New to powerheads (trying to buy)

[Danzig]

I have a 72 gallon bowfront tank and im looking to buy 2 powerheads, 1 for each side of the tank to create a good current in my tank. I am new to using powerheads and im trying to find a high quality/fair priced (im on a budget) powerhead. Im new to this and im not sure how strong they should be, can anyone help me out and direct me to a good brand for a good price? Thanks guys!

[SkullV]

The best "budget" powerhead out there is the Koralia. If you don't run them on a wavemaker they will last quite a while, and they might last a while even if you do (hit or miss). They don't put out the best flow pattern out there, but it is good enough. The curved front glass of a bowfront makes it easy to create a gyre.

[Danzig]

The best "budget" powerhead out there is the Koralia. If you don't run them on a wavemaker they will last quite a while, and they might last a while even if you do (hit or miss). They don't put out the best flow pattern out there, but it is good enough. The curved front glass of a bowfront makes it easy to create a gyre.

im not using a wavemaker, i dont know much about those and im not interested. What about power? What gph should i look for?

[jacob.morgan78]

Sorry I can't help with gph, there are much more qualified people than myself to help with that on here. But, I've looked around a lot to replace a couple of my power heads and koralia are what I'm gonna end up going with... I've read a lot of good things about them for the price. I did read some stuff about electrical leakage (for lack of the right term) into the water but not much recently about it so I'm thinking that must have cleared up.

Good luck!

[Danzig]

Ok well koralia doesnt seem to have many good reviews, and for a little bit more i can get a tunze which has a really good rep. and quality products, im just not sure on what gph powerhead i should be picking out, anyone know?

[SkullV]

Ok well koralia doesnt seem to have many good reviews, and for a little bit more i can get a tunze which has a really good rep. and quality products, im just not sure on what gph powerhead i should be picking out, anyone know?

You will find that Koralia has many many many good reviews. Tunze is also a good powerhead but well out of the "budget" category that you mentioned in your original post.

For a 72g Bowfront if you are looking for Tunze pumps I would go with one of the new 6095 and one of their smaller pumps on the other side of the tank. Again, well out of the "Budget" distinction that you made in your original post.

[auto151]

I have a bow front and im using a voyager 4 on my upper right side and it blows curent all over, im planner on getting a reefkeeper to control them and placing a voyager 3 on the left side. hope this helped

[Danzig]

well can anyone tell me what GPH powerhead i should be looking for? i just took a quick look at the tunze ones and it seemed like only a little bit more, ill take another look though.

[SkullV]

well can anyone tell me what GPH powerhead i should be looking for? i just took a quick look at the tunze ones and it seemed like only a little bit more, ill take another look though.

What type of coral do you want to keep?

[Reefing Newbie]

Can't really tell you what kind of GPH you need unless we have information on what corals you are keeping and what kind of anemones do you have or will have(if any). SPS need more flow than LPS and softies and a Magnifica needs way more flow than a bubble tip anemone. Koralia's are probably your best choice for a "budget" as far as powerheads go. They have a wide flow area meaning the current doesn't go as far as a Vortech would. If you get multiple Koralias and place them right you can't get excellent flow with them.

[Danzig]

im going to be starting with softies

[Point ohh Eight]

usually 10-20x the amount of gallons in your tank for normal flow so that would be about 720- 1440 gph
and 20-30x for large flow

[hhaase]

The older generation of Koralia's had a few issues to them, such as reversing or stuttering on startup, and the front half casing falling off. But the current lineup has addressed all of that nicely.

I do run mine via my reefkeeper lite as a wavemaker, for just about a year now. Other than pulling them out twice for a regularly scheduled cleaning, they have been flawless for me.

-Hans

[cody6766]

I would buy a couple of the 1400gph koralias (I think that's the one above the 1050gph one anyway). Start with 2 and see if you need to add any others to help with any dead spots that you may find. I'd bet you'll end up needing 3-4 in the end, but 2 will get the process started. I've been running Koralia in my tank and they've worked well for me over the years. I've had a few failures and a few last the few years I've been in the hobby. Tunze pumps are great, but, as others have said, it kind of blows the 'budget' comment you mentioned out of the water. There's nothing wrong with that if you can afford them. They've served many people well.

[Cptn Spaulding]

2 of the 1400 gph koralias would be just fine. If they get covered with algae at any point clean them in a vinegar bath overnight and it will be fine within 24-36 hours. you will not need 5000 gph in your tank unless you go all sps, 2000-3000 should definitely be enough. I had a bit over 2000 gph in my 55g with hang on back filtration and it worked well, so shoot for 2 of those bigger koralias, that will get you to 3000 and you will be fine. Its all about fine tuning the angle of the flow in your tank after that to maximize it after that.

