Origami February 14, 2011 Share February 14, 2011 This is not original, but I have found it both simple and handy enough to post it here. I personally like that I can adapt a maxijet quickly and reliably to 1/4" tubing to meet low flow needs, replacing things like aqualifters with a more reliable pump. This adapter connects to the 1/2-inch output nozzle of a standard maxijet pump, adapting it to a quick (push) connect fitting useful for auto-topoff use, small water changes, or other such uses. An overview of the tools and materials: You will need 1" length of 1/2"-CPVC (not PVC) pipe - sold at Home Depot and Lowes under the name FlowGuard Gold 1- CPVC adapter, 1/2 to 1/2-female pipe thread 1 quick connect male adapter (1/4" OD x 1/2 MIP, or 3/8" OD x 1/2 MIP - your choice) CPVC solvent Teflon tape 1/2" drill to bore out the CPVC pipe and an electric drill (possibly optional) Vinyl or polyethylene tubing to match the quick connect adapter The key to this project is the 1/2" nozzle size of Maxijet pumps and the nearly 1/2" inside diameter of 1/2" FlowGuard Gold CPVC pipe (it's actually 0.469" ID, so we need to bore it out with a 1/2" drill). Here's a picture of the 1-inch stub of pipe being bored out on a standard twist drill. (You may find it easier to bore out the pipe stub after it's been glued into the adapter - step 2.) Next, you want to glue the pipe stub into the CPVC adapter (shown here): Now, wrap some teflon tape around the threads of the quick connect male adapter shown here. One end of the quick connecter should match your vinyl tubing size, while the other will have a 1/2" pipe thread that matches the CPVC adapter. By the way, the adapter on the left doesn't actually have the right thread - just imagine that it does, because I used the wrong prop: After threading the quick connector into the CPVC adapter assembly, you can friction-fit the entire assembly onto your maxijet nozzle. The fit is tight enough that the adapter should not come off. Push in your vinyl tubing and you're all set. Drop the maxijet into your top-off reservoir, and you've got a clean, convenient, and reliable connection - even to 1/4" vinyl tubing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dbartco February 14, 2011 Share February 14, 2011 Nice, now find me a decent 1/4 checkvalve that actually works with a maxijet/Kalkreactor. I have tried tons, and they all fail after a bit. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
davelin315 February 14, 2011 Share February 14, 2011 One thing I used to do to break the siphon (and this probably would not work on this given the size of the pump) was to put a T at the very top of the line before it entered into the reactor and then I ran a line straight up to the ceiling. The pressure for the aqualifters I use was not enough to push it up to the ceiling and so when they stopped running the siphon would break by sucking in air from the vent. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Origami February 14, 2011 Author Share February 14, 2011 One thing I used to do to break the siphon (and this probably would not work on this given the size of the pump) was to put a T at the very top of the line before it entered into the reactor and then I ran a line straight up to the ceiling. The pressure for the aqualifters I use was not enough to push it up to the ceiling and so when they stopped running the siphon would break by sucking in air from the vent. This approach would work, but it would be good to put a ball valve in place after the pump (but before the tee) to add some head pressure. Max head pressure for various Maxijets (according to their datashet) are as follows: Maxijet 400 - 29" Maxijet 600 - 53" Maxijet 900 - 46" Maxijet 1200 - 69" As a matter of course, I try to pump to higher levels our use siphon breaks rather than depend on the reliability of checkvalves. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scott711 February 14, 2011 Share February 14, 2011 Nice Post Tom. You have two entries for the MJ 900. I assume you meant MJ1200 for the last one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zygote2k February 14, 2011 Share February 14, 2011 Tom- Have you ever thought about putting all of your projects down on paper and making a book for the practical aquarist? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Origami February 14, 2011 Author Share February 14, 2011 Nice Post Tom. You have two entries for the MJ 900. I assume you meant MJ1200 for the last one. Thanks, Scott. It's fixed now. Tom- Have you ever thought about putting all of your projects down on paper and making a book for the practical aquarist? LOL. I don't feel like I've got that many projects that I've done. I just found this one useful, having stumbled across it awhile back and thought that I'd share it here. