looking for a good powerhead
- Thread starter kelly
- Start date
1knight164
Member
I have a Powerhead. Keeps getting stuck no matter how much I keep the gears cleaned. Go Maxi-jet.
hurt
Active Member
I run all three mentioned. Each have there own advantages/disadvantages. But, my vote goes to the Seio. Buck for buck you can't beat the output of the Seio. The biggest difference between it and the other two is the ouput is spread over a much larger area, not just a straight line, not too mention they move at least twice as much water as the other two with the same wattage. Maxijet's and powersweaps have their flow concentrated too much in a single stream. I've never had any problems with my powersweaps sticking. Like all powerheads you should soak them in vinegar every month or so to prevent Ca buildup, which of course slows them down and only leads to more problems.
Kelly what is the total gph in the tank right now? From the Burgh by chance?
Kelly what is the total gph in the tank right now? From the Burgh by chance?
snookedsteve
Member
I would have to agree with Hurt. i have had both Maxi jet and now have a Seio and the difference is not even comparable due to the stream size on the Seio.
michael_t
Member
I had a regular maxi jet 1200 and 900. Then I did the infamous Maxi-Jet mod and regret it. One doesn’t work at all and the other makes noise 50% of the time. For Christmas I have asked for the Nano Stream. I have also looked into the Seio since it moves a lot of water and is reasonably priced, but it takes up so much room.
The negative on the Maxi-Jet mod is that no matter how precise you are on the mod there is a chance it still may make noise. It is impossible to accurately attach the propeller onto the carbon shaft and have it 100% balanced. Therefore, it still may make noise as the propeller vibrates on its axis. In addition, you need to fabricate some type of mount, to mount the damn thing in your aquarium. By the time you are done with the mod and the mount you have an unreliable product with no warrenty and have spent the equivalent amount on a more reliable product with a warrenty.
Maxi-Jet, $20. Maxi Jet mod pieces from MJ Mods, $25.99. Maxi Jet mod holder $29.99. Total $75.98 plus shipping.
Here are better alternatives based on the same concept.
Less flow than the mod, but cheaper. Turbelle nanostream 6025 (660 US gal./h 61.48 plus shipping
Equivalent flow as the mod but more expensive. Turbeller nanostream 6045 1,189 US gal./h $96.27 plus shipping.
Equivalent flow but I consider it to be bulky. A Seio model M1100 1100gph 62.95 plus shipping
The negative on the Maxi-Jet mod is that no matter how precise you are on the mod there is a chance it still may make noise. It is impossible to accurately attach the propeller onto the carbon shaft and have it 100% balanced. Therefore, it still may make noise as the propeller vibrates on its axis. In addition, you need to fabricate some type of mount, to mount the damn thing in your aquarium. By the time you are done with the mod and the mount you have an unreliable product with no warrenty and have spent the equivalent amount on a more reliable product with a warrenty.
Maxi-Jet, $20. Maxi Jet mod pieces from MJ Mods, $25.99. Maxi Jet mod holder $29.99. Total $75.98 plus shipping.
Here are better alternatives based on the same concept.
Less flow than the mod, but cheaper. Turbelle nanostream 6025 (660 US gal./h 61.48 plus shipping
Equivalent flow as the mod but more expensive. Turbeller nanostream 6045 1,189 US gal./h $96.27 plus shipping.
Equivalent flow but I consider it to be bulky. A Seio model M1100 1100gph 62.95 plus shipping
dejaco
Member
Powerheads - Maxijets have worked great for me for years!
In saltwater systems though you need to do a little more maintainance
on them. Every couple of months take them apart and clean them and remove calcium build up on all internal surfaces. If you run them on on/off switches or timers they do burn out. Just leave them on. They do produce
laminar flow streams so mix the directions and add something like a Seio PH
or other that will mix up flows betters. Currently I am running 4 MJ 1200's and 2 Sieo M1100 in a 210 with two Quiet One 6000 return pumps and the flows are chaotic, constant, and cover the top 2/3 of the tank very well.
