Stock Impeller vs DIY Needle Wheel

1600 Gallon system update. The video today will be the first video in the DIY needle wheel impeller series. I compare the performance of the stock impeller in my protein skimmer vs the DIY needle wheel impeller I built. A discussion also covers why a stock impeller differs in performance vs a needle wheel impeller. The first step of the DIY process is then cover for removing the stock impeller from the impeller shaft and magnet on a Jebao DCT-15000.
Have a comment or a question? Please feel free to leave them down below in the comments section. I enjoy interacting with the community and will try to respond to comments and questions as quickly as I can.
Want read more about my system check out my Reef2Reef build thread: www.reef2reef.com/threads/ale...

[@siggyincr7447]

One of your videos showed up on my suggested videos today and have been watching a few of them. Great content, I really enjoy the DIY stuff. Really looking forward to seeing your tank grow in. Subscribed and looking forward to new videos.
On a technical note, as far as I understand it, needle wheels create those fine bubbles not only by chopping the larger bubbles up but also as each pin passes through the water it creates a high pressure zone in front of it where gases from larger bubbles are dissolved and as they flow past the pin they enter a low pressure zone behind the pin where the same gases come out of solution, creating loads of microscopic bubbles in the wake of the passing needle.

[@algawura2]

Thanks for commenting Siggy in CR. Thanks for adding the technical note on the needle wheel. I can see how the pressure variations would contribute to creating micro bubbles. I have been working to get get another update together on the reef tank and I am hoping to have it out in the next week or two.

[@Haisanphuvan]

Hay

[@hariyadi2034]

Kesuwun mas

[@dailycoral]

Great job documenting the needle wheel process, and congrats on 700 subs!

[@algawura2]

Thanks Daily Reefing. I think the DIY needle wheel will be a fun project to share.

[@dailycoral]

AlexGs Aquarium Absolutely.. Everything about that monster skimmer is fascinating!

[@mikethereefer3719]

Great information as usual. Thanks Alex!

[@algawura2]

Thanks for the comment MikeTheReefer.

[@tomerlevi6961]

Nice video, really interesting

[@YohanM99]

Nice video alex i did the same to my dc 400pump last year but instead of using a hamer i used vise to push the shaft out.

[@algawura2]

I can see how a press or a vice would also be a great way to remove the impeller. Thanks for the comment.

[@MaccaPopEye]

Great video mate. When it comes to jebao spare parts send fish-street an email and they will let you know if you can order the part separately and how much it will be. They then tell you to do a custom order through their website. I'm not sure what they will cost if you can do it but they seem to be happy to supply most parts separately.

[@algawura2]

Thanks for comment MaccaPopEye and for a source to get Jebao parts.

[@Reefgrrl]

That was a great comparison between the stock impeller and the needle wheel. One question - did you have the stock impeller hooked up to push the water through a Venturi? Maybe I missed it, or misunderstood....? It's been my understanding that forcing the water into the bubble chamber via Venturi is what makes the bubbles....but I've never taken one apart to see how they work. Plus I've only ever had nano Venturi skimmers, none of which worked well. Looking forward to the next part! 👍🏻👍🏻

[@algawura2]

The venturi on my skimmer is setup on the suction side of the pump so any air drawn into the venturi needs to pass through the impeller to be chopped into finer bubbles before leaving the pump for the bubble chamber in the protein skimmer. Most older skimmers using a venturi will have the venturi located on the output of the pump which will also draw air in to make bubbles but it will produce larger bubbles that are more likely to stay larger as they are not interacting with an impeller which will chop up the bubbles to make them smaller. The smaller bubbles create more surface area and interaction with the water in the protein skimmer allowing waste to be removed with more efficiency.