Pump intake guard STL generator
A pump pulls hardest right at its intake, which is how sump fish, snails and hermit crabs end up pinned against it. A guard spreads the same flow over far more open area, so the water slows down at the screen and small animals can swim or crawl away.
Free to design · 1 credit per new design · Watertight STL + 3MF
How it works
Your numbers, not ours.
The guard is a round socket that slides over the intake fitting, a perforated body and a perforated end cap. ReefCAD adds up every opening, shows the open area next to the intake’s and warns when it’s under 3 times. The opening size decides what can get inside; the open area decides how hard it pulls.
What you can tweak
- Fits a measured fitting (10–80 mm) or ¾″, 1″, 1¼″ or 1½″ PVC
- Socket depth 10–60 mm, with an optional zip-tie clamp
- Body diameter 20–150 mm, length 20–200 mm
- Slots, holes or a diamond grid, openings 2–10 mm
- Bar width 1.2–5 mm, wall thickness 1.6–5 mm
- Openings in the end cap, or a solid cap
Print tips
Print it right the first time.
Measure the outside of the fitting
Nominal sizes aren’t outside diameters: 1¼″ PVC pipe is 42.2 mm across. Measure the outside of your pump’s intake fitting with calipers where the socket will sit, and type that size in.
Dial in the friction fit
The socket uses your lid clearance on each side, like the coral jail’s lid. Print the Fit-Test Coupon first, or turn on the zip-tie clamp for slippery threads.
PETG or ASA in the sump
The guard lives in saltwater, so print it in PETG, or ASA if it sits under lights. Skip PLA.
FAQ
Pump Intake Guard questions.
If the intake has a round fitting, nozzle or pipe stub, yes. Measure its outside diameter with calipers and type it in (10 to 80 mm). The socket adds your lid clearance on each side so it slides on snug. For PVC, pick ¾″, 1″, 1¼″ or 1½″ and still check it with calipers.
The same flow through more open area moves slower at the screen, so fish and snails can get away instead of getting pinned. ReefCAD shows the guard’s open area next to the intake’s and warns when it’s under 3 times.
The opening size is the biggest thing that can get inside. ReefCAD starts at 3 mm. Smaller openings clog faster, and openings over 6 mm let small snails and fish in.
Yes. It prints end cap down with the socket on top. A 45° shoulder joins the body to the socket, and the openings in the wall have pointed tops.
More parts
Same fit, different job.
- Water Test StationOne home for your reef test kits.Reef water test station STL generator
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