PowerHead Question on force??

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xxnonamexx

Aquarium Advice Freak
Joined
Mar 18, 2005
Messages
358
Location
New York
I have a 55gal. 260Watt CoralLife Power Compact, 3 1W Lunar Lights, Live sand 4in DSB, 75lbs. Live Rock, 2 Cinnamon Clownfish, Firefish, Magenta Dottyback, snails, crabs, Feather Duster, Sabae Purple Tipped Anenome, 1 White Leather Coral, Red Sun polyp, assorted polyps, 2 Assorted Color Plate Corals, Pipe Organ, Frogspawn, Fox Coral, Flat Brain, Finger Leather, Mushrooms, Green Star Polyps, 2 8" Maxima Clams, Wet/Dry filter, Protein Skimmer, Heater

I saw that they sell a rotating deflector for powerheads and was just curious if it was a good thing to purchase to dissipate the flow b/c when I turn it one way it kicks the sand around the other way it seems too much current on the corals. You can check out my setup. http://www.flickr.com/photos/59422509@N00/
 
Not sure how to answer your question... but do you have PC lighting as a retrofit, or as the full unit? If so... how did you get it to fit into your canopy? I love those Lunar lights!!! :D
 
Items like this are inexspensive and will work for a while. Over time I see a problems with them jamming up due to the SW and coraline algea growth. A better option is getting a wave maker or wave timer to create flow in your tank.
 
I put rotating devices on the four powerheads in my 72 gallon and have been very happy with their performance. I think that they are called hydro flows (I can't remember the exact name, it's been a while since I bought them) but I know that www.premiumaquatics.com carries them. They were about $12 each as I recall. I've seen postings where some members have complained that they reduce the volume of water flow too much and that they can jam with algae growth. I have noticed a reduction in water flow but I don't believe that it is very significant. The benefits that I receive from the constant, chaotic water movement have been benefical for my corals. For example, my Xenias are always moving and swaying in different directions and from the literature that I have read, that is exactly what you want. It is very important to keep them clean or they will jam. I use a bottle brush to clean them every couple of weeks or so and they continue to work well (it takes me a whopping 15 minutes to clean all four of them). If you don't have the time to keep them clean then don't waste your money on them because the gears will eventually clog and jam.
 
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