Could Fan Nozzles be the Next Whirlwind Success?

We’ve had venturis, flare nozzles, eductors, random flow generators and rotating deflectors, but I’m tipping this little gizmo to turn up more and more in the marine hobby, and maybe even freshwater, in the future.

That gizmo, is called the Fan Nozzle.

Born in China, the Fan Nozzle is, as the name suggests, an outlet pipe attachment designed to push fit, screw-on or glue onto aquarium hard plumbing or external filter pipework.

Using no power itself, the item simply pushes onto hard plastic pipe and as soon as the pump is turned on, and when water is pumped through it from behind, the propellor spins, like a puck-style wavemaker, turning what would be a narrow jet into a broader flow pattern.

And if it has slots in the back it may even increase turnover, like an eductor, sucking in tank water and propelling that forward too.

Its cheap, its a novel idea, and what’s more, it might just work.

You can even get double outlets, where two can be connected to one outlet pipe, yet can be set at different heights and different angles. And with the ease of 3D print prototyping, many more designs will surely add to the myriad colours already available.

If you have a variable speed return up, you would have a variable speed fan nozzle too…

Several sizes are available. I saw them first on Temu but Amazon and eBay has them too. And I predict that it is only a matter of time until they turn up fitted to mainstream reef aquaria and branded power filters.

I want one. But unlike many of the things I want, I can actually afford one.