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DaveS February 14, 2011 Share February 14, 2011 Pretty cool! One quick question- the 1/2" pipe you bored out that connects the fittings to the MJ nozzle, that's a friction fit and not glued? Any special reason you didn't glue it? Didn't want to make it permanent? I wonder if after a while, especially if there's decent head pressure, the fitting will slip off. This is very handy to know and I think I'll make one just to have it around. Just 2 weeks ago I needed something similar and I ended up using tubing and a zip-tie on the nozzle. Not as clean as this! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Origami February 14, 2011 Author Share February 14, 2011 Pretty cool! One quick question- the 1/2" pipe you bored out that connects the fittings to the MJ nozzle, that's a friction fit and not glued? Any special reason you didn't glue it? Didn't want to make it permanent? I wonder if after a while, especially if there's decent head pressure, the fitting will slip off. This is very handy to know and I think I'll make one just to have it around. Just 2 weeks ago I needed something similar and I ended up using tubing and a zip-tie on the nozzle. Not as clean as this! The friction fit is very tight. You'd need way more head pressure than a maxijet can deliver to push it off. I've done the zip-tie thing, also. As you say, it's not as clean nor is it as secure over the long haul if you repeatedly remove and reconnect it. Plus, this is a nice way to connect up to a 1/4" (OD) line rather than a 1/2" (ID) or 5/8" (OD) one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dandy7200 February 15, 2011 Share February 15, 2011 Nice, now find me a decent 1/4 checkvalve that actually works with a maxijet/Kalkreactor. I have tried tons, and they all fail after a bit. a tee with a anti-siphon air line is cheaper and considerably more reliable. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rioreef February 16, 2011 Share February 16, 2011 (edited) Tom, What about using the John Guest or Mur-lok quick connects throughout. This link JG reducers has 1/2 to 3/8 and then 3/8 to 1/4. You would only need the 3/8 tubing in between to connect. Also, would this connector available from BRS work in your setup? BRS sells these 1/2 quick connects as part of there reactor setup. You can also buy separately. I have the 1/2 to 1/2 straight and elbows from them to connect my MJ to my Kent reactor with modified ports. When I want to do water changes, I use this pump by disconnecting the reactor and connecting a longer 1/2 ridged line (from BRS also). You can get them in black to match the pump and line too. They offered the locking clips when I got them, but I don't see them on there now. Chris Edited February 16, 2011 by rioreef Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Origami February 16, 2011 Author Share February 16, 2011 It might work, Chris. I've never tried it. The Maxijet nozzle looks to be consistently 1/2-inch in diameter along it's 0.6" length (that is, it's not tempered). This build is something I've done and can be done with parts from your local Lowe's. Again, it's not my design. It's just something I found once in my looking around, and decided (finally) to capture here. One nice thing about this, though, is that you don't only have to use this approach with a John Guest-type of quick connect, knowing that you can fit the output of a maxijet into a piece of CPVC opens a whole host of possibilities, only one of which is this quick connect mod. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dandy7200 February 16, 2011 Share February 16, 2011 I wonder what the ID of a JG 1/2" male NPT to 1/4" tube connect is. If it is less than .5" and your breaking out the drill and .5" bit anyway.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Origami February 16, 2011 Author Share February 16, 2011 I wonder what the ID of a JG 1/2" male NPT to 1/4" tube connect is. If it is less than .5" and your breaking out the drill and .5" bit anyway.... Interesting question. Just interesting enough for me to go ahead and take this one I have apart and check. Alas, it is 0.550" inside on the threaded side - just a tad too roomy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dandy7200 February 16, 2011 Share February 16, 2011 even better, 4-5 wraps of Teflon tape and leave the drill in the garage :-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Origami February 16, 2011 Author Share February 16, 2011 even better, 4-5 wraps of Teflon tape and leave the drill in the garage :-) It rattles around pretty good - probably a little more tape than that. Not as clean, but very functional. I've also just taken rubber plumbing tape and tied in a 3/8" tube with a 1/4" tube inserted in the center. Again, it's not clean but it works. In the words of my farm-raised father, there's more than one way to skin a cat. (I don't think they did much cat-skinning in Missouri, though. *Thank God*) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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