mjmods VS. Koralia

[ramullinax]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9957906#post9957906 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by J3REEF
Ryan,

Just ordered two HK4s and two HK3s for a new 120 setup.
They are arriving on Friday, so I get to play.

I added the two HK3s just to ensure I had enough flow and it sounds like you feel the same.

I am unsure how I will position the pop cans, but thinking that I may end up with a Seio controlling the HK4's on the back pointing forward with the HK3s on the side facing each other running full out. Get to play on Friday, so I hope to have a better picture on how they will do for my new setup.

How do you have the HK4s setup in your tank?

thanks

I've had them in a few different positions.
They're both on opposite sides of the tank, length wise.
First I put the one on the left in the lower back corner with the one on the right in the upper back corner, facing diagonally towards each other.

I then moved the one on the left to the middle of the wall, facing rocks.

I then moved the one on the right more towards the center, but still at the top. The one on the left got moved more towards the front of the tank, kind of creating a circular flow pattern.

The reason I got these is because I have a major hair algae problem and I thought 2400 GPH of flow would at least help get rid of the HA. Hasn't helped so far.

A couple of #3's on the back wall facing towards the rock might do the trick.

 

[stevedola]

the only reason I didnt like the mjmods is because they were JUNK (imo). silence is key with my tank being in my bedroom. they were poorly fabricated. left too much to human error. rattled and would reverse. I had mine mounted to magnets and they only point straight...thats it. I wasnt glueing mine to acrylic mounts and then being forced to point them in the same direction for the life of the pump. I can see a use for them but they was of no use to me.

Oceanflo mods on the otherhand were worth the extra money. its too bad they stopped making mods.

 

[markandkristen]

also were talking about the amount of flow mj mods are over 2000gph and the k4 is 1200 so if you have mostly lps and softeis i think the k4 is the answer however if your going sps mainly than i would try the mods. but on a 4 foot tank the mjmods are going to be pushing it. the answer of quality may be a concern for either one. i do like the look of the k4s but if you have coraline algae everywhere includeing the pump then ....

 

[dhnguyen]

What most people fail to understand is that the MJ mod is a DIY project if you SUCK at DIY then this is not for you That kit from mjmods.com still require some degree of DIY and you still need to be able to think on your feet to get them to work right. It is not a "finished" product per se. If you are not the type who can or want to tinker with things then the K4 or K3 would be better suited for you. The mod will only work as well as YOU built it IME.

As far as the smaller strainer on the MJ mod... Again, you can put as large as a shroud on the mod as you want. That's the beauty of DIY...

This mod was originally intended for folks who already own the MJ pumps and wanted to increase their tank flow without giving away their first born for a large Tunze Stream.

 

[dhnguyen]

the rotating device that was mentioned before is the swirler-stein. Basically a DIY Sea Swirl/Wavy Sea. Very easy and cheap to build. But again if you are a bit DIY handicapped, this is not for you either

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=799971

 

[dhnguyen]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9961462#post9961462 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by stevedola
the only reason I didnt like the mjmods is because they were JUNK (imo). silence is key with my tank being in my bedroom. they were poorly fabricated. left too much to human error. rattled and would reverse. I had mine mounted to magnets and they only point straight...thats it. I wasnt glueing mine to acrylic mounts and then being forced to point them in the same direction for the life of the pump. I can see a use for them but they was of no use to me.

Oceanflo mods on the otherhand were worth the extra money. its too bad they stopped making mods.

More likely that you didn't know how to build them. Mine is silent except for a slight hum which you would get from the Tunze or Hydor K pumps anyway.

 

[dhnguyen]

...The reason I got these is because I have a major hair algae problem and I thought 2400 GPH of flow would at least help get rid of the HA. Hasn't helped so far.

A couple of #3's on the back wall facing towards the rock might do the trick. [/B]

How is adding more flow going to help with your HA issue? HA is a nutrient problem. If you get rid of the nutrient the HA will go away.


D.

 

[RichConley]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9954610#post9954610 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Rhodesholar


http://www.drsfostersmith.com/produ...&Ntx=mode+matchallpartial&Np=1&pc=1&N=0&Nty=1

The MJ 1200 is 20 watts, the 900 which will move the same amount of water modded is 8.5, so actually that is less wattage and more water movement then the Koralia 4 which is more then twice the price.

Yeah, but they dont actually USE 20w when running props. My 1200s run about 12w, and move 3000gph.

