Nem Guard for PH

[ca1ore]

Has anyone come up with an aesthetically acceptable way to keep wanderers out of powerheads? Ideas welcome; pictures preferred.

[aznflyfisherman]

They sell foam guards to put around powerheads. I made this around my mp10. Guess it would look better if i use black zip ties.

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/picture.php?albumid=10227&pictureid=76509

[ca1ore]

That looks interesting. FWIW, I've wrestled with the foam sleeves for years. They clog so quickly, that they're essentially useless ..... IMO

[vashawn]

That looks interesting. FWIW, I've wrestled with the foam sleeves for years. They clog so quickly, that they're essentially useless ..... IMO

im looking for ideas as well
foam sleeves like you said does clog really quick.
The plastic mesh is not to bad either.

[OrionN]

The solution is to take good care of your anemones :)
Just kidding. I never able to do anything about it. The problem is that you need a large surface area to diffuse the flow, thus there is no way you can get a small unobtrusive PH guard.

Small unobtrusive with large surface area is an oxymoron.

[ca1ore]

It's weird. Have kept mags almost continuously since about 1998, and never had one let go and end up as puree. Yet, that is exactly what happened to my last one. And, sadly, it was the nicest looking of the various ones I've had.

But you are right, unobtrusive and diffusing surface suction is an oxymoron.

[Breadman03]

They sell foam guards to put around powerheads. I made this around my mp10. Guess it would look better if i use black zip ties.

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/picture.php?albumid=10227&pictureid=76509



That was, IMO, the best option when I looked into them.

[aznflyfisherman]

The mesh is about $1 for a 14x14inch piece at the art and craft store, its a yarn sewing mesh. I think the foam guard is a pain, always having to clean imo.

Hey breadman03 your in my area..im up in drums area.

[ca1ore]

OK, assumed it was gutter guard - though looks very close.

[Hooloovoo]

My BTA just took a final joy ride through my powerhead this past weekend after having previously stayed put in the same spot for weeks. Looking for a solution to this problem myself. I wonder about that mesh in aznflyfisherman's post though. Doesn't seem like it would do much different than the housing that already surrounds the powerhead. Wouldn't the nem just get sucked right through the mesh if it got too close? If not, why not?

[OrionN]

It will need to be bigger to defuse the flow. The mesh box is a little better but will not stop an anemone from been puree if it get to the PH.

[Breadman03]

The mesh is about $1 for a 14x14inch piece at the art and craft store, its a yarn sewing mesh. I think the foam guard is a pain, always having to clean imo.

Hey breadman03 your in my area..im up in drums area.



I'm there now! Right at 309 by the bridal shop.

[ca1ore]

It will need to be bigger to defuse the flow. The mesh box is a little better but will not stop an anemone from been puree if it get to the PH.

I agree. Anemone will get sucked through even those smaller openings. Need some way to diffuse flow while not making a modern Frankenstein.

Although not perfect, I've come up with something that I believe will work. Basically, I took an unused two little fishes 500 reactor lid, zip tied some gutter guard inside the lids rim, and the sandwiched it between the wet and dry sides of my vortech. It increases the in tank profile of the wetside, but it will provides some space between the grill of the wetside, and the gutter guard, thus diffusing flow. Tried it with a sacrificial hairy mushroom and it seems to work as intended.

Tried to post a picture, but in finding photobucket increasingly cumbersome on the iPad.

[davocean]

I saw an acrylic gaurd made by Marc on Melevs reef not too long ago, maybe search that as an option.

[ca1ore]

here is a pic

http://i1361.photobucket.com/albums/r680/ca1ore/image_zps5rrfe7g9.jpeg (http://s1361.photobucket.com/user/ca1ore/media/image_zps5rrfe7g9.jpeg.html)

[jah hoeva]

I cut a mesh bag (for carbon style bag) into strips and wrapped my ph once. Worked great and was disposable.

[neiltus]

Are some PH less prone to eating nems because of their design or covering design?

My BTAs finally seemed to find a place and stay put.