Power Head Control

[mx mr bean]

I have two hydor Koralia 4's and wanted to control their flow with a wavemaker box. My LFS guy talked me out of it since the box will hurt the life expectancy of the powerheads however i would still like to control their flow. Are there any controlers that i can plug these koralias into inorder to adjust there GPH flow rate?

 

[scsinet]

No.
The types of motors in powerheads do not lend themselves to cost effective speed control. The only type of speed control that will work well is called a variable frequency drive, and these units are so expensive you might as well buy a whole new set of controllable Koralias.
You can TRY a ceiling fan speed control, this may work to some extent.
Ordinary light dimmers will not work right and may harm the powerheads.

 

[lil.guppy]

I had this same problem. I have one on the left side of my tank and a penguin powerhead 1150 with the rotator on the right side.
To even stuff out I aimed the #4 behind my rocks. By doing this it slows it down quite a bit. The fish also dont swim back there and stay in the front. You wont be able to have anything delicate grow back there though. By the time it made its way around to the front of the tank, it was perfect.

 

[mx mr bean]

The ceiling fan speed control seems like a good idea lol especially compared to the variable frequency drive. What about those flow deflectors that koralia makes?

 

[lil.guppy]

I love my flo deflector because it makes it more natural looking like waves in the tank. The plants will flow back and forth its really cool. You cant use them on those Koralias though, you have to put them on powerheads. I have mine on a penguin powerhead.

 

[scsinet]

The Hydor Flo units don't fit on Koralias.

 

[lil.guppy]

Originally Posted by lil.guppy
http:///forum/post/2947033
I love my flo deflector because it makes it more natural looking like waves in the tank. The plants will flow back and forth its really cool. You cant use them on those Koralias though, you have to put them on powerheads. I have mine on a penguin powerhead.