 

[RichConley]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9955835#post9955835 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by stevedola
i bought them from Mjmod

they were very loud. would reverse. hard to angle.

only thing was they were powerful---too much for my taste.


I went with streams and would NEVER even consider reverting.

but thats my opinion and like they say...everyone has one ;-)

Steve, then you built them wrong, plain and simple.


Mine are dead silent, start up every time, and never reverse. Theyre on Seio Swivel mounts, which are WAY more flexible than the korralia mounts.


I sold my streams shortly after getting the maximods.

 

[RichConley]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9961462#post9961462 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by stevedola
the only reason I didnt like the mjmods is because they were JUNK (imo). silence is key with my tank being in my bedroom. they were poorly fabricated. left too much to human error. rattled and would reverse. I had mine mounted to magnets and they only point straight...thats it. I wasnt glueing mine to acrylic mounts and then being forced to point them in the same direction for the life of the pump. I can see a use for them but they was of no use to me.

Oceanflo mods on the otherhand were worth the extra money. its too bad they stopped making mods.

Except the Oceanflos produce about 1/2 the flow that the maximods do, put it in a much narrower cone, which makes them harder to use, and are 3 times the cost.

Theyre extremely well built, but theyre poorly designed.

 

[Rhodesholar]

dhnguyen,

Hey bud, your the guy who turned me on to the MJ Mod. I found your thread from way back and I gave her a go. You hit it right on the head, you have to do some adjusting but you can get them to run quiet. I found just by moving the centre brace around and making sure the main shaft was centred pretty much solved any noise problems.

Also for the record I am "DIY challenged" and I got mine to work well and quiet, of course after excessive profanity and a bloodied knuckle.

 

[surfjeepzx]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9957729#post9957729 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Rhodesholar
Thanks for stepping in. I am getting my *** handed to me here.

Device that rotates? You've got my attention. Do tell.

I want to restate the Koralias are great, I like my 4, there is nothing wrong with them, it's just the MJ Mods done properly are great too.

Sorry dude, didn't mean to gang up on ya.

I posted this yesterday in the wrong forum. It was moved to the do-it-yourself forum (thanks mods). I was going to take more pics today but there was surf this morning and I didn't have enough time between surfing and going to work. I'll try again tomorrow morning before the lights turn on.

In a nutshell, it's a synchro motor that turns at 1 rpm. I used a length of carbon fiber rod and on the ends are ball joints. I used my current pump brackets and incorporated a lever arm to turn the pumps.

The pumps sweep about 30 degrees and the point where they start stop is adjustable based on which hole in the lever arm I place the pin.
http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=1122267

 

[stevedola]

my lfs store owner put both together. He had built many before mine. Maybe they were built alittle ascue(sp) but it appeared he knew his stuff and followed the directions to a "T". A gripe I had was that it was a DIY project. Machined parts and calibrated pieces are cut to size and glued by human hands-too much room for error. After week of tinkering and screwing around I got rid of them. The major problem I have with them is their rattle and hum. Id never argue that they didnt push alot of water but for my tank they werent what I wanted. I know many others that feel the same way.
Rich, maybe you got a good kit and maybe I got some bad kits. maybe youre tools were more precise than mine. To say that I built them(or whom ever did) wrong is assuming all parts were EXACTLY identical. Youre very cut and dry-seem to assume too much.

As for my nano streams...do a poll on what people like more...tunze nano streams or mjmods- I dont even think it will be close.

 

[Rhodesholar]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9962153#post9962153 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by RichConley
Yeah, but they dont actually USE 20w when running props. My 1200s run about 12w, and move 3000gph.

I knew that Rich but for the guy who called me out on it I wanted to keep a level field so I just used the "documented" wattage on the MJs.

Are you running 1 or 2 props? I am running 2 Octura 1435s and I had to cut one down because the pump couldn't turn them without reversing and such. With the two prop config the output is unbelievable.

 

[dhnguyen]

...As for my nano streams...do a poll on what people like more...tunze nano streams or mjmods- I dont even think it will be close. [/B]

So you're basically polling for aesthetic vs. functionality

The nano is not even close to being in the same league as the MJ mod when you start talking about flow.

And for the record the nanos have a lot of issues as well. IMO the nano design can use a lot in improvement still.

A better poll would be Koralia vs. Nano

 

[Rhodesholar]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9962331#post9962331 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by surfjeepzx
Sorry dude, didn't mean to gang up on ya.

I posted this yesterday in the wrong forum. It was moved to the do-it-yourself forum (thanks mods). I was going to take more pics today but there was surf this morning and I didn't have enough time between surfing and going to work. I'll try again tomorrow morning before the lights turn on.

