Pumps that do not destroy small animals- do they exist?

[iansilv]

I am talking about things as small as copepods. I was thinking about this- you could turn off your skimmer while feeding phytoplankton, and have it circulate for a few hours in your tank without it being filtered out- am I right? Are their pumps that work better for this? I guess pumps without propellers, I don't know- just pumps that are less destructive to the organisms moving through their flow. Any thoughts are appreciated.

 

[lllosingit]

Just about any pump you use won't hurt anything that small.
I had a pair of harlequin shrimp that had babies and they ended up throughout my whole system, To get some places they had to pass through two pumps and they were alive and well.
The babies weren't huge but they are about ten times the size of most pods.

 

[revenge53142]

wow thats interesting
I wonder if that would feel like a water slide

or just be really scary

 

[melev]

I doubt many are harmed. Those that are sucked in are washed through via the flow of water, to come out the other end intact. I've had baby brittlestarfish that are 2" tip to tip come out with all their legs, still alive. Pods are almost dots by comparison.

 

[iansilv]

Are there any particular brands or styles of pumps that are best for this?

 

[SDguy]

I watched a free floating mushroom about an inch across even when shriveled go through my hammerhead closed loop several times. Frankly, I thought it would have been toast, but sure enough, I have a beautiful purple spotted mushroom on one of my rocks now.

Pods would be fine, IMO, through much smaller pumps. Phytoplankton is even smaller.

 

[MCary]

Pumps are pretty much the same. They have to be. They are impeller spun by magnets that are spun by an electric motor. Water cannot touch the electrical parts and a direct shaft could burn out the motor if the impeller got jammed. So brands, as far as their abilities to chop up critters is not going to change much from one to another. Unless the impeller is different, like one designed for a specific purpose. (needle wheel)

But like the others said. Shouldn't be much of an issue. These little critters seem to make it through unscathed.

Mike

 

[Holmie_D_Klown]

copepods being harmed by your pumps is something you shouldn't worry yourself about IMO

 

[iansilv]

So theoretically, you should b able to have some larval breeding occurring in your tank, as long as the skimmer is off, correct?

 

[Amphiprion]

Tiny bubbles are far more of a problem for microfauna than pumps. You will lose much more plankton through protein skimming than from pumps.