Placement of powerheads

[MarkW19]

I'm shortly going to be adding some more LR and some soft corals/polyps/'shrooms.

I've got 2 600lph powerheads (as well as the output from my filter which is the clear tube at the top right of the pic).

Could you suggest where I can put my 2 powerheads, if they need moving, to provide suitable flow around my corals? Also bearing in mind where my filter intake is (bottom right of the tank fairly near the new rock).

LR = the brown line and the corals = red

 

[phases99]

The best starting place is usually in the upper back corners so the water flow crosses in an X formation somewhere in the middle of the tank. If that doesn't give enough random current you can take it from there.

 

[MarkW19]

OK - and do you think my filter intake is ok where it is, even though it's going to be next to my new rockwork and near the bottom right corner of the tank?

 

[MarkW19]

I dont know if you can see from the pic, but my 2 powerheads are near the middle of the tank, the one at the left facing straight across the tank, and the one at the right facing across but angled up a bit to create some surface agitation.

If I moved them like you suggested, it'd mean buying another powerhead to disrupt the surface, which I don't really want to do.

Do you think it'd make a big difference moving them like you suggested?

 

[steve-s]

If you don't mind the look of the powerheads on the sides like that then they're just fine. Most people place them on the back face of the tank moreso for appearance than anything. I would suggest moving the powerheads upwards slightly closer to the surface. Once more rock is added you will need a bit higher clearance and the extra surface movement would be a plus considering the lid.

The fluval intake should be fine as is providing there is a few inches of clearance between it, any newly added rock and from the substrate..

Cheers
Steve

 

[MarkW19]

No worries - does more surface movement = more evaporation?

 

[steve-s]

To a degree yes but tank health is much more important

Cheers
Steve

 

[MarkW19]

Hehe...

Luckily I dont have to top off at the moment, so if I can avoid it in the future I'll try