Powerheads, again....

[BlindZide]

Morning,

Over the weekend I did some renovations to my tank. I moved my rocks around to allow more spaces for my fish to hide in and swim through. Also added a few more spots for my Sally Light Foot and Coral Banded Shrimp to hide and hang out. Now with doing this came water movement. It opened up more water space for the fish to swim in the open and nothing to divert water. Now, with 2 Koralia 750's in there it seems like my corals are getting beaten to death again. I have always had this issue and could never seem to get it right. Right now I have resorted to having 1 PH off because the 1 750 is pushing water across the tank and its coming back. Example, I have some Xenia under the power head, it is getting push back from the other side of the tank. Only solution I can think of is a controller or less powerful PHs. I will attach a photo right below this.

Thanks!

[MacWilliams]

Have you tried putting a PH on either side of the tank aiming the flow directly at each other? I had success with that in my 60 cube which is a pain to get the flow correct in. Good luck.

[oscarinw]

I have the strong powerhead completely aimed at the surface too so it dissipates the flow and produces good surface movement. If you counter it with the 2nd one aimed at it, I think you might be good...

[BlindZide]

https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-d25juR_-YgY/UpShXdEAURI/AAAAAAAACl0/pcckvZvM8Io/w912-h684-no/13+-+1

This is the Xenia. Its leaning to the right, and thats where the PH is pointing toward to surface at the rear of the tank. So the lean is from water coming from the opposite side of the tank where the PH is off.

https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-mzxWlN_ttGY/UpShdHzGeGI/AAAAAAAACmQ/PW8CK1xS__0/w912-h684-no/13+-+1

This is full tank shot. Other PH on the left is currently off. I tried aiming them directly at each other and it creates a massive vortech in the middle of the tank moving sand all over the place. Then it spanks my corals around and Duncan, Frogspawn, and Hammer get all poopy with my and shrink up.

Sorry bottom pic is blurry.

[cab395]

This thread has brought back my nightmare from last night. I was so frustrated with my powerheads I was actually contemplating taking the darn tank down. My issue is similar to yours, but I have a smaller tank. With 2 koralia 425s and a 750 I was able to get decently strong flow while it seems slightly balanced for my Euphyllia.

The one major issue I'm having is getting random flow on my larger hammer coral which seems impossible. It seems to be getting too much flow from one direction making most of its heads look fine whereas the right most heads seem like they're getting hit too hard. I have tried pointing them more towards the surface or bouncing off glass but I just can't seem to get it right. Sorry I cannot be of more help, but I just wanted to let you know I feel your pain, and it is a very aggravating pain. Hang in there.

[BlindZide]

I am seriously contemplating getting a MP40 so I don't have to worry about it anymore. Either that or a pretty good wave maker.

[hobbby3]

I had better luck moving the power head down mid way on the tank then pointing them at the surface. Like other users have said I keep them directly across from one another.

I also use the JBJ ocean stream "wave maker" which just turns the power heads on and off.

[Palting]

You may want to consider getting smaller multiple powerheads, like Koralia 425's. You are dealing with softies, anyway, and they don't require as much flow. You have an open rockwork, and putting 2 or 3 425's in the back wall pointing forward and down to bounce off the front wall should work well in keeping everything flowing with no dead spots, while at the same time not blowing sand and beating up softies.

I have 4 1500 koralia's, plus a 1500gph return pump, with flows oriented as I suggested above. I have an SPS dominated reef tank, so the flow is 50X DT volume, but it should give you an idea on how to set it up with smnaller powerheads and less flow for softies. Here's an FTS to show how the flows are directed, if it helps you visualize it. HTH!!
http://i851.photobucket.com/albums/ab71/Kalawing/Aquarium3/2013-910_zps37706aa9.jpg
http://i851.photobucket.com/albums/ab71/Kalawing/Aquarium3/2013-910_zps37706aa9.jpg~original

[MacWilliams]

The picture you have posted is where the PH's are located? You should try moving them down towards the bottom more and then angle them slightly up and each flow hitting eachother. Thats what i meant at the beginning. Sorry for the confusion i know it can be frustrating.

[SGT_York]

big fan of the WP-25's just a thought!

[BlindZide]

I had a WP40 and that thing was a monster. I forgot about them.

