Need powerhead recommendation...and had a disaster

[dansemacabre]

So, a beautiful baby tang that I rescued from a LFS was sucked into my powerhead. Not where you might think though. It's a Powersweep by zoomed...a self-rotating head alternates the current. I've been ultra-happy with it until now. There's a whell to adjust the amount of flow...and apparently water gets sucked in at the whell. It pulled the poor baby tang into it and it was stuck there. I'm so angry. So I need recommendations on some good powerheads, that I can cover the bottoms to, so they won't suck anything up. The powersweeps have sponges on the main intake, but the wheel allowed suction to get in. I have a few roaming things, and plan on anemones in the future (please, I know. Please don't yell at me for this), and I absolutely refuse to run a high risk of anything being sucked into my powerheads. I'll also need advice on a powerhead on/off-wavemaker-timer thing. Thanks.

 

[Atari]

Are you sure it didn't die and then get drawn there by the current?

Sorry for the loss btw

 

[dansemacabre]

No, because the horrible thing was...he was alive in there. He was swimming around, with a terrible spot on his side...but he seemed awake...went around pecking at algae, I went to the store to survey new powerheads, and he's now gone. I'm liking the Seio pumps. Anyone know if these can be covered by sponge or the like? Still looking for a powerhead-on/on-wavemaker thing. Thanks for the sympathies Atari, I'm just upset it was such a little one.

 

[dansemacabre]

CoralLife has a power strip with 4 switching outlets that can be set to switch back and forth every 15 minutes. Looks good?

 

[Atari]

I've heard good things about it yeah.

Not a fan of the Maxijet1200's ? Once you get the sponges on them they are pretty safe.

 

[lziarek]

i like the penguin style pumps, had good luck with them so far!

 

[TygGer]

I've heard good things about it yeah.

Not a fan of the Maxijet1200's ? Once you get the sponges on them they are pretty safe.

Why dont you like maxijets?

 

[saberry]

Hey TyGer, I think Atari was asking if dansemacabre likes the MJ 1200's, not saying that he doesn't like them - note the question mark. I second the MJ 1200. I have a variety of size fish and inverts and have had no problems so far. They are more likely to get swayed by the heavy current than drawn to the suction.

 

[FishyMel]

LFS talked me into spending the big bucks on a Tunze6000. It pumps several thousand gallons an hour and has a control panel that you can buy that generataes alternating current has a food timer that allows you to stop the current for 5 minutes by pushing a single button. So far so good...but I don't have any anenemes yet, or really small fish. It has no sponge. It is designed only to be a powerhead so the intake area is spread all the way around the whole powerhead instead of in a small area to attach a tube, like most powerheads.

 

[FishyMel]

Oh yea! Meant to say it is a Tunze Turbelle Stream Kit 6000.

 

[Atari]

Yeah sorry, I could've worded it a little better. I love Maxijets!

 

[dansemacabre]

OK, I've decided to keep the powersweeps: I can cover the wheel (which I never touch) with a very coarse foam, and use zip-ties to hold it on the unit. I'll pick up a MaxiJet 1200 to supplement my existing flow, and a friend of mine is giving me their penguin powerhead that they never use. I'm also going to buy a Seio to push surface water over to the overflow, which will push oily stuff into the sump and it will create better surface agitation for gas exchange. And every powerhead I get is gonna be covered in sponge. =] Thanks for all the advice!!

 

[phases99]

IMO, You can't go wrong with a Maxijet, they are quiet and reliable.

 

[TygGer]

I should stop posting when I'm suppose to be asleep!