Equipment for surface agitation?

[rodi]

I'm moving away from HOB filters towards canister filters. HOB filters make a ton of splash, and it's generating too much salt creep in places that's hard to reach due to the position of the tank (I have a 20 gal).

But this makes aeration a problem for my tank since canisters do not agitate the water surface to promote gas exchange.

Is there anything I can buy that's less than $100 that will do:

1. create enough surface agitation that I won't have to worry about oxygen exchange (like with HOB filters).

2. won't create big splashes on the surface that will result in salt creep everywhere.

ie, bubblers will send salt water everywhere when the bubbles pop at the surface. So it's not a good alternative to aeration from HOB filters.

[dalto]

For $0 you could point the output of the canister filter slightly up so it rippled the top of the water.

For $20-40 you could get a small powerhead that would do the same.

[rodi]

Do you have a model recommendation? What kind of surface ripples should I be looking for?

[dalto]

Originally Posted by rodi

Do you have a model recommendation? What kind of surface ripples should I be looking for?

How big is the tank? Hydor and Jebao make inexpensive powerheads.

You don't need all that much, a light rippling. Most people with canister filters just use the flow from the canisters.

[Brookster123]

This is a salt water tank??

[rodi]

Originally Posted by dalto

How big is the tank? Hydor and Jebao make inexpensive powerheads.

You don't need all that much, a light rippling. Most people with canister filters just use the flow from the canisters.

It's a 20 gal tank.

[dalto]

Originally Posted by rodi

It's a 20 gal tank.

If you are only using it for surface agitation a hydor koralia nano 240 would be plenty. Really, any powerhead will work.

Realistically, you probably don't need it. I would install the canister first. Unless you completely bury the output it should provide some surface agitation.

Is this a fish only tank?