTG NanoBoB....Viva La Newbies!!!! Frank

[trumph]

Steelhealr...I read all your stuff way to many times and I saw something you might like. Not knowing how to link yet..here is where I found your ultimate no-drill solution, even comes with a flare nozzle for $5.95! Go to Premium Aquatics/drygoods/wavemaking and look for their SCWD-Utube attachment. Its almost exactly what you have but with line lock fittings, hope it helps.

[steelhealr]

Trumph...found it...good job. I may order it and play around with it to see how it does. WTG. Frank

[steelhealr]

Well..sometimes you have to learn that experience is the best teacher. When I was thinking about doing this, I had asked someone if I could place the pump in the third chamber and they PM'd me that the last chamber wouldn't handle the flow. I went ahead and placed a smaller pump in the third compartment to increase flow. Well..they were right. The water level was dropping too low and the heater was becoming exposed. Also, I was using a Maxijet 400, much lower flow. And...I got cyano. So...went back to the drawing board. I pulled the Maxijet 400 (106 gph) pump out and switched back in the stock pump (295 gph). I modified the outflow tubing and used softer tubing where it goes over the chamber walls. I placed my pump in chamber one at the bottom and put my media above it. BIG DIFFERENCE IN FLOW and all levels are excellent. Now I have an excellent clockwise water movement. My other reason for doing this is my first corals will arrive tomorrow. Here's the pic of the changed mod:

 

 

 

SH

[Sushi]

brilliant... keep up the innovative ideas

[steelhealr]

Hi..with both pumps going, the Maxijet 1200 and stock pump, my tank temp only climbed from 77.9 to 78.9. Not bad. Thanks for watching this thread. SH

[steelhealr]

Hi....I've had several people PM me that they are using this mod without problems. Mine seems to be working fine as well. Hope this helped. SH

[cathing_nemo]

I am going to try this in my 24 gal aquapod. This is all very helpful. I cannot seem to find any information on aquapods like I can on Nano Cubes.

[doncb]

Sheewwt, I did that a year ago! I have a MJ1200 and a Azoo 1200 in the 3rd chamber. 612gph and no water level problems.

[2OceanLovers]

I was wondering if this would work in smaller all-in-ones, like the 12gal Nano Cube or Aquapod. I have the former and have been toying with the idea of doing this for some time now. Thanks.

[steelhealr]

I was wondering if this would work in smaller all-in-ones, like the 12gal Nano Cube or Aquapod. I have the former and have been toying with the idea of doing this for some time now. Thanks.

 

Sure would. SH

[adinsxq]

heat up the tubing in hot water (boiling for thick tubing) and you'll be able to get it down to the last barb. once the tubing cools it'll hug the barbs like glove.

[Fishfreak218]

Sure would. SH

woah! SH is back! long time no see

[steelhealr]

(blushing)...it's been a hellish year or so...hope to start to sneak back. SH

[masterbuilder]

Alright Healr, glad too see you back. Penalty for your absence is a complete disclosure of your reefing status.

[Nanoized]

Tiring of Tropical Fish Forums Steelhealr?

 

I read most of your great post after you had left.

 

Nice to see you back.

[steelhealr]

Will try and do a quick update on my tank..which...yes...is still alive. SH

[ReadyReefer]

woohoo welcome back steelhear, that beginners thread you started a long time ago certainly helped me