Powerheads-how many?

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MsBeanCtr

Aquarium Advice FINatic
Joined
Sep 27, 2006
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Location
Washington State
I've avoided putting anything in the main tank but I have some areas that are low flow and 'I think" I have too many soft squishy sponges init. I know that powerheads are suggested for low flow areas but how many do most folks have in their tanks? Also, how big of a powerhead should I get? Can I place the powerhead behind the LR to hide it (my LR doesn't lean against the back glass)?

Maybe some sponges are ok but I don't like all of the ones I have. Should I manually remove them?

Jeeze! You'd think I was playing 20 questions here or something :D
 
I have a 55 gal, two maxijet 1200s, and a hydor koralia 4. The direction they are pointed also makes a difference. I like the koralias, give a more intermittent flow. I guess you could hide one behind rocks, as long as they don't block the flow.
 
I like the hydors too, nice gentle cone shaped flow. I've had snails crawl across them and be fine.
 
I got rid of my Maxijet600 that was on a side wall shooting towards the front glass, and replaced it with a Koralia 2. The Koralia 2 is on the back wall, behind a rock and it's doing a double bank shot off the side glass to get the flow up front. When I left the house this morning, I had a snail cleaning up the front "screen" of the Koralia and one crawling across the inlet screen. I'd recommend them!
 
Just remember that sponges are filter feeders and that`s a good thing when it comes to your tank. As far as the PH`s I`m a SEIO person. My returns which are mag 12 and a mag9.5 make up most of my flow. I do have a seio in my SPS corner.
 
I have 2 Koralia 3's, 2 AC 70's, a RIO 600 plus my return (1200gph minus head loss) in my 125.
 
I recently looked at replacing my three maxi-jet 1200s. The LFS suggested I try the Sure Flow maxi-jet mod instead, since my pumps still worked fine. They will increase the flow of a maxi-jet 1200 from to 1200gph to 1600 or 2100gph (depending on the impellar you install). I bought three upgrade kits along with three SureGrip magnet mounts. I tried the 2100gph mod and found it was an insane amount of flow. Now I have the 1600gph option on all three powerheads and it works great.
 
I have a 30 gallon. Is it ok to just have the return from my sump as the only flow in my tank? I am kind of confused as to how much current is a good amount.
 
I recently looked at replacing my three maxi-jet 1200s. The LFS suggested I try the Sure Flow maxi-jet mod instead, since my pumps still worked fine. They will increase the flow of a maxi-jet 1200 from to 1200gph to 1600 or 2100gph (depending on the impellar you install). I bought three upgrade kits along with three SureGrip magnet mounts. I tried the 2100gph mod and found it was an insane amount of flow. Now I have the 1600gph option on all three powerheads and it works great.

Basically the same idea as a koraila or a nano stream. The only difference is the koraila and nano streams use about half the power as a maxi. But I totally agree with doing the mod on something you already have instead of buying something else.

I've thought about modding one of my maxis just to see how well they work.
 
I have a 30 gallon. Is it ok to just have the return from my sump as the only flow in my tank? I am kind of confused as to how much current is a good amount.

In theory, you could probably just use the return flow, but the issue is more where the flow is coming from. Not sure if you have a reef or fish-only tank, but with reef you want chaotic "random" flow. Most folks achieve this by having at least two, sometimes 3 or more, locations from where the flow is coming from. By making the flow patterns of these separate powerheads collide with each other, or bounce off rocks or the glass, you can at least break up the flow and not make it a jet blast pointing at something. That's what you're trying to do... simulate the randomness of the ocean as much as you can in an enclosed space. You'll never really get a random flow pattern, but at least you can break it up so it's kind of a "swirling" pattern.

Hope that makes sense.
 
Powerheads? Think flow, Flow, FLOW! In my 210 I currently have two quiet one 6000 (one for each return), 2 Seio M1100, 2 Hydor Koralia 3, 2 Hydor Koralia 2, and 2 Maxi Jet 1200. You want a chaotic not laminar flow in the tank. The old rule of 10 to 15 x per hour turnover rate is out the door. Try more like 25 to 30 x per hour or more. That much current help clean the tank, removes wastes from sessile invertabrate as well as brining them both food and oxygen. In my system with 8000 gph turn over and I stll have troubles with a few settling areas. Just get the flow up there and your tanks will show incredible growth rates.
 
Yeah... DrFosterSmith definitely isn't the cheapest of the online retailers, but from a customer service standpoint they can't be beat. The only time they come in cheaper is if you're buying heavy things since their shipping is based on $ and not weight.

Think you'll be very happy with the Koralias.
 
I have a 40 gal with a Rio 1200 return, and one maxijet 900. I have plenty of flow in my tank. I may have too much actually...my frags of xenia sometimes blow off of their frag rocks.
 
WooHoo! Powerheads are in.....where in the tank is the best placement? Low in the tank? Mid tank?? and what direction should the flow be pointing? Up? Down??

Thank you!
 
I have mine on opposite sides of the tank facing towards the middle top of the tank. That give me great surface agitation and flow in the tank.
 
I have 2 hydor koralia 2's plus a mag7 Return pump for my 46g bow. My maxi-jet is used for my saltwater mixing tub. Big Als is having a sale on Hydors they are pretty competitive with prices and will beat anyone's price by 5%
 
Hey MsBeanCtr, congrats on the new flow! :D As far as best placement, may I ask you the size of your tank and the footprint? I may have missed it, but I didnt see this info.
 
I have a 30gallon long. Currently using the standard return that came with my wetdry. I watched a video on Youtube last night of this guys tank (it was a nano) and his soft corals and anemones were moving so naturally. I was wondering if anyone knew of a great powerhead setup I could use to achieve very realistic ocean conditions and keep my fishys happy.
 
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