Powerheads: How many do you have in your reef?

[UK softy bloke]

Water movement in a saltwater reef aquarium is important on so many levels so using the right powerheads in the right configuration for your tank is a pretty big deal! That being said there is not a "one size fits all" solution when it comes to the number of powerheads you need, which brands you use or where they should be placed. For the most part anyway. But it should still be interesting to see how many powerheads are members are using!

1. How many powerheads do you have in your saltwater aquarium? (what size tank do you have)

2. Which powerheads are you using?

Just one tunze 6040 in my 40 gallon softy tank, seems enough for them.

 

[i cant think]

I have 1 RedSea Wave Making on one end of my tank (The end that you can’t see) but it has the power of two pumps when it’s completely cleaned

 

[Vivid Creative Aquatics Verified Sponsor]

None - Zero - Zilch

No power heads at all

Currently building (in the innitial cycle stage) a fully Random Flow Generator Nozzle flowed tank with a really cool dual closed loop.

Build link in the signature below

 

[saltyfins]

what the??? I am way underpowered comparing to some people here. For my 95g cube I am setting up, I plan on two mp40. I guess I need a third. LOL

That's exactly what I was just thinking!! and 1/2 my stuff seems to be blown around ....probably I should just move them around and see what happens. Sand storm I'm sure lol

 

[jt8791]

No power heads at the moment, just an ac50 and 2 ac110s for now. Rubble rock in the 50 and 110s are fuges. Pulled the 2 koralia nano wave pumps out when I added the rbta, thinking I have enough flow for now.

Planning on a mp10 at some point, maybe 2 eventually. I lost the cvt transmission in the car so had to hold off on equipment upgrades, made it just far enough to trade it in. 30 gallon long

 

[tmason]

2 MP10's in a Redsea reef nano...on the sides, pointed at each other,

 

[mindme]

what the??? I am way underpowered comparing to some people here. For my 95g cube I am setting up, I plan on two mp40. I guess I need a third. LOL

I wouldn't worry about it that much. Adding more powerheads will often times just cause them to work against each other. This can be good for causing turbulent/random flow, however in terms of overall flow it's not really adding to it.

I use only 2 MP40's in my 180g, and they are pointed at each other so they cancel each other out a little. Each side randomly changes power, so they create turbulence in different parts of the tank. I also get a little flow from my return pump. The only benefit I would get from adding more would be getting more random/turbulent flow. Maybe in a few years my coral will have grown enough to justify it.

If you have dead spots, then you might want to address that with more powerheads. Maybe something for behind the rocks etc, that kind of thing.

 

[Freenow54]

what the??? I am way underpowered comparing to some people here. For my 95g cube I am setting up, I plan on two mp40. I guess I need a third. LOL

A very knowledgeable member Mr. Ridle hope spelling correct ( and he does solve a lot of them lol ), and scientist said you need enough flow to move the sand. Of course I read that as then tilt it enough to stop that from happening

 

[Freenow54]

On advice in my 90 which is wide side to side I have three. two in front, and one for flow for the back of my rock which is 4 inches from the back

 

[RedReefer]

80 gallon display, two MP 40s. I have each on opposite sides of the glass staggered and run at approximately 50 to 60%, I do turn them close to 100% to blow the rocks off daily or every other day

 

[Llyod276]

2 current USA 1050gph in a 75g. Turned down to about 30%, the sps are more directly blasted. The softies get blowby action. Can't turn up more than 50% without softie damage and tentacle retraction on euphylia and anemone.

 

[txgunsmith14]

Just 1 Hydor 600 but you can barely feel it from 4” away.

 

[txgunsmith14]

Just 1 Hydor 600 but you can barely feel it from 4” away.

In a 20g tank sorry

 

[noopsyche]

无 - 零 - Zilch

根本没有动力头

目前正在建造（在初始循环阶段）一个完全随机流量发生器喷嘴流动的罐，具有非常酷的双闭环。

在下面的签名中构建链接

;哇

 

[jt8791]

No power heads at the moment, just an ac50 and 2 ac110s for now. Rubble rock in the 50 and 110s are fuges. Pulled the 2 koralia nano wave pumps out when I added the rbta, thinking I have enough flow for now.

Planning on a mp10 at some point, maybe 2 eventually. I lost the cvt transmission in the car so had to hold off on equipment upgrades, made it just far enough to trade it in. 30 gallon long

Scratch that, was cutting my sand bed down when I noticed all sorts of hair algae. Been too busy watching the rbta I didn’t even notice. Made nem guards out of a ac110 sponge insert and put both koralia nano 425 back in place. Not pretty in the slightest but should do the trick and an extra filtration point.

Changing up the stocking, giving up on the community, ordered a pair of Blood Orange clownfish and a red tuxedo urchin from ora. Looking forward to a simple tank, just two fish, easier to manage than 6 fish, four different kinds.

 

[MnFish1]

This seems to be (sorry) a poorly worded question. I have 2 gyres. the F350's - rated 5280 gallons. Is that the same as 2 MARINELAND powerheads? No offense. Btw - if someone had the 'powerhead' I have in my tank in a 13 gallon nano tank - it would be interesting to say the least. This all depends on tank size, volume, etc - right?

 

[725196]

I currently have 4 on my Waterbox 180.5, but have been considering adding 2 more for flow from the back forward.

 

[UK softy bloke]

Just 1 Hydor 600 but you can barely feel it from 4” away.

That hydors a big old lump and if you can barely feel any flow from 4" away I would change it for something smaller and more powerful. How about a tunze 6040, more flow for half the size.

 

[Mr Cypher]

2 niro 5 and one niro 3 for back wall running at 50% super happy LPS 100 gal tank