Power Head Placement

[StuartGA1]

This seems like a good place for this question. I have a 150 gallon tank that is 72" long by about 26" wide. Currently I have three power heads. A 1350 at each end and a 750 in the middle. The ones on the end are mounted on the back panel and are directed in and down. The one in the middle is directed slightly down. Does this sound like a good placement?
I am thinking of remounting the ones at each end to the to the end panels. These two are controlled and alternate on in at five minute intervals.
Does that seem like it may be any better.

I have a significant amount of live rock in ridges down the middle, and a few corals.

Idea? suggestions?

 

[Bryce E]

It will be very hard to determine if your flow is adequate by describing it. You want good flow across the whole tank but the main thing you want is to avoid having any "dead spots" in the tank. But only you will be able to know for certain. There are several ways you can find out. Like tying a ribbon onto the end of a stick and placing it at various locations in the tank to see the flow for yourself. Alternating powerheads are great because they create random flow which helps keep detritus from settling in those nooks and crannies.

 

[pegasus]

I have four 1200 GPH Sicce Voyager 3 power heads connected to a wavemaker in my 72" tank. There are two on each end, pointed down the length of the tank. This way I get flow in front of the rocks, as well as behind the rocks. If you want to continue using 3 power heads, I recommend aiming the one in the center towards the surface of the water. This will break the surface tension and give better gas exchange, as well as create a gyre flow that will flow down the front glass and mix with the current from the power heads on the ends of the tank. This should help keep detritus stirred up around the rocks in the middle of the tank. This will, however, probably create a dead spot under the middle power head. The only way to know for sure is to do as Bryce suggested and use a streamer of some kind (ribbon or string will do) to check for dead spots. If you can't eliminate all of them, you should consider adding another power head, or redirecting the flow of your existing power heads occasionally.

 

[silverado61]

This is just what I have done. It might not work for you. I have one power head at one end blowing across the back of the tank. I have another power head at the other end of the tank blowing across the front. This has a tendency to create a curculer current around the rocks and tank. I then have a third power head to shake things up a bit creating random currents. It works for me, giving the tank random flow in, through and around the rocks and coral. When I watch the tank, I see different slight puffs of sand blowing up in different spots at different times. I see my Duncan, fully open, gently blowing one direction, then another. Same with my zoas and my mushrooms and what little hair algae I have to feed the critters. I can also tell when I turn the pumps back on after feeding and it blows the food around the tank getting into every crack and crevice of the rock.
It took a long time and a lot of trial and error to find this sweet spot. I've changed it a couple of times only to come back to this configuration.

No timers. No wave makers. You just have to find your own "sweet spot" for what works for you and the way you have your rocks and sand set up.

Just a thought.

 

[2014FishKiller]

Why pointed down? Will this move the sands? My sands always moving in front of tank, any suggestion (besides my three clowns move the sands)

 

[StuartGA1]

two good suggestions, I will have to do some experimenting. Thank You.

Oh yea. I thought one in the middle would help produce different currents and reduce dead spots.

 

[silverado61]

Try a little off to one side at an angle. But not down. That's what helps break up the circular motion of the other two.

 

[pegasus]

two good suggestions, I will have to do some experimenting. Thank You.

Oh yea. I thought one in the middle would help produce different currents and reduce dead spots.

If the power heads are running constantly, there will be little change in the current. It will almost always be a linear flow with turbulence where the currents collide. If they are on a wavemaker, then you will have random flow and random current collisions, which is much better at keeping detritus stirred up.

 

[silverado61]

If the power heads are running constantly, there will be little change in the current. It will almost always be a linear flow with turbulence where the currents collide. If they are on a wavemaker, then you will have random flow and random current collisions, which is much better at keeping detritus stirred up.

Then you should really fly to Illinois and check out my tank. I think you might be surprised. And I'm not saying I had a plan. It was all trial and error, but after I turn the powerheads back on after feeding, it's a small firestorm in there till the food gets eaten or goes down the overflows.

 

[pegasus]

Then you should really fly to Illinois and check out my tank. I think you might be surprised. And I'm not saying I had a plan. It was all trial and error, but after I turn the powerheads back on after feeding, it's a small firestorm in there till the food gets eaten or goes down the overflows.

Not saying it won't work... just saying that wavemakers give random flow, which creates these small "firestorms" in different areas of the tank at different times.

 

[silverado61]

I kinda like my firestorms. Besides, I heard that the impellers in wavemakers burn out faster from the constant on/off. At least that's what 2quills stated many moons ago.

Where the H. E. double tooth picks is he anyway? Haven't heard from him since............ Well, it's been a long time anyway.

 

[pegasus]

I kinda like my firestorms. Besides, I heard that the impellers in wavemakers burn out faster from the constant on/off. At least that's what 2quills stated many moons ago.

Where the H. E. double tooth picks is he anyway? Haven't heard from him since............ Well, it's been a long time anyway.

The newer DC powered power heads I believe will hold up much better than the older AC 's. Soft on / soft off. However, I've had my 4 Sicce (AC) power heads operating on a Red Sea WaveMaster Pro for over 1 1/2 years, and other than cleaning them, they work just as good today as they did when they were new. I've never had to replace an impeller on anything other than a Mag Drive 2.5 pump because it clattered when starting up. So did the brand new replacement...

Now that you mention it, I haven't seen a post from 2quills in a long, long time. I hope everything's okay...

 

[StuartGA1]

Well, l usually don't turn off my power heads when I feed (should I?) and judging from what happens when I put food in there is pretty good flow in my tank. I am going to readjust my middle one to make more of burble on the surface. Thanks for the info, don't think I will be making to Illinois any time soon, but if I do I'll let you know.