tiny pump

hey guys as some of you may know i am currently running a 1 gallon pico tank. at the moment im using a zoomed mp 11 as the circ pump for it.
my problem is that i have to turn the pump all the way down to be able to use it without blowing the sand coral and fish all over the tank. and because i have it turned down all the way its producing more heat than it would if used normally which wouldnt matter in a larger tank but being a 1 gal it builds heat quickley does any one know of a pump that is smaller something that pumps like maybe 5-10 gph?

 

Could you use a Toms Aqua Lifter as an external pump? They even have inline filters. It is 3.5 GPH but could work nicely.

http://www.marinedepot.com/Tom_Aquatics_Aqua_Lifter_Dosing_Pump_Accessories_for_Aquarium_Overflow_Boxes-Tom_Aquatics-OE1137-FIOFOA-vi.html

 

ive actually already tried the aqualifter i even used multiple inline filters as a kind of canister filter i used pads carbon and seachems denitrate as biological filtration all in their own little canisters but the aqua lifter didnt provide enough flow the one im using right now provides a little over 40 gph at full blast so i think when its turned down all the way it is pushing about 10-20 but if i can find a pump that does about 5-10 i could get two and have flow going in 2 diffrent directions to allow for better circulation

 

Do you have a pic of your tank?

If its square or have a flat surface you could install a spray bar to evenly distribute the water flow. Also you could install a valve to slow the water down. You might even be able to mod it and make a small Fuge in the canister portion.

For example this would work:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B0002DIRPU

 

i never thought of using a spray bar but yea that might work to even the flow out better now i just have to figure out how to make one lol i dont know if anyone makes one for a pump/tank this tiny oh and heres a link to the build thread if you wanna check it out http://www.3reef.com/forums/show-off-your-fish-tanks/1-gallon-pico-rebuild-130883.html
but as far as turning the flow down i think thats what is causing the pump to produce so much heat so id rather not if i dont have to but this spray bar idea could allow me to turn up the flow a little bit and make the pump heat up less

 

what about just putting a T in the return of the pump to your tank? than you have 2 like you said you wanted to do with 2 pumps. but using that same pump.

 

that could work too ill have to do some expiramenting and figure out what works best now i just gotta figure out where to get parts that would fit such a small pump lol

 

At the LFS? Menards(HD, Lowes), you gotta DIY it!

Good luck, I do hope you get it worked out soon.

Pretty cool, a 1 gallon tank.

 

I am not sure how much directional flow is important in a 1 gallon tank. wouldn;t any amount of flow just bounce off the walls and make it a mute point?

 

todd i agree i was planning on diying it cause i doubt anyone makes parts for it i just wanna get a really good fit so it dosent slide off the pump
and tom you are right but to get it where there are no dead spots id have to turn up the flow a good bit and doing that would cause my sand and coral to get blown around all over the place