DIY Red Dragon Pumps, gathering ideas.

[BeanAnimal]

docwells....

May I suggest starting a thread and posting your own question. You will likely have much better luck becuase you will target pople willing to help. At the same time you will not derail another persons thread.

 

[Discustopia]

Hahn,
I have the Max-Flo 1500 and 2900.
I'm getting some flack for them not being Saltwater pumps, will burn down my house, house won't be covered by insurance etc... etc..

Has anything you've seen show any possibility of incompatibility with saltwater OR contamination of a reef tank?????

1500 is to be used as meshwheel on DIY skimmer, 2900 for return on 250G tank instead of Dart to reduce whine.

 

[JCTewks]

these are not necessarily "not" saltwater pumps...they have no exposed metal therefore are saltwater safe! Just because they are not labeled for saltwater use does NOT make them unsafe.

 

[hahnmeister]

Actually, the latest generation is claimed by Hagen to be saltwater safe. The last generation before the current 600,900,1500,2000,2400,2900, and 4200 model max-flo and power-jet units contained brass in the impeller. This latest generation has metal in the impeller, but it is stainless, not brass. The 600 and 900 models, FWIW, are actually the same as the Aquaclear powerhead 901... which is 100% saltwater safe.

I think Hagen 'woke up' and realized that these pumps could have alternate applications from what they were intended (or rather, they saw what Klaus was doing over the years to make them into Red Dragons, and incorporated the ideas into their design).

 

[mavgi]

i use the 1300 , 2400 , and the 5000 in my tank without any problem .

 

[hahnmeister]

Well, the 5000's impeller does contain brass, as its an older generation.

 

[Discustopia]

Thanks a bunch

Will get to work with the mods then.

 

[mavgi]

the left impeller (powerjet 5000) the right impeller (max flo 2400)

the only different it's the size of the wheel the 2400 more wider and the 2400 electronic....

if you put on the pump the cover of the 2400 , both pull the same air and same watt and you save about $30...

i am not sure but i don't think that this little nut can harm to reef.

 

[hahnmeister]

Hmmm.... your 5000 impeller looks different than mine. It looks like stainless. Mine looks like brass 100%. Here is my 2400... I will have to dig out my 5000 and post tomorrow...

Your 5000 almost looks like it has one of the newer impellers in it though mavgi. Weird.

What kind of air and wattage are you getting mavgi? Im finding that w/o a custom volute, getting much above 90 is pretty hard... I have hit 110-120 only under the most ideal of circumstances. With a custom volute (3.75" diameter, and a little thicker), the air goes up alot (120scfh easily).

Otherwise, yes, if you check the numbers on the side of the pump, it appears that the 2000, 1400, and 2900 all use the same motor block (have to double check the 1500 and 5000). Its just which volute and impeller you use which sets them apart.

 

[JCTewks]

michael, what kind of #'s are you getting out of those?

 

[JCTewks]

how are you attaching the custom volute hahn?

 

[hahnmeister]

Well, up until now I was bolting the volute to the motor with the screws provided because I didnt know what the best inside dimensions would end up being. But now Im pretty sure, and so in the end, I will simply bond the block to the motor most likely... much like a RD's base plate. Bolting the volute to the motor from inside the volute is possible though as long as the wall doesnt interfere (sometimes it does). In that case, I can bolt it on to the motor with a flange that goes around the backside of the motor.

 

[mavgi]

hahnmeister :

i am sure you right but maybe they change the impeller on the 5000 to who knows...

i also don't know how you measure the air (if it was or not connect to a skimmer body...) but with both pump i pick up 100SCFH with out problem and between 85- 88 watt on 30" high
i use the 2400 pump cover. (yes the 1500-2900 have the same block it's just bigger outlet will pull more air - flow...)
if you want those# with the original pump cover reduce the mesh diameter to the wheel size and put 3-4 layer no more , the impeller will spin more easy and the way your look like in the picture cause as you know.... big noise from the pump with the same diameter the pump quiet (just the air as you know....)

Jeff :

i got the 5000 from azpounds at $81.50 (free shipping) 2 days...
the 2400 cost me $129 from ebay... i can give you the link if you want.

by the way if you put on the inlet reducer (3/4" to 1/2") the pump pull 35LPM = 75 SCFH at 59watt 30" high .

i am trying to get some alloy mesh to see the different and if i have some time i will test soon the round shroud on this pump i believe the correct one will reduce more watt (like the RD pump)

 

[hahnmeister]

yeah, just look up 'laguna 2400' on ebay, and you can find them cheap. I got mine for $100.

 

[mavgi]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10925734#post10925734 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by JCTewks
how are you attaching the custom volute hahn?

Jeff:

4" OD pvc match exactly to the pump , it's also easy to build a base for that .

the important part here it's to make the length in the correct size , in my opinion no more then 2" after it will chock the pump .
i am going to make some pieces different length to see the different result ....

 

[hahnmeister]

Yeah, 1.5" inside thickness is all you need.

 

[JCTewks]

thanks jon! A little OT , but not really...what size PVC fits the aguaclear 70/802 for a new volute?? and how much air were those putting out?

 

[hahnmeister]

2" couplings were what I used for the 802. I could get up to 18scfh on them (equal to an aquabee 2000), but only under the best of conditions. A more realistic number would be 12-15 scfh.

 

[JCTewks]

do you (or anybody) think that one of the smaller laguna's would work on a 6"x60" skimmer w/ a 4"neck?

 

[JCTewks]

sorry, DP