Ecotech Vortech Pump Flow Redirection

[markstubb]

Just made this for my MP40qd on the back wall of my tank. Who else out there has modified the direction of water flow on the ecotech vortech?

 

[peder]

Nice! How to do?

 

[markstubb]

I modeled it in fusion 360 and printed it with ABS. I may use PETG on the next one I print if I decide the angle of the dome doesn't redirect enough. Gonna put an airstone next to it tomorrow at some point.

 

[ca1ore]

That looks nice. I've never seen a reason to divert flow from my vortech pumps, but that looks like a clever tweak if one wanted to. Why you'd want to put an airstone near it I cannot fathom?

 

[markstubb]

the airstone was for some bubbles to make sure the pump is redirecting the way I think it is and not just bypassing the flap.

I did it mostly because I want rear to front flow in my tank, but in the valley of my tank is where I try to put some hammers/frogspawn/torches and the flow from the mp40, even turned down, was too much when pulsing. I wanted to divert the flow more vertical towards the water as opposed to just straight across to the front of the tank.

 

[AdamNC]

Would also be good for someone that has a shallow tank and didn’t want sand all over but still have high flow.

 

[markstubb]

yeah, I think there's multiple uses for such a thing... you can just rotate the head to point it wherever you want, or just pop it off and not use it at all. I even thought about modeling it in such a way that the spherical cover can open and close (a fixed piece and a pivoting piece) to point it at whatever angle you want, all the way to 90*.

 

[markstubb]

I also considered putting 2 hemispheres in the middle to split the flow left and right

 

[ca1ore]

the airstone was for some bubbles to make sure the pump is redirecting the way I think it is and not just bypassing the flap.

Ah, that makes sense. Hoped you weren't drinking the scrubbing bubbles kool aid.

It will be interesting to see if the wetside stays in place. It is not unusual for them to turn a bit, and off center flow may exacerbate this.

 

[markstubb]

nah, and I have absolutely no clue why folks think pumping a bunch of bubbles into their tank "cleans" anything. Magic, I guess?

 

[vetteguy53081]

Just made this for my MP40qd on the back wall of my tank. Who else out there has modified the direction of water flow on the ecotech vortech?

Ingenious and I would like at least One if you decide to make these

 

[markstubb]

Let’s not get my thread closed just yet lol

 

[tiggs]

Very nice! These would be a huge hit in the nano world. Especially for the folks who went the nano + vortech + oolite sand route. I've only seen one company make something similar and yours actually looks much better, since it looks like part of the pump.

https://www.picoaquariumsystems.com/vortech-shallow-shields/9-46-vortech-shallow-shield.html

 

[vetteguy53081]

Very nice! These would be a huge hit in the nano world. Especially for the folks who went the nano + vortech + oolite sand route. I've only seen one company make something similar and yours actually looks much better, since it looks like part of the pump.

https://www.picoaquariumsystems.com/vortech-shallow-shields/9-46-vortech-shallow-shield.html

Thank you for link. I just ordered one for the MP40 and MP60s

 

[markstubb]

yeah the pico shield is also a pretty cool product, but I didn't care for the looks of it, even clear. But I just whipped this thing up for the heck of it and so far so good, I like it!

 

[psidriven]

the pico shield is more to keep air from being sucked into the vortech than to redirect flow. its a common problem in smaller tanks due to lack of height vortechs are placed higher and usually close enough to the surface to cause a whirlpool effect that sucks air into the vortech. instant jacuzzi.

 

[markstubb]

yep, I had a nano before so I'm familiar. The shield could be done a number of ways, I imagine. Mostly it's about not breaking that surface tension. A shield, like the pico, could be printed pretty easily I'd think and blend more into the shroud for the impeller.

And no shame on pico's game. Just saying cat and skinning, that's all

 

[mcarroll]

Seems like trading the vortech to someone for a pump that would fit (like a 6040) + cash would be a better solution, but not nearly as much fun to hack! Always cool to see new printing projects.

 

[tiggs]

I had similar issues with my mp10 in a 14 gallon cube. I could dial it down or point it at a rock, but it wouldn't be enough flow to realistically keep SPS. I ended up laying 3/4" of larger grade sand on top of the oolite and it fixed the issue for me. Personally, I love the wide and non-turbulent flow that a Vortech provides, so I didn't want to lose that.

 

[markstubb]

Seems like trading the vortech to someone for a pump that would fit (like a 6040) + cash would be a better solution, but not nearly as much fun to hack! Always cool to see new printing projects.

Probably, but then I'd probably have to buy another vdm to control that pump from my apex :-D

Not to mention finding someone to trade would be tough. The little deflector is working great and only took me a few hours to model and print it up!