Is there such thing as a powerhead wand?

Gaspipe · Dec 31, 2020

I haven't seen this and with no experience I'm sure someone has had to think of this so there must be a reason it doesn't exist.

I'm looking to do a barebottom tank. How easy would it be for your regular maintenance have a rechargeable powerhead on a stick (no wires) and just blow the crap out of the tank (think leaf blower) to suspend all the detritus up into the water column and into the filter bad. 30 min later swap out the filterpad/sock/etc.

vetteguy53081 · Dec 31, 2020

While I vision what method you are describing, I see potential ammonia or nitrate spikes, As a quarterly maintenance tool-maybe. As a regular method, not sure. With no sand bed, youre lacking bacteria already. I would utilize cleaners for the detritus rather than blow it around regularly

Cell · Dec 31, 2020

Great idea. It would have to be pretty inexpensive though considering it would be a complete luxury item whose function in many cases can be replicated with a Turkey baster.

Gaspipe · Dec 31, 2020

Cell said:
Great idea. It would have to be pretty inexpensive though considering it would be a complete luxury item whose function in many cases can be replicated with a Turkey baster.

That is exactly what I was thinking an electric turkey baster. I'm still waiting on my tank and will see. And perhaps you are correct, why do I need a $50 turkey baster.

I just want to keep my hands out of the tank and think a long stick is better than a long T Baster.

Gaspipe · Dec 31, 2020

vetteguy53081 said:
While I vision what method you are describing, I see potential ammonia or nitrate spikes, As a quarterly maintenance tool-maybe. As a regular method, not sure. With no sand bed, youre lacking bacteria already. I would utilize cleaners for the detritus rather than blow it around regularly

Like someone mentioned, I'm just looking for an electric turkey baster.

Ippyroy · Dec 31, 2020

There aren't rechargeable pumps, but there are plenty of smaller pumps that could easily be attached to a piece of PVC, broom handle, or most any plastic rod that would work. When I want to clean my tank after vacuuming the sand or blasting the rocks, I just turn up the flow in my tank. Just increase the power heads and return pumps.

Gaspipe · Dec 31, 2020

Ippyroy said:
When I want to clean my tank after vacuuming the sand or blasting the rocks, I just turn up the flow in my tank. Just increase the power heads and return pumps.

Makes sense, why add more equipment when you can just turn up the dial.

laverda · Dec 31, 2020

You could make one using a solar powered pump or a dc pump run the cord up the handle to a battery pack mounted on the dry end on the handle.

jda · Dec 31, 2020

It will constantly keep your tank cloudy and you soon will figure out that you cannot just keep everything suspended to let it get into the filter.. this is a dream more than reality. Even BB tanks get pockets and areas of junk that build up - it is easier to just siphon them out than to disturb them again.

zipperbaum · Dec 31, 2020

I made one as mentioned above....just used a long plastic "stick" and Gorilla taped a powerhead with a LONG cord on it. I then waterproofed the plug-in cords JUST IN CASE but those are not close to the water. I use it once a month or so to blow the rocks in areas that may not get enough flow or less flow.

Gaspipe · Dec 31, 2020

zipperbaum said:
I made one as mentioned above....just used a long plastic "stick" and Gorilla taped a powerhead with a LONG cord on it. I then waterproofed the plug-in cords JUST IN CASE but those are not close to the water. I use it once a month or so to blow the rocks in areas that may not get enough flow or less flow.

Do you still you use it?

Dirk Griffin · Dec 31, 2020

Been doing this for years on bare bottom tanks
-use a 3' long 3/8" rigid tubing with hose and vacuum-syphon crap out into a pail. Works great to bend around tight areas, edges and corners
-Use your other hand for crimping the hose to brake to start/stop the flow and/or squeeze quickly to clear out small rocks that will get stuck in the tube. AND not to overflow the bucket!!
-The older very reliable MJ1200 is a good solid flow pump to blow things around before if needed. Ziptie onto a pvc pipe
-The normal flow of many tanks will have dead spots where the detritus will pile up in certain areas for easy vacuuming
-Poking the pwr head in hard to get areas will stir things up, let things settle and vac
-Can do a 5-6 gal water change in a 5 minutes or so with targeted piled up detritus
good luck

Silent · Jan 1, 2021

I have heard of reefers using a Water Pik which is a dental water flosser thing for blowing detritus off of rocks and ising it for dipping corals to blow off hitchhikers.

X-37B · Jan 1, 2021

Dirk Griffin said:
Been doing this for years on bare bottom tanks
-use a 3' long 3/8" rigid tubing with hose and vacuum-syphon crap out into a pail. Works great to bend around tight areas, edges and corners
-Use your other hand for crimping the hose to brake to start/stop the flow and/or squeeze quickly to clear out small rocks that will get stuck in the tube. AND not to overflow the bucket!!
-The older very reliable MJ1200 is a good solid flow pump to blow things around before if needed. Ziptie onto a pvc pipe
-The normal flow of many tanks will have dead spots where the detritus will pile up in certain areas for easy vacuuming
-Poking the pwr head in hard to get areas will stir things up, let things settle and vac
-Can do a 5-6 gal water change in a 5 minutes or so with targeted piled up detritus
good luck

I do the same but just have the flow go into my filter sock. Super simple to do when buildup is seen in my bare bottom.
Then change the sock.

AdamD76 · Jan 1, 2021

This is what i use. Just stick the hose in the over flow.

Gaspipe · Jan 1, 2021

Silent said:
I have heard of reefers using a Water Pik which is a dental water flosser thing for blowing detritus off of rocks and ising it for dipping corals to blow off hitchhikers.

that's wild!