I'm curious if there are other pumps that can be modded like the one on the euroreef skimmer vidcast. I have a kent TE skimmer (recommended of course by the LFS) which has actually performed decent when set up properly and cleaned regularly. It uses a rio 2500 pump with a venturi intake, and bubble size is average. The rio's impellar doesn't have a needlewheel, or a flat base that could be drilled to hold the mesh, but I believe that the mesh would improve the performance of the skimmer. Is there a way to determine which replacement pump would have a moddable impellar? Has anyone modified a pump that is similar in flow characteristics to the rio 2500?

Actually... you can probably do it with MOST pump impellors. A lot of Boston Reefers are experimenting with modifications to many pumps.

With a true impellor pump, like Maxijet, you would simply (and carefully) reduce the profile of the impellor blades. Cutting the height in half or to 1/4 for instance. Then you can attach the mesh to what remains using various methods. OR, you could make a disk of the same quality plastic and adhere the mesh to that, and that disk to what is left of the impellor. You may have to drill escape holes in it to let air through. I don't know, I've not tried.

In any case, with smaller, cheaper pumps, the cost of an "oopsie" is minimal. Why not try ;)

Dave

Here is a thread on RC with TONS of pumps that were modified. A good place to start research..if you have the time to go through 50+ pages ;)

Reef Central Online Community - Meshwheel friggin rocks on Gen-X 4100!!!!! (http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=966407&perpage=25&pagenumber=1)

D

It is possible to modify that impeller, what you need to do is cut out the fins in half to make some space for the mesh and cable tie the mesh to the impeller, or do something like this, ( this is not my picture, I got from another site)
http://www.randystacye.com/images/diythreadwheel/disk%20on%20impeller%201.jpg

http://www.randystacye.com/images/diythreadwheel/pf4%20materials.jpg
Or you can replace the pump with a Sedra 7000, if Im not mistaken Rio 2500 push 750g/h.

Gustavo

Neo,
That pic looks like a piece of 1/8" acrylic, center drilled, and the outer edge trimmed somehow, is that all it is? I could make something like that.....The rio is tired anyway, perhaps I may try it on that impeller. Actually, I think I have a replacement impeller anyway...I suppose that I would just have to be careful to keep it as balanced as possible. Did you make that piece in a lathe?

Neo,
How does a person attach that disk to the impeller? I assume you could just press fit it, but sooner or later I suspect it may come off. Perhaps use epoxy?

Gustavo didn't make that one...it's from another site. However, it looks as if the "hub" of the original impellor was used, with fins cut off. The acrylic disk was then cut to fit that hub, and glued in place.

Dave

That is not my picture, but you are right that is 1/8" acrylic. You can make the holes in a Drill press, of course is going to be hard to keep it in balance, but will work.

Here is a thread on RC with TONS of pumps that were modified. A good place to start research..if you have the time to go through 50+ pages ;)

Reef Central Online Community - Meshwheel friggin rocks on Gen-X 4100!!!!! (http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=966407&perpage=25&pagenumber=1)

D

I read some of that thread.......:whut: then got lost for a while....So I skipped some of it (or a lot of it), perhaps I missed a rio conversion...I'll look it over as I have time. I didn't realize that you could still get away with the mesh mod without that flat disk to secure it to, I'm going to look at it a little closer. Thanks for the help!!

You beat me again :)

Folks,

Also keep in mind that this mod is typically for "venturi" type pumps. If you are using an Aqua-C Remora, for instance, it has a patented "air injection" system that does NOT use a venturi. In this case, the air is blasted into the water chamber and the impellor does NOTHING with the air. The pump and impellor only work to bring the water into the skimming system. With that said, modifying the pump (typically a maxijet) would be useless.

Dave

argghhh i would love to upgrade my coralife superskimmer one, but im too wimpy to try it.