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Power head / flow pump question

Peter1000000

Seedling
Joined
15 Apr 2009
Messages
15
Hi, I just bought one of those super cheap 3000 l/h flow pumps on Ebay. It actually appears to be pretty well made (which surprised me for what I paid for it). However, has anyone tried reducing the output of one of these? I'm considering either wiring in a dimmer switch to reduce the power to it (it's only 6W so a regular dimmer switch should be fine) or alternatively, taking a stanley knife or sanding disc to the impellor to reduce the amount of water it moves. I've tried changing the location of the pump and it still moves that huge volume of water. I can't tell if the fish are terrorised by it or like swimming in the flow. They don't seem to be avoiding the flow particularly.

I'm sure the genuine Koralia article or another external filter would be a lot better, but that's like telling the local lad with his Saxo not to soup it up, but to buy a Ferrari instead. So.... has anyone had any joy in reducing the flow of these?
 
If you are able to install a thicker (around 20mm in diameter) PVC pipe (usually the water outlet is 16mm in diameter) at the water outlet of this pump in anyway, you can DIY a "broadcast" bar. Actually it is like a spray bar, but in vertical position, at the length around 10cm, with many small holes as possible at a 180 degree semi-circular sphere (you have to drill or through other means). With a 90 degree bent (also PVC pipe), and seal off the top of the "broadcast" bar.

Try to mount this thing on the water outlet of the pump. It will "broadcast" the water flow out in 180 degree angle and in a much gentle way. Water flow will go up first, emitting themselves through small holes at the upper part of the bar, and water flow with slower speed will be coming out through small holes in the middle of the part of the bar. So the "broadcast" bar can actually adapt to different water flows in an extent.

For a 10W flow pump, the distance of "broadcast" is around 20cm (suppose the pump is mount at one side of a tank), and gently the water flow will fall down to the bottom of the bank, and bump up a little bit, and then slowly fall down again at 50cm distance.
 
Thanks for the response, but my pump is just like a propellor in a housing. There's no outlet.
 
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