[BlindZide]

You may want to consider getting smaller multiple powerheads, like Koralia 425's.

Never thought about using more smaller PHs. That may work price wise. Thanks for the suggestion.

[BlindZide]

The picture you have posted is where the PH's are located? You should try moving them down towards the bottom more and then angle them slightly up and each flow hitting eachother. Thats what i meant at the beginning. Sorry for the confusion i know it can be frustrating.

This is where I moved them after moving rocks around. They were on the back glass angled up towards surface. Now that I have the corals near there I can't do that or they may get sucked into the PH.

[BlindZide]

I guess I should add my coral stock as well.

Frogspawn
Hammer
Torch
Brain
GSP
Hydnophora
Xenia
Button Polyps
Zoas
Duncan
Rainbow Anemone

[SGT_York]

The 25's are half the size of a 40 and come with a fairly powerful controller. Two would do alright in a 75.

[Ssteve]

You could easily get away with one wp25 in there.

[dmh8801]

Tagging along. I'm having the same problems. I have them pointed up were they're not blowing the coral too bad but it would be nice for my fish to use more of the tank.

[BlindZide]

OK, so I was reading around the interwebs today and stumbled upon a guy who positioned his PHs in a way that I haven't heard/seen before so I gave it a shot. I did have to move corals around to do this but it seems to have worked with getting the strong flow to where I need it (Hydnophora/Nem) and slow everywhere else. So I have the PH on the right away from the back glass a few inches, pointed at the back glass and down far enough to not disturb the sand. On the left, the PH is all the way back, angled up and towards the front. It doesn't create a whirlpool effect either because the rocks break up the rear flow and makes it around the back to the front. The other PH keeps the front moving by itself. I have the return points down to the left to give the Nem a little more flow and randomness.

https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-YS-JDw8rm2k/UpU956ogvkI/AAAAAAAACqs/ksVvSJR37Sg/w912-h684-no/13+-+1

[phillrodrigo]

I have a wp25 in my 75 it works great. I was running 2 aqueon 950s but they didnt have enough in them. Im now running the 25 plus 1 950 till I get another jaebo. I may go with a wp10 for the second one 2 maybe 2 much. I like the pulse mode they sway back and forth. I think its gotta be bad for the pump though start stopping like that

[BlindZide]

From what I have heard the WPs last pretty good. I had 2 WP40s that I traded for some corals because they were waaaaayyyyy too much for my tank. Even 1 was too much.

[cab395]

I just ordered a WP20 online.. Hoping that fixes my issues and I don't regret it.

[FranktheTankTx]

You will regret the xenia.

[Palting]

OK, so I was reading around the interwebs today and stumbled upon a guy who positioned his PHs in a way that I haven't heard/seen before so I gave it a shot. I did have to move corals around to do this but it seems to have worked with getting the strong flow to where I need it (Hydnophora/Nem) and slow everywhere else. So I have the PH on the right away from the back glass a few inches, pointed at the back glass and down far enough to not disturb the sand. On the left, the PH is all the way back, angled up and towards the front. It doesn't create a whirlpool effect either because the rocks break up the rear flow and makes it around the back to the front. The other PH keeps the front moving by itself. I have the return points down to the left to give the Nem a little more flow and randomness.


Nothing beats getting creative with what you've got. Glad you made it work. Good job! :thumbsup:

[BlindZide]

You will regret the xenia.

I keep telling myself I wont! Want to know the reason I have it? My 5yr old little girl saw it waving to her at the fish store, so yeah, kinda had no choice. She will be getting her own reef tank soon. Right now she has a 20g Freshwater. When she does get her reef tank, the Xenia will move to that.

Nothing beats getting creative with what you've got. Glad you made it work. Good job! :thumbsup:

Thanks! I am hoping Christmas will yield either a VorTech or Jebao....or funds to purchase one!

[MacWilliams]

I have had Xenia in my tank for close to a year now and i still love it. The way it waves is what i really like about it and the light blue color is a nice addition. It does grow fast but as long as you dont allow it to move between rocks its an easy maintenance coral.

[Good_GReef]

I've always had success with keeping xenia on its own rock, monitored of course so it doesn't sneak off and fragged when it's looking suspiciously sneaky. You can keep it away from your main rockwork.