[Danzig]

2 of the 1400 gph koralias would be just fine. If they get covered with algae at any point clean them in a vinegar bath overnight and it will be fine within 24-36 hours. you will not need 5000 gph in your tank unless you go all sps, 2000-3000 should definitely be enough. I had a bit over 2000 gph in my 55g with hang on back filtration and it worked well, so shoot for 2 of those bigger koralias, that will get you to 3000 and you will be fine. Its all about fine tuning the angle of the flow in your tank after that to maximize it after that.

thank you very much and to everyone else that helped me, you really cleared up some questions. And i love your name captain spaulding, is that captain spaulding as in rob zombie's films? I love rob zombie probably my favorite musician and a good producer.

[Reefing Newbie]

I think with two power heads even with those two being 1400 gph, you will be getting dead spots. I would opt to get 3-4 less powerful ones so you get flow through the whole tank and around the rock work.

[Danzig]

I think with two power heads even with those two being 1400 gph, you will be getting dead spots. I would opt to get 3-4 less powerful ones so you get flow through the whole tank and around the rock work.

yah ill check into that thanks, good idea

[SoFloReefer]

I've found that trying to save money early on when I got in the hobby has cost me much more over all. Kolalias aren't bad. For a 72 I'd probably recommend 2 Koralia 4s.

[lucas73]

Before I had my Vortech I had Tunze powerhead's,I like that you can rotate them and get multi directional flow.I know it may be above your budget but you could buy one and save and buy another later.Just trying to give you some option's,I still use my Tunze 6025 to mix my salt mix,it's 4 year's old.

http://www.marinedepot.com/ps_viewitem.aspx?idproduct=TZ1211&child=TZ1217&gclid=CIb1mv2M6awCFUhgTAod0UAq5g

[Danzig]

I've found that trying to save money early on when I got in the hobby has cost me much more over all. Kolalias aren't bad. For a 72 I'd probably recommend 2 Koralia 4s.

Yeah i actually just decided i want to go with tunze lol im not going to cut corners, ill just ask for them for christmas. Im going to go for 2x 6025's so i can have 1 on each end of my tank flowing towards the middle, and one small 6015 on the middle in the back of tha tank blowing towards the front. i beleive they are $62 per 6025 and $35 for a 6015, worth the investment IMO.

[d0ughb0y]

tunzes are stream power heads. they shoot out water in a straight stream rather than spread out. Their newer models are modified to have wider output now, because they (and everyone else) realize that streams are no good. FWIW, I currently use both tunzes and koralias and like the flow from koralia better simply because they are spread out.

you say you are on a budget, I'd say get either 2 K 1400 or 4 K1050. You do not need any kind of wavemaker, always on for koralia is perfectly fine. I believe the Koralias are on sale at marine depot till today only, not sure if any other place sells them at a lower price right now.

[Palting]

There is an independent study where Tunzes took a beating. They measured the actual gph at the outlet of the powerheads and compared them to the claimed output. Tunzes were way below thier claims, at only half the claimed GPH. Tunze came back with a rebuttal, stating that their flow is more laminar and less turbulent, and that the flow at a distance from the powerhead would be equivalent to their claimed rates. At an even further distance, their laminar flow will be higher than the turbulent flow generated by the other powerheads with simillar claimed gph.

I don't know about you, but I prefer turbulent flow to laminar flow. With several powerheads genarating cross-current flow, it's the turbulence that creates the varying flow around the corals. Works for me. I have two 1400 and two 1050 K Evos.

Don't get me wrong. Tunzes are not bad. I just think they are overpriced. IMO, they use the marketing strategy that if they sell it for more, more people will buy it thinking they are getting a better product simply because it costs more. For me, it's not about spending money. I've spent enough money on this "hobby" to buy a new car. It's about spending wisely.

[Curtis72]

I don't think you can really ask reef central to agree on one powerhead. haha. You are going to get (already have) split decisions forever. So I think you should do your own research and see whats best for you. If you get tunzes, Koralias, vortechs, they are all good companies and make good products. So you can't really go wrong. So what I would do, since you already found out what GPH you need, I would just research and search for reviews and buy which one sounds good to you.

[Danzig]

tunzes are stream power heads. they shoot out water in a straight stream rather than spread out. Their newer models are modified to have wider output now, because they (and everyone else) realize that streams are no good. FWIW, I currently use both tunzes and koralias and like the flow from koralia better simply because they are spread out.

you say you are on a budget, I'd say get either 2 K 1400 or 4 K1050. You do not need any kind of wavemaker, always on for koralia is perfectly fine. I believe the Koralias are on sale at marine depot till today only, not sure if any other place sells them at a lower price right now.
I see im new to powerheads and didnt know that about tunze.
There is an independent study where Tunzes took a beating. They measured the actual gph at the outlet of the powerheads and compared them to the claimed output. Tunzes were way below thier claims, at only half the claimed GPH. Tunze came back with a rebuttal, stating that their flow is more laminar and less turbulent, and that the flow at a distance from the powerhead would be equivalent to their claimed rates. At an even further distance, their laminar flow will be higher than the turbulent flow generated by the other powerheads with simillar claimed gph.

I don't know about you, but I prefer turbulent flow to laminar flow. With several powerheads genarating cross-current flow, it's the turbulence that creates the varying flow around the corals. Works for me. I have two 1400 and two 1050 K Evos.

