Power head Contiplation

Justin Opheim · Dec 28, 2018

Sorry if this has been addressed before, but I have a couple questions about power heads. A Gyre to be specific.

I have a 75g (48x18) that I am setting up, and I have been contemplating power heads now for a while. I know the Icecap is a licensed product from Maxspect, but past the control head I am a little lost on what the difference is. From my understanding the 1k is equal to the 230 & the 3k is the same as a 250.

also I am still debating on the placement. Origanly I was going to go with 2 MP10s (One on each end), however recently I think I am more leading to the Gyre. I am stuck between 2 230s (One on each end), 2 230s on the back wall (With one head point up and one down). Or maybe a 250/3k on just one side.

My though on the 2 units is because I am going to have a larger rock scape to the tank and it will give the flow around the rocks that maybe needed.

WV Reefer · Dec 29, 2018

Justin Opheim said:
Sorry if this has been addressed before, but I have a couple questions about power heads. A Gyre to be specific.

I have a 75g (48x18) that I am setting up, and I have been contemplating power heads now for a while. I know the Icecap is a licensed product from Maxspect, but past the control head I am a little lost on what the difference is. From my understanding the 1k is equal to the 230 & the 3k is the same as a 250.

also I am still debating on the placement. Origanly I was going to go with 2 MP10s (One on each end), however recently I think I am more leading to the Gyre. I am stuck between 2 230s (One on each end), 2 230s on the back wall (With one head point up and one down). Or maybe a 250/3k on just one side.

My though on the 2 units is because I am going to have a larger rock scape to the tank and it will give the flow around the rocks that maybe needed.

I would go bigger than necessary if you have the cash. You need as much flow as possible.

I have a 75 Gallon with an MP40 on each end.

Ariel V Rosa · Dec 29, 2018

I made the same mistake when I first got into the hobby, I purchased big pumps because I can afford it. Everything looked fine when I tested the system out..... then I added stuff and a sandbed....... it looked like a movie in there. Mega underwater sandstorms, fish were swiming for thier lives, water was just barely kreeping over the edge of my tank, corals got blown clean of thier skeletons.

What I am saying is dont go by the size it up crazyness. Circulation pumps are a funny thing, see thier work is cumulative, so they add up, even if they are small.

Take display volume multiply that by what ever turnover you want. That is your target number for the display. Now subtract your real return rate after head pressure loss. Now you have a real number you can work towards.

If you have interesting aquascapes with nooks bends and caves, divide that number up among pumps covering those areas. If you just want opposing pumps pick pumps out that together will add up to that number, but individually wont blow sand and corals all over the place.

Stay away from pumps that make too much laminar flow, those will peel anything they are pointed at of of what ever its sittiing on.

garbled · Dec 29, 2018

I'm not a huge fan of one powerhead to provide all the movement in a tank. Sure, you can probably find one that will do it, but there will still be more energy on one side of the tank than the other. You also end up with the problem that all the flow goes one direction. If you do this, the corals will assume a growth pattern that aims into that side, and will all sort of lean towards it. You want the flow to come at them from different directions at different times. You want some turbulence, and other semi-random movement of water, to get down in between the branches and move water around in funny ways. This allows the corals to branch out and grow more "round".