DIY needle wheel

[DonW]

If you want a diy needle wheel. This is it. I stuck one in a gen-x 6000 with a 3/4" venturi with 3/8 air line. This thing made so so many superfine bubbles, more compared to a becket. I'll go to work on this after my new tank is up.

 

[uwscotch]

Thats great Don. I just gone done mentioning that to another aquariast. I was very surprised looking at the needle wheel that comes with the Euroreef skimmers and wondered why we couldn't use the buffing pads commonly used on pneumatic die grinders fitted with the roloc pads. Great for buffing steel and aluminum as well as retrofitting your sedra pump and DIY protein skimmer.

 

[DonW]

Thats great Don. I just gone done mentioning that to another aquariast. I was very surprised looking at the needle wheel that comes with the Euroreef skimmers and wondered why we couldn't use the buffing pads commonly used on pneumatic die grinders fitted with the roloc pads. Great for buffing steel and aluminum as well as retrofitting your sedra pump and DIY protein skimmer.

Whats really cool is that if you run the exposed (no volute) they make a wide (really wide) stream pattern. Kind of like the Tunze but better.

Don

 

[rIngo]

Where can I get this and what pump would it fit on?

 

[DonW]

I just started playing with these last night. I cut one down on the lathe to fit a gen-x 6k. I'll spend more time on this later when my new system is up and running. I get them from the Snap-on guy. They are just a disposible item around the shop.

Don

 

[NaH2O]

I'm the last person to be posting on this type of thread because I'm so equipment challenged, but I'm trying to learn. I looked at the picture posted, and the one thing that sticks in my head is the teeth are a uniform height (unless I can't tell differently from the picture)? I recall from emailing Euro-Reef on some issues with my skimmer, the teeth on the impellar are not uniform in height. This is to allow water to flow through the teeth (double checked the email I received from ER to verify this). I don't know if it makes a difference or not, but I thought I'd throw this out here. Let me know your thoughts.

 

[DonW]

Nikki,
I have'nt really played with it enough to make that determination. I just ran it in a bucket of water change water. After 10 minutes the 5g bucket had a huge head of foam with plenty of solids. The teeth are actually flexible and tapered but unbreakable.The outer teeth are longer than the inner.
I'll play more in a few weeks. Maybe someone will try it in the meantime.

Don

 

[Scooterman]

Leave it to 3M to come up with another awesome product, better keep it under the hats, at least until you can patent the thing lol!

I have a turbofloater 1000, so making more bubbles is of interest, I think it should double the amount with the proper combination. I hope Mike comes up with so good info while making his work.

 

[uwscotch]

Hey Don

To save a little money since they are so expensive from Snap On (used to be mechanic), you can also get them at most NAPA auto parts for a fraction of the price. I know for sure that all of the Kitsap Cty stores can get them and they are supplied from Seattle, so the Seattle stores should also carry them. My only concern is that as the RPMs increase, they do no retain their shape and may be a problem with the volute on.

Good luck

 

[DonW]

To make the t1000 really skim you need a real venturi. I have a diy thread here somewhere. Last but not least plug the holes in the lid, dont ask me why but it works.

Don

 

[wanareef]

Sorry to be dense, but I have never seen a "needle wheel" , so how does this work??

tia

 

[NaH2O]

Here is a link to the Euro-Reef Technology page. It shows the impeller, and here is a quote from the same page, describing how it works. Euro-Reef Technology

All those little pins protruding from the base of the impeller whip the air water mixture that is taken in by the pump. This whipping action effectively shreds the air into tiny little bubbles which are ideal for attracting organics.

 

[DonW]

Hey Don

To save a little money since they are so expensive from Snap On (used to be mechanic), you can also get them at most NAPA auto parts for a fraction of the price. I know for sure that all of the Kitsap Cty stores can get them and they are supplied from Seattle, so the Seattle stores should also carry them. My only concern is that as the RPMs increase, they do no retain their shape and may be a problem with the volute on.

Good luck

They are only a $1 ea if you buy 100. NAPA is 10 for $25 The yellow ones are stiffer and the bristles are further apart.

Don

 

[uwscotch]

My bad . Never thought Snap On would be cheaper. I used to pay about $5 a piece, but that was about 6 years ago.

 

[DonW]

My bad . Never thought Snap On would be cheaper. I used to pay about $5 a piece, but that was about 6 years ago.

Thats because they were designed by GM and made by 3M for GM. The little guy had to make up the lack of profits.

Don

 

[reeffan]

Cool find, i might have to check this pinwheel and see how it works. Did you say say better than the beckett? Now that's a very good news.

reeffan

 

[Curtswearing]

OK, I'm dense. How are you attaching this?

 

[DonW]

I took a broken gen-x 6000 impellor cut off all the blades, cut the threads of the bristle disc. Then drilled a hole for the old impellor center to go in. Goobed on some superglue gel. I did chuck it up in the lathe to cut off the outer row because it was a little to big. Threw it in a bucket of WC/vac water and let it go for an hour. The result was what looked like a big 5 gallon skimmer cup foaming over. After my tank is up and running I'm goint to try these with a few different mag pumps.

Don

 

[sherm71tank]

I must confess that I am more than a little interested in this "needlewheel". Could I use one in a Dolphin pump? DP-800, DP-1200, DP-2000 ?

 

[krux]

any problem centering the thing on the driove shaft? seems that if it was even a bit off center it would eventually spin its self apart, possibly damaging the pump.