# preventing fish from being sucked into circulation pump?



## keithy (Jun 8, 2010)

I saw one of my cardinal being sucked into the side of my maxijet 400 circulation pump mode and spitted out looking beaten up. I have had the cardinals for about a year or two and maxijet at least 4-5 months. I tried putting a protective net around the pump and the pump got loud. My question is what do you do to prevent mishaps like this to happen again? Or am I the only member here that is having this problem?


----------



## flight50 (Apr 17, 2012)

Honestly I'd say the fish was not well. Also where do you have your pump. I just invested in a Koriala nano and my cards have no issues. Mine is placed in the upper region of my tank. Cardinal are mid-low level swimmers so my pump posses no threat. For a healthy fish they swim away when being pulled. I watch my fish swim by my pump and the intake of my filters all the time without being pulled in. The ones that did get pulled were either dying or very weak and got pulled.


----------



## keithy (Jun 8, 2010)

problem is, my cards are so used to human feeding that they swim to the slightest shadow of human being begging for food. One swam too close and got beaten up good. 

edit:Yeah, mine is located on top of tank too, forgot to mention.


----------



## somewhatshocked (Aug 8, 2011)

Why not use a pre-filter sponge?


----------



## keithy (Jun 8, 2010)

somewhatshocked said:


> Why not use a pre-filter sponge?



though about that, but reason is that I do not want too much head loss. I am now using netting to wrap around the pump. reduces the head quite a bit and produces loud noise. If only I knew of a better solution..... sigh.....


----------



## somewhatshocked (Aug 8, 2011)

Black pantyhose?


----------



## Diana (Jan 14, 2010)

Power heads or pumps with a small intake have a very strong flow of water going in there, and even healthy fish might get caught, though it is rare. 

The secret is to spread out the force so that there is less current where a fish could get trapped. 
A coarse sponge, a couple of inches square will increase the surface area of the intake, so there is less force to trap the fish. The sponge can be very coarse, and does not interfere with the operation of the pump. 
Another way to spread out the force is to make a PVC manifold with several Tees and a couple of 90s. Then put a sponge over each opening.


----------