There is flow on the bottom but never as much as I would like no matter what arrangement I have tried. Total manufactures outputs would be 6380 gals / hour turnover - actuals more like 4800 gal/hr. My tank just seems to let my corals grow faster with more circulation. It is my opinion, but I can back it up by my trial and error over time. Also every system I have help design and redo has benefited from turnover rates being bumped up from the old recomended 10x per hour to up over 20x. Lastly - on my next system there will be no powerheads!!!!!!!!!!!! Think closed loop systems!
In saltwater systems though you need to do a little more maintainance
on them. Every couple of months take them apart and clean them and remove calcium build up on all internal surfaces. If you run them on on/off switches or timers they do burn out. Just leave them on. They do produce
laminar flow streams so mix the directions and add something like a Seio PH
or other that will mix up flows betters. Currently I am running 4 MJ 1200's and 2 Sieo M1100 in a 210 with two Quiet One 6000 return pumps and the flows are chaotic, constant, and cover the top 2/3 of the tank very well.
There is flow on the bottom but never as much as I would like no matter what arrangement I have tried. Total manufactures outputs would be 6380 gals / hour turnover - actuals more like 4800 gal/hr. My tank just seems to let my corals grow faster with more circulation. It is my opinion, but I can back it up by my trial and error over time. Also every system I have help design and redo has benefited from turnover rates being bumped up from the old recomended 10x per hour to up over 20x. Lastly - on my next system there will be no powerheads!!!!!!!!!!!! Think closed loop systems!
S
scoobs
Guest
Anyone have the seio powerheads with the seio controller they came out with? Looks really cool.. been thinking about getting it.
I use mostly maxi-jet as well. I have one rio that came with my CPR BAK-PAK that has been amamzing tho.. its over 5 years old and i like never clean it.. has run dry many times due to over flow being set to high... the thing is like a timex
I use mostly maxi-jet as well. I have one rio that came with my CPR BAK-PAK that has been amamzing tho.. its over 5 years old and i like never clean it.. has run dry many times due to over flow being set to high... the thing is like a timex
hurt
Active Member
Kelly, I'm from Wheeling WV originally, just moved down here this past year. Love the outlets in Grove City.
If you are serious about getting into sps I'd buy at least 2 820 Seio's, if not the 1100's or 1500's. SPS love flow, and do much better with more flow. If you only have 600 gph now in a 75 gallon tank that's not much turnover at all, not trying to be a bummer. 600/75 is only 8X turnover, which is not enough to keep SPS happy. To give you an idea I have ~3090gph in my 55g. Which is ~56X turnover, and my SPS love it. I can still see a difference in growth between two of the same SPS located in different places, where the flow is greater, the growth of the same coral is much greater. You don't want direct flow on the coral, but lots of random indirect flow. I'd recommend at least a 30X turnover for SPS, preferentially >40X.
HTH
If you are serious about getting into sps I'd buy at least 2 820 Seio's, if not the 1100's or 1500's. SPS love flow, and do much better with more flow. If you only have 600 gph now in a 75 gallon tank that's not much turnover at all, not trying to be a bummer. 600/75 is only 8X turnover, which is not enough to keep SPS happy. To give you an idea I have ~3090gph in my 55g. Which is ~56X turnover, and my SPS love it. I can still see a difference in growth between two of the same SPS located in different places, where the flow is greater, the growth of the same coral is much greater. You don't want direct flow on the coral, but lots of random indirect flow. I'd recommend at least a 30X turnover for SPS, preferentially >40X.
HTH
hurt
Active Member
MichealT, you can actually get a Seio 2600 for $60. Google: fragfarmer.
Scoobs, I haven't yet but I eventually hope to buy one. The only thing holding me back right now is the controller doesn't operate the 620 or 820, only the 1100, 1500, & 2600. I unfortunately have 2 620's as of now. I've heard nothing but good things though.
Scoobs, I haven't yet but I eventually hope to buy one. The only thing holding me back right now is the controller doesn't operate the 620 or 820, only the 1100, 1500, & 2600. I unfortunately have 2 620's as of now. I've heard nothing but good things though.
kelly
Member
As I stated earlier I was running around 900gph before the powerhead died. I am thinking about the Seio 820. My daughter asked what I wanted for Christmas, so I told her the 820, maybe I will get one. I am thinking about another one if I like it, so that would bump it up to about 2200gph.
I may have to re-adjust some of the rock work and get another power strip.
I may have to re-adjust some of the rock work and get another power strip.