Help attaching Gyre

[szavoda]

Hey Guys -

I have a Gyre 150 that I am putting in the overflow side of my peninsula tank. Generally, you would use a magnet. In my case, the magnet would go in the overflow and gyre in the tank. My problem is that the return pipes are keeping the magnet from going down to where I need to place it and is causing some issues. I can't re-do the plumbing without some major issues, so here are a couple of ideas:

1. Use velcro on the acrylic and gyre using some sort of adhesive that I could apply underwater. Not sure how long this would hold and what type of adhesive (JB weld?) I would use to get the velcro attached to the inside of the tank.

2. Still use velcro, but attach it to the tank by drilling holes and screwing it down - not fun cause I have to drain a lot of water out.

3. Find a thinner magnet. Possible, but the current one (which I bought the extra strong one) is barely holding through 3/4" acrylic.

4. {insert your ideas here}

I do need the gyre to be easily removed for cleaning and maintenance.

Thanks!

Shawn

 

[Shaunv]

Zip ties?

 

[szavoda]

Another option may be to use screws but into the gyre bracket itself. Same result (and issues) without having velcro in the tank that will eventually get messy

 

[TheRealChrisBrown]

Could you put the 150 in an up and down orientation rather than horizontal? Have your gyre flow across the back and front glass, rather than the surface of the water and down along the bed.

 

[szavoda]

Zip ties?

Not much to zip tie it to - here is a pic that should give some reference:

 

[szavoda]

Could you put the 150 in an up and down orientation rather than horizontal? Have your gyre flow across the back and front glass, rather than the surface of the water and down along the bed.

I think the main problem there is that the gyre would still be up too high (the overflow is only 35% of the tank or so). It would suck in water from the surface and create a vortex effect. It is doing that now in the current position which is one of the main reasons I want to move it down a couple of inches.

 

[TheRealChrisBrown]

Your overflow looks like it has a pvc pipe near the center, is that the only pvc in the way? Maybe you could cut the magnet holder in half and remove the section where the pvc pipe is in the way?

 

[MuralReef]

Will it fit under the overflow?

 

[szavoda]

I think it would, but I am not sure how well it would function as the rocks would be in the way. Perhaps under the overflow and then vertical!?!?! lemme check.

 

[szavoda]

Unfortunately, the center pipe is fine - the pipe to the left of that is where is gets blocked. It is due to a 1.5" PVC Male Adapter. I guess I could change the bulkhead to be a slip vs. threaded without too much trouble...

 

[SkyShark]

Could you make a bracket for the gyre that hangs on the overflow? You could make something from acrylic scraps pretty easily and hopefully not block too much of the overflow.

 

[Punjab]

You could possibly go the ole suction cup route. Like four algae clips hanging on to the gyre, supported by the suction cups.

Or I'd find different magnets. You could use a half from two separate algae scrapers. Bulk Reef Supply sells those little plastic coated magnets that can be used for all kinds of things. It would take a bunch but it might work.

 

[Balz3352]

How thick is the magnet now?
Sorry pics aren't working for me.

 

[szavoda]

How thick is the magnet now?
Sorry pics aren't working for me.

I would guess somewhere around 3/4". The trick is that the magnets on the Gyre side are not very long and I do not have much of an option to cut / move thngs around.

I have gotten a bunch of great alternatives from you guys - thanks! I think I am going to start with a vertical mount under the overflow and see what happens. That might even give me more flow than originally. I might even add another gyre to the other side vertically and alternate ...

Shawn