How many powerheads in a 55??

[adam & jeanne]

I have 2 penguin 550 powerheads in my 55 gallon reef. They are rated at 145 gph which comes to a total of 290 gph moved by my powerheads. Is this enough water movement or do I need more. Ive had an outbreak of red algae and Id kinda like to add one, maybe two more to get my circulation up. Would two be too many?? Im looking at the powersweep powerheads.

 

[byrself]

i recommend the maxi jet 1200s. the powersweeps are okay but kinda weak. you can get two maxis and cross the currents and make good wave like actions. just my opinion though..

 

[byrself]

btw, the maxi 1200s are rated at 295gph each. i got two in a 20g long, with a skilter that flows 400gph. that's 990gph in my tank! (is that too much, i don't think so) <img src="graemlins//evilwhorn.gif" border="0" alt="[Evil Horn]" />

 

[sandy]

Wow. I only have a ummm Powerhead 220 or something like that in upper right, Fluval 304 output upper left.. I run two small rio's in each bottom corner an hour or so a day to keep junk from hiding on the sand behind the rocks...
hmmmmm... more circulation than that? Sand is clean... no algae problems... Oh, 50 gal long.

 

[justin_ny]

my 55 gallon tank have 3 1200 maxi jet. all of them running with wavemaster pro from red sea. i also have the eheim 1250 for my main pump.

 

[frankl15207]

You need enough for circulation and oxygenation of the water. A lot of that will depend on how the tank is set up.
Most of the recommendations that I have seen for a 55 (and used before getting a larger tank) was four - two near the top of the water to make sure that water was moved at the surface, and two in the mid to lower part of the tank to provide water movement. The goal is to get the water to the surface to absorb oxigen as much as possible.
A cannister filter like the Fluval is moving water and does count toward circulation.
I have always tried to go for 10 to 15 times water volume in saltwater fish tanks.
My 75 has two Maxijet 1250s with the deflectors pointing to the water surface. They run all of the time. Two more Maxijets are set a little bit lower with two powersweeps at the bottom (these are all placed on the sidewalls). The last four are connected to a wavemaster pro set in reef mode.

 

[wrassecal]

I'm using 2 maxijet 900's in my 55.

 

[h2o]

I have a 55G Tall and currentyly a Rio 2100 return on the top right aiming toward center of tank. bottom right a Rio 600 aiming center forward and another at the left side bottom aiming up to the surface to create some waves. so far i am lucky with my rios (cross my fingers) and I was going to put a powersweep on the top left, but when the powersweep 226 arrived this thing is too big and look to bulky for my tank and gph is not too good. so i am planning to put another eheim 1250 in the sump and goes to top left with a clear tube and make it a spray bar. just to share

 

[h2o]

oh i also think how much powerhead is really depend what you are keeping inside your tank.