In a nutshell, it's a synchro motor that turns at 1 rpm. I used a length of carbon fiber rod and on the ends are ball joints. I used my current pump brackets and incorporated a lever arm to turn the pumps.

The pumps sweep about 30 degrees and the point where they start stop is adjustable based on which hole in the lever arm I place the pin.
http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=1122267

That thing you made is great and way beyond my feable DIY skills.

I see the calvalry finally showed up.

 

[surfjeepzx]

In regards to the MJ mod. Since I made the first set to go in my tank I've made several additional sets. I showed my friend who owns/operates a LFS and he was impressed. So much so that he gave me 2 MJ1200's and said," mod these, I'll put them in a customers tank." So I did and now I've done several more sets. All of them have gone in huge display tanks and have been running perfectly.

The things I learned early from my first set that's still in my tank.
1. Use the magnet assembly as it comes less the paddle blade prop.
2. Join a peice of CF tube to the magnet assembly with the black airline flexible tubing.
3. Glue the prop to the CF tube.
4. Use a CF rod.
5. Cut plenty of slots in the housing but none where the prop spins. I leave the width of a piece of 1" masking tape from the end.
6. Make your own end piece so you can use the factory bushings on both ends of the rod. This helps stop vibration the most.
7. Take the time to size your cuts and holes so you don't have to use glue. I use a peice of CF rod for the anti-reverse.


That being said the longest part of the whole process is fabricating the end piece. I use a piece of acrylic and widdle it down so it will pinch fit into two slots I cut in the housing.

The next time I make a set I'll take some pics. All the props I get from MJMods. The CF stuff I get at the local hobby shop. The 1.5" sch 80 PVC I get at the local electrical supply house. HD & Lowes don't have the pipe, but they do have the couplers for the larger props. After I was asked to make a couple I knew there would be more so I just picked up a bunch of everything I would need.


I test every pump I make in my tank before I hand them over to my friend. He has not had one problem with any pump that I've mod'd so I think it's a good thing. I'm working towards an ASMG3 skimmer as part of our barter. I think I'm on to something here

 

[RichConley]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9962339#post9962339 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by stevedola
my lfs store owner put both together. He had built many before mine. Maybe they were built alittle ascue(sp) but it appeared he knew his stuff and followed the directions to a "T". A gripe I had was that it was a DIY project. Machined parts and calibrated pieces are cut to size and glued by human hands-too much room for error. After week of tinkering and screwing around I got rid of them. The major problem I have with them is their rattle and hum. Id never argue that they didnt push alot of water but for my tank they werent what I wanted. I know many others that feel the same way.
Rich, maybe you got a good kit and maybe I got some bad kits. maybe youre tools were more precise than mine. To say that I built them(or whom ever did) wrong is assuming all parts were EXACTLY identical. Youre very cut and dry-seem to assume too much.

As for my nano streams...do a poll on what people like more...tunze nano streams or mjmods- I dont even think it will be close.

Steve, I've built a lot of these thigns. The kits come with WAY more carbon fibre, stainless, and acrylic tubing than you need. 90% of what makes these thigns work is taking 5 minutes, and making sure you pick a combination of axle and tube that fit snuggly. I'd assume the LFS didnt do that.

Rhodescholar, I run single Dumas 3004s on all of mine.

 

[surfjeepzx]

Here's how I mount the MJ to an acrylic hanger. If you can drill ahole this will work.

<img src="http://reefcentral.com/gallery/data/500/87822P5150115.JPG">
<img src="http://reefcentral.com/gallery/data/500/87822P5150119.JPG">


This is the piece that comes with the pump. Drill a hole in the bracket and use a nylon thumbscrew and nut. I found them at the hobby store. A bag of ~15 of each was under $5. This method allows you to point the pump at any angle up or down you wish.

I have an acrylic tank so I drilled the upper frame also and mounted the hanger with the same type thumbscrew and nut. This allowed the pump to be turned left/right. So now the pump can be positioned anyway you want.
<img src="http://reefcentral.com/gallery/data/500/87822P5150116.JPG">
If you have a glass tank you could make a plexiglass flange that would lay in the corner framework secured with a touch of silicone. Then drill the flange and hang the pump in the same method as above.

 

[hahnmeister]

Perhaps a better comparison is a Korallia MOD with a MJ mod... or perhaps a Tunze 6025/6045 that has been modded as well. It seems that the korallias have some headroom when it comes to what size prop you can use with them.