Why are powerheads necessary?
- Thread starter hobbes
- Start date
Water circulation. Very simple. Corals need good circulation in the tank so that food can get to them, and the circulation itself is a primary componet of food delievery. Also, PH's help with what ever type of filtration systems you use, including biological filters such as LR or sand beds. Imagine if the air we breath was never moved by the wind....same with the water in our tanks.
hobbes
Member
How will it effect the coral that is on the other side of the tank from the powerhead? Are there noticeable effects to the visible eye? The reason I ask is because my mushrooms on the top left side of my tank seem kinda shrunken up and not as vibrant as the mushrooms in the middle of my tank. They also seem to be shrinking more and more. Or is that another problem entirely?
I do plan on adding one more powerhead soon to the left side.
I do plan on adding one more powerhead soon to the left side.
sergeant
Member
I agree with Beth. The circulation will also carry oxigen to the rest of the coral in your tank. Remember that having a reef tank at home is trying to copy a piece of the ocean in a glass box. Try moving the shroom thats not doing too good to the bottom of the tank. Maybe is too close to the lights and is affecting it. Let it get acclamated to the change and see how it does. :happyfish
T
thomas712
Guest
Power heads help keep waste in circulation so that it can be picked up by the mechanical filtration. Also the current created by them helps bring food to corals as well as remove waste from the corals. Helps with gas exchange within the aquarium. Helps to carry dissolved organics to and from the liverock and livesand to help process and filter the water. Helps to create a more natural enviroment.
Its a good thing.
Its a good thing.
T
thomas712
Guest
Originally posted by theDude
could someone explain what a "closed loop" is...ive heard references to this but Im confused
ps. sorry for the "hijack"
https://www.saltwaterfish.com/vb/sho...ght=closed+loop
https://www.saltwaterfish.com/vb/sho...ght=closed+loop
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thomas712
Guest
Originally posted by hobbes
In your opinion, how many powerheads should I have in a 55 gallon tank? I plan on getting one more maxi-jet 900, which is I have one of right now. Is that enough if I have two of those?
That would help, don't you also have mechanical filtration as well....some hang on the back filters, canister or something?
hobbes
Member
I do have a canister filter on the same side as my PH and an emperor on the opposite side. I plan on getting rid of those soon though and just go with a wet/dry. I am sick of having so much stuff in my tank and not to mention the microbubbles that all these devices are causing.
So, I figure one more powerhead along with the return from the sump should be good huh?
So, I figure one more powerhead along with the return from the sump should be good huh?
K
krustytheclownfish
Guest
It's hard to have too much flow in a reef tank. It's a lot easier to not have enough. As long as things aren't blowing all around your tank, the more flow the better. The problem with powerheads is that they generally produce a flow with low volume at a high volicity(compared to other means). They also produce a constant linear flow. The flow in a reef tank should ideally be random with a large amount of water moving around. A powerhead that's an exception in the Tunze Stream. They put out large amounts of water over a large area...although you will pay a premium price for this. Rio also recently released something similar. One thing you can try with multiple powerheads is to have their flows intersect each other to cause more random water movement.
John
John