Don't get me wrong. Tunzes are not bad. I just think they are overpriced. IMO, they use the marketing strategy that if they sell it for more, more people will buy it thinking they are getting a better product simply because it costs more. For me, it's not about spending money. I've spent enough money on this "hobby" to buy a new car. It's about spending wisely.
You both have persuaded me back to koralias the only thing turning me away is they are uglier than the tunzes and ive heard mixed reveiws. I like their price though. So how do these koralias work? 50% of the water flows straight line and 50% spreads out around the powerhead?

[Reefing Newbie]

Koralia aren't a waste of money by any means. I have a 1200 gph Koralia and it is 2 years old. It works great, giving me a decent turbulant flow 3ft from it in my 125 gallon tank. So if I had two of them they would hit eachother and create more random flow. I would do Vortechs but they are too expensive to get to work with two in a 125 gallon tank with all the rock work and non corner overflows I have. By time the 125 gallon has corals I will have Koralia 1400gph x2, 1050gph x2, 750gph x2, and I may use the 1200 gph in the 125 or use it in the QT tank to keep oxygen levels up.

[Palting]

I see im new to powerheads and didnt know that about tunze.

You both have persuaded me back to koralias the only thing turning me away is they are uglier than the tunzes and ive heard mixed reveiws. I like their price though. So how do these koralias work? 50% of the water flows straight line and 50% spreads out around the powerhead?

No, all the flow is forward, but in a broad field. Think of it like a short barreled shotgun. The pellets fly in a broad pattern. The koralias, and any of the powerheads, also create an undertow: they suck in water behind and around themselves. This is something to consider and make use of when you set up multiple powerheads, so you can have one powerhead assisting the undertow of another.

[Danzig]

No, all the flow is forward, but in a broad field. Think of it like a short barreled shotgun. The pellets fly in a broad pattern. The koralias, and any of the powerheads, also create an undertow: they suck in water behind and around themselves. This is something to consider and make use of when you set up multiple powerheads, so you can have one powerhead assisting the undertow of another.

ok thanks for clearing that up, could you please explain to me how they assist eachother with regard to undertow? im not sure i understand that concept very well.

[Palting]

Hmmm. Okey. Here's a pic of my tank.

http://i851.photobucket.com/albums/ab71/Kalawing/Aquarium2/IMG_1268cs.jpg

Lets cut the tank in half, and just look at the left half. There is one koralia on the left wall pointing forward to the right and down. There is another koralia in the back pointing foward to the left and down. The powerhead at the back pushes the water towards the bottom of the tank beneath the powerhead to the left. The powerhead on the left sucks the water all around, but there is higher pressure underneath it from the flow of the other powerhead, so it pickes up more of the water from underneath. By the same token, that powerhead on the left is pushing water to the right and down, towards the bottom of the tank underneath the back powerhead. The back powerhead in turn will pick up more of that water. So, now you have a figure 8 water flow: from the top back to the bottom front, sucked up to the surface and pushed again from top front to the bottom back, then sucked up to the back powerhead,...... and so on and so on. I sort of have a wiggly figure 8 flow because it also goes back to front at the surrface and front to back at the substrate level with the return flow, but that's another story. Hope I didn't confuse you more! :D.

[Danzig]

Hmmm. Okey. Here's a pic of my tank.

http://i851.photobucket.com/albums/ab71/Kalawing/Aquarium2/IMG_1268cs.jpg

Lets cut the tank in half, and just look at the left half. There is one koralia on the left wall pointing forward to the right and down. There is another koralia in the back pointing foward to the left and down. The powerhead at the back pushes the water towards the bottom of the tank beneath the powerhead to the left. The powerhead on the left sucks the water all around, but there is higher pressure underneath it from the flow of the other powerhead, so it pickes up more of the water from underneath. By the same token, that powerhead on the left is pushing water to the right and down, towards the bottom of the tank underneath the back powerhead. The back powerhead in turn will pick up more of that water. So, now you have a figure 8 water flow: from the top back to the bottom front, sucked up to the surface and pushed again from top front to the bottom back, then sucked up to the back powerhead,...... and so on and so on. I sort of have a wiggly figure 8 flow because it also goes back to front at the surrface and front to back at the substrate level with the return flow, but that's another story. Hope I didn't confuse you more! :D.

you didnt confuse me that helped alot, so basically its making it easier for the pumps if they are all working together like that and maximizes water flow? And what on the sides/back of you tank is that just corraline? I think i want to set up my tank so the back is just encrusted in corraline it gives a nice natural look IMO so just wondering.

[Palting]

Yup, it works better if they all help each other get a prticular direction of flow. I kinda try to not make it too easy, and angle some of the flows and cross some others, so although there is a dominant flow, there is still variation and turbulence.

The back is mostly coraline. There is still some turf algae in there, but the coraline is taking over. All it took was 2 years! LOL! The back is mostly shades of red coraline with a little pink thrown in, but the pink and salmon colored coraline seem to prefer to be on the rocks and under some shade. Green and blue is a little more rare, but it's there in odd places.