vortech powerheads

[grouper therapy]

Have any of you guys tried them in a dry compartment on an aio aquarium? Maybe even on the black glass only with exterior boxes around them.

 

[sewer urchin]

I have not, I cannot afford them at the this time and in all probability, for the foreseeable future. Maybe one day, until then I'll just listen to everybody say how awesome they are.

However, when I was carousing through another forum I came across a thread about someone took a large tank and drilled the bottom, they then siliconed in a glass rectangular box around the hole in the bottom. The dry side wire then was run through the hole and kept safe and the wet side was in the tank. The pictures reminded me of the "pop up" crab tank that they have for the kids at the Georgia Aquarium ( not, Atlanta Aquarium- Rit's place ;-) I belive that that rock was then used to hide most of the structure. While a neat idea, I think that a closed loop system might be easier, especially with the advances that have been made in DC pumps that can be run on a controller.

 

[acroholic]

The dry compartment would have to be absolutely watertight. Certain death to a VorTech dry side if any moisture gets in it other than a drop once in awhile. That would be the only thing I'd think might be of concern, having the dryside so close to the system water. Other than that, I don't see any reason it could not be done.

 

[grouper therapy]

How warm do they run?

 

[acroholic]

My 60s dry side runs pretty warm. They have a fan and vent slots incorporated into the rotating assembly. MP40s do not. A simple acrylic piece over the dry side to keep water off the dryside, maybe. Just protect the dry side from splashing is the main thing.

 

[grouper therapy]

Acroholic;994068 wrote: My 60s dry side runs pretty warm. They have a fan and vent slots incorporated into the rotating assembly. MP40s do not. A simple acrylic piece over the dry side to keep water off the dryside, maybe. Just protect the dry side from splashing is the main thing.

So it sounds as if a 2" perimeter may be fine for heat dissipation and a guard as you suggest with a means to vent the air some. Sound Ok?

 

[tonymission]

grouper therapy;994071 wrote: So it sounds as if a 2" perimeter may be fine for heat dissipation and a guard as you suggest with a means to vent the air some. Sound Ok?

Sounds like that would work. I just felt my mp40 drysides and they put out just</em> enough heat for me to register any "warmth". Any cooler and I'd say they aren't warm at all.

They're running at 69% right now and max out at 89%. Would probably be warmer at 89%... I'll check tomorrow

 

[acroholic]

grouper therapy;994071 wrote: So it sounds as if a 2" perimeter may be fine for heat dissipation and a guard as you suggest with a means to vent the air some. Sound Ok?

I'd say yes. You would definitely want some venting, like you said.

 

[grouper therapy]

Discussion if you can call that in another thread got me to thinking that the noise may become amplified inside a box what do you think Dave?
Also if two 40s are mounted on the back wall and can flow to the front glass unrestricted do you think the dispersed flow will be sufficient say on a 48" tank?

 

[acroholic]

grouper therapy;1004185 wrote: Discussion if you can call that in another thread got me to thinking that the noise may become amplified inside a box what do you think Dave?
Also if two 40s are mounted on the back wall and can flow to the front glass unrestricted do you think the dispersed flow will be sufficient say on a 48" tank?

I took a 2.5 gallon glass tank and held it over the dry side of an MP40 I have on one of my tanks, and I got an echo from the sound of the dry side, but it was not louder than the sound of the wet side.

I think two 40s on the back would be enough flow for a 48" long tank. I assume we are talking about a 75-120 gallon?

 

[grouper therapy]

Acroholic;1004237 wrote: I took a 2.5 gallon glass tank and held it over the dry side of an MP40 I have on one of my tanks, and I got an echo from the sound of the dry side, but it was not louder than the sound of the wet side.

I think two 40s on the back would be enough flow for a 48" long tank. I assume we are talking about a 75-120 gallon?

120 yes. Thanks very much for trying the tank. It confirms my suspicion, I'll try to think of something else.

 

[acroholic]

grouper therapy;1004268 wrote: 120 yes. Thanks very much for trying the tank. It confirms my suspicion, I'll try to think of something else.

Dave,
I had a typo in my previous post. Meant to say the echo from the dry side was no louder than the sound from the dry side, not the wet side, if that makes any difference for you.

 

[picoreefguy]

not sure if this helps any but i saw a video a while back that showed a huge tank that had 8 mp40's in internal dry boxes and it seemed to work pretty well. heres a link to it.

 

[grouper therapy]

Acroholic;1004271 wrote: Dave,
I had a typo in my previous post. Meant to say the echo from the dry side was no louder than the sound from the dry side, not the wet side, if that makes any difference for you.

I knew what you meant. But it really didn't silence it either. Right?

 

[grouper therapy]

Picoreefguy;1004273 wrote: not sure if this helps any but i saw a video a while back that showed a huge tank that had 8 mp40's in internal dry boxes and it seemed to work pretty well. heres a link to it. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mz15R0gVMPA">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mz15R0gVMPA</a>[/QUOTE]
Thanks for the link!!

 

[acroholic]

grouper therapy;1004305 wrote: I knew what you meant. But it really didn't silence it either. Right?

Nope......no louder, but no quieter either.

 

[jbdreefs]

Could maybe line the inside of your box with noise dampening material??