# attaching powerhead to end of canister outlet



## deezdrama (Jul 9, 2005)

OK i got 2 of those cheap jebo odysea large cfs4 canister filters- they work great but have noticed that the outlet tubes water rate is not very strong. My powerheads inlet screen can be taken off and the outlet hose from my canister would fit perfect on the powerhead inlet. This should increase the flowrate of my canister by helping the canisters motor by sucking water while the canister pushes it- but im afraid if the canister isnt flowing enough water through the powerhead the powerhead will go bad since it seems to pull more water then my canister pushes out. So i was thinking about using a hole punch and putting a hole in the tube right before the powerhead so if it couldnt get enough flow from the canister it could also draw it from the tank. What does anyone else think?


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## SAFETYpin (Feb 1, 2004)

deezdrama said:


> OK i got 2 of those cheap jebo odysea large cfs4 canister filters- they work great but have noticed that the outlet tubes water rate is not very strong. My powerheads inlet screen can be taken off and the outlet hose from my canister would fit perfect on the powerhead inlet. This should increase the flowrate of my canister by helping the canisters motor by sucking water while the canister pushes it- but im afraid if the canister isnt flowing enough water through the powerhead the powerhead will go bad since it seems to pull more water then my canister pushes out. So i was thinking about using a hole punch and putting a hole in the tube right before the powerhead so if it couldnt get enough flow from the canister it could also draw it from the tank. What does anyone else think?


All I know it pumps like to pump not suck. I know that doesnt really help at all but.


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## deezdrama (Jul 9, 2005)

Heres a cheesy little pic to demontstrate what i mean I could do better but why waste time



SAFETYpin said:


> OK i got 2 of those cheap jebo odysea large cfs4 canister filters- they work great but have noticed that the outlet tubes water rate is not very strong. My powerheads inlet screen can be taken off and the outlet hose from my canister would fit perfect on the powerhead inlet. This should increase the flowrate of my canister by helping the canisters motor by sucking water while the canister pushes it- but im afraid if the canister isnt flowing enough water through the powerhead the powerhead will go bad since it seems to pull more water then my canister pushes out. So i was thinking about using a hole punch and putting a hole in the tube right before the powerhead so if it couldnt get enough flow from the canister it could also draw it from the tank. What does anyone else think?


All I know it pumps like to pump not suck. I know that doesnt really help at all but.
[/quote]
the canisters pump wont be sucking the powerhead will


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## CichlidAddict (Jul 1, 2005)

I wouldn't do it. What's wrong with having them separate? The extra suction on the canister outlet might burn out the motor by causing it to run at a higher rpm than it is built for.


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## deezdrama (Jul 9, 2005)

thats why i was going to puch a hole in the hose just before the powerhead- you may be right though thats why im asking....my theory was that the powerhead would take a load off the canister pump which would make it work less - any other opinions?


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## piranha threat (Jan 1, 2004)

Find out what the flow rate is of the canister and get a powerhead equal or of less power to accomodate it?


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## furious piranha (Mar 22, 2005)

it looks like it owuld work to me, why dont you just keep the inlet on the end of the power head and put the tube from the canister halfway up that...seems more reasonable


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## deezdrama (Jul 9, 2005)

the inlet screen thing is too big for the hose to fit over. My canister claims 320gph but it seriouslly seems like less - i will have to measure it somehow


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## piranha threat (Jan 1, 2004)

Test how much it pumps out in a minute or 30 seconds and then go from there. Need something of decent size to put it in though.


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## BASSFISHERMAN (Feb 22, 2004)

What I did to test the flow rate of my canister was as follows:

1) Place output in an empty 5 gallon bucket
2) Measure amount of time it takes to completly fill the bucket (in seconds). Hold the bucket at the water level to include the reduction in flow due to the height of the output.

So if for example it takes 30 seconds to fill the 5 gallon bucket, the filter has a flowrate of 600gph.

(5 gallons in 30 seconds equals how many gallons in 1 hour ie 3600 seconds). To get your filter's gph you simply divide 18000 by the amount of time (in seconds) it took to fill the bucket.
i.e. 18000 / 30 = 600


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## Red Eyes (Nov 25, 2003)

deezdrama said:


> OK i got 2 of those cheap jebo odysea large cfs4 canister filters- they work great but have noticed that the outlet tubes water rate is not very strong...


Has your canister output flow always been weak? The reason why I ask is that when my canisters start to lose flow it's because they are dirty, so after a cleaning they are back to their "normal flow".


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## SAFETYpin (Feb 1, 2004)

Maybe I am a bit off here but is it even possible to burn up one of these motors. I mean even if the impeller wasn't turning and you left it plugged in. Its not like the impeller is attached to an armature and your just burning the brushes up. Do these pump motors overheat due to lack of water flow (coolant)? Someone correct me or enlighten me please. Besides all of that if it is difficult to damage a power head or canister pump why not just try it and see the results? Speaking of flow I was told that allot of manufactures rate there flow at 0ft head and with no media in the canisters. 
Anyone know if that's true or not?


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## deezdrama (Jul 9, 2005)

thanks for the tips guys- Ill measure flow when i get some free time-


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## kingsnar (Nov 17, 2005)

i doubt that your idea would work.... i think if you attach the powerhead to the outlet that it will burn out the motor AND/OR your canister will start to run dry because it cant intake water as fast as it can output the water


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## SAFETYpin (Feb 1, 2004)

kingsnar said:


> i doubt that your idea would work.... i think if you attach the powerhead to the outlet that it will burn out the motor AND/OR your canister will start to run dry because it cant intake water as fast as it can output the water


I dont think that you have to worry about burning up a motor. Why would the motor care if you pulled the impellar out and left it plugged in? So whats it matter if the impellar isnt moving and it still plugged in? The only way I could possibly see a burnout situation is if these pumps relied on the the fluid to cool them and to me thats seems unlikly. I also think it would be impossible for the canister to run dry it would have to have a leak or some way that air could get into the canister. Now the diameter of your hose and fittings could be a restriction, but it can't run dry. Can someone correct me if Im wrong. I will do some more research to try and figure out exactly whats happening inside the pump unit. Now my curiosity has been sparked.


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## kingsnar (Nov 17, 2005)

ohhh, i didnt know that the impellar was going to be taken out


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## Phtstrat (Sep 15, 2004)

Keep in mind that the flowrate on some canisters is meant to be that way. The more contact time the water has with the bacteria, the more nitrification can occur.

This said, I'd probably just leave it the way it is.


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## SAFETYpin (Feb 1, 2004)

kingsnar said:


> ohhh, i didnt know that the impellar was going to be taken out


No the impellar would be left in but I think that I have to agree with PHtstrat. I didnt think anthing about contact time.


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## antij0sh (Aug 12, 2005)

been wanting to try this, I can't see any damage occuring impelling can pretty much freespin or stop without any damage happening. try it out and let us know how it goes.


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## deezdrama (Jul 9, 2005)

contact time? I thought media needed a decentlly fast flow of water to establish bacteria


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