PDA

View Full Version : Wurly Birds every reef should have them...


dizzy3256
02/13/2011, 07:50 PM
Wurly Birds are the answer to perfect flow. I wrote this thread in the hopes others will adopt these great return ideas.Please chime in and let me know what you think of the idea.I would also like to add that a monsterfish keeper user Crotalus Scutulatus perfected the idea with the use of half inch caps instead of ugly flanges bent with a torch and ugly to look at.

Wurly Bird parts list.

You will need the following parts and ten minutes of your time to make your corals very happy.

1. Half inch elbow
1. Half inch cap
1. Rain Bird Black Bird impact
Sprinkler

Cut the sprinkler in half down to the grey cap on the sprinkler. This is what your elbow goes on. It is a perfect snug fit. Take your half inch cap drill a small hole in the side and run your drill bit about an inch across to create a flange. If your hole faces you it will spin counter clockwise. If it is the opposite way it will spin clock wise. Thats it Other than painting its done, so quick and easy. If you do paint it use plastic spray paint. Do not use the plastic paint home depot sells. It chips easy and might not be safe for a reef. Instead use the plastic paint lowes has it is great stuff. I still worry about anything that can leach so I wait 24 hours after painting and I soak them in a bucket with rock salt from home depot for close to a weak. It is over kill, but rock salt will push any toxin out of anything. Once cured put them on your system with individual ball valves, so that you can adjust your spin to make your waves. The faster the spin the bigger the wave. You do not want them to spin slow if they do they are only for looks you will not get that true wave action. When they spin they create a tornado effect that your corals love. Even though the spin is fast when you put your hand next to the wurly bird it is very calm you can't feel the surge being sent out. Stop them and the flow is very hard. When you put them on you will see for your self how much spin you need. Your corals will sway back and fourth side to side and will love you for this wonderful tornado effect. I do want to point out if you use the sprinkler I did you must remove two of the three washers onit or it will slow to a stop in a few weeks. Above the grey cap there are three washers one red one white and one black. Cut off the red and white ones and they will spin forever maintenance free. I sure hope this helps and wish everyones reef the best. You can view the prototypes of these on you tube
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j28Jb6xF9-c&feature=mfu_in_order&list=UL

bad santa
02/13/2011, 09:35 PM
That was a horrible video to show the effect of the sprinker in action. The only thing that was moving in the videa were the fish,sprinkler head and the videa camera.:(

If you have done this, can you post up a still vedeo showing how the corals are swaying with the SH?

gary faulkner
02/13/2011, 09:36 PM
dizzy,

[welcome]

Looking good!

BluScrnOdeth
02/13/2011, 09:40 PM
that makes me want to do that but i would have to upgrade my pump to compensate for now having 4 inlets instead of 1. like how it creates all the little waves.

dizzy3256
02/13/2011, 10:04 PM
I just posted a video on just the wurly birds.The link I have up there was to show my reef starting out.You can see the video here.http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l6v3wFBYF-w&feature=youtube_gdata_player

BeanAnimal
02/13/2011, 10:06 PM
The problem with these, spa jets and other similar devices that rotate due to water pressure is that they live short lives in a reef system and soon become inoperable due to organic buildup and calcification and wear.

I suspect that they will live a somewhat short life in a reef tank :)

widmer
02/13/2011, 10:11 PM
That's a fun idea. You should keep us updated with how it works long term. If all good things must come to an end, I wonder how long it will end up lasting?

Welcome to reef central btw :)

badsanta lets keep it less snarky eh :hmm4:

Harry_Y
02/13/2011, 10:49 PM
Interesting I love seeing alternate use for items.

I wonder if a thin coat of plumbers silicone grease
would help keep them clean and working longer

dogstar74
02/13/2011, 10:53 PM
Welcome to RC, Nice input for your first post. I've seen these done with a three headed whirly bird. I thought, I saw that the ejection port was three smallish holes drilled in. I think you'd do better with a directed slit. Meaning wider outlet that allows more water to gush out. It would slow down the rotation for sure, but it would also move more water with each pass, which is really what the corals want. More water movement.

I guess I'd just get a little nervous, iritable, and unsettled watching three fast darting moving pipe pieces in my tank. I'm always striving for a zen feeling, and three pipe ends whipping around don't fit the bill. Don't feel bad about that though, because I get the same feeling watching the wave from a wavebox bounce up and down 2-3 inches. It's just not relaxing for me.

Cheers,
Aaron

trent5501
02/13/2011, 11:50 PM
Dizzy I'm getting dizzy...lol great idea but I don't even want to power heads in my tank...

jeff@zina.com
02/14/2011, 08:15 AM
There are all kinds of variations on this, from DIY to the Hydor Flo commercial item. Every one of them needs routine maintenance to keep them working, otherwise they get sealed pretty quick.

My turbo snails like riding them though... :)

Jeff

dmastracchio
02/14/2011, 09:51 PM
If you can some how slow these down, I would be totally for doing something like this on my 180.

BluScrnOdeth
05/24/2011, 11:49 AM
just wondering if anyone has done this and if they are still operational after a few months of use?

disc1
05/24/2011, 11:54 AM
but rock salt will push any toxin out of anything.

I know this is an aside, but that is absolutely NOT true.

BeanAnimal
05/24/2011, 12:17 PM
I know this is an aside, but that is absolutely NOT true.

Yeah... I think most of us missed that part! What an odd thing to think. I am not even sure where a misconception like that would come from.