Question about power head placement

[NateNBeckie]

I know that some of you have played with power head placement to get the best flow with minimal dead spots. I'll be getting 2 - Maxi-jet PH900's (one for each of my 29 gallon tanks) in a couple of days. I want to place them in the right spot.

Where in your experience would be the best place to put them in my tanks to avoid dead spots? Here's kind of a crappy example of where my filter and heater are in the tank. Never mind the pic, it's not my tank. It's just to give you a general idea of my tank setup.

Nate

 

[Florida8]

Hi Nate. I had a 55g reef with 2 power heads placed in the back corners of each end. I had the flat movable flow direction piece placed to blow one in the back against the glass, mainly across the wall and the other across the front glass and it kept my flow great. I didn't have a lot of corals etc... that might have required different directional flows... just fish, lr and shrooms and polyps. When I did my water changes I sometimes swapped the direction of each BTW.

Kimberly

 

[NateNBeckie]

Well, since we've been flat broke lately, I won't be able to get 2 more PH for each tank yet. I know it would help immensely though. I was lucky to be able to get these 2.

With 1 PH though, would it be best to place it on the front left corner blowing acorss to the right rear corner, a few inches off the substrate? It seems that would be best for avoiding dead spots. Maybe I'm crazy.

Nate

 

[Florida8]

Sorry, was multi tasking with a newborn and didn't read your post as well as I thought

Do you have a return from a sump or other filter? If so, place the new ph at the opposite end play with it going at the front and back and see which way gives you the most flow around what you have in your tank,lr etc... I think you will be fine with 1ph for now with them being 29g each...I had one power head and a return fromthe sump on my 55g for quite some time and only added another when I got my LR built up.

Also, walmart has some for under $10 or $15 bucks if you absolutely need to add flow after you get them. I have bought one... it worked great and still does

Kimberly

 

[NateNBeckie]

Ok, thanks.

I don't have a sump or anything. I'm using a Bio-wheel 150 in one, and a 125 in the other. I wish I could ditch the 125 because it seems grossly inadequate compared to the 150.

Yeah, the 230 GPH the PH900's put out seem to be more than what I need for the 29g, but I figured since I will only have 1 pump in there it wouldn't hurt to have some extra flow.

Oh, and congrats on the newborn. My wife and I have an 8 month old and a 2 year old. My 6 year old is staying with us for the summer as well, so I know how things can get hectic.

Nate