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Unread 04/23/2017, 05:14 PM   #1
AquaFrenzy
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What Size Powerhead for Brute Can Mixing Station?

I'm building a basic salt mixing station, what size powerhead is good to help mix the salt in a full size Brute can?


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Unread 04/23/2017, 05:43 PM   #2
heathlindner25
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Bigger the better. I would buy a strong pump that way you can get it out of the brute also. Mag 7


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Unread 04/23/2017, 06:19 PM   #3
AquaFrenzy
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I was also thinking just having a spout on it as well, a 90' with a ball valve to drain into a bucket, and eventually re plumbing down the road when I add another brute can and use a pump to recirculate the mixture


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Unread 04/24/2017, 06:58 AM   #4
ktownhero
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I've used an MJ1200 but I'd recommend something more powerful. The MJ needs help getting everything dissolved.

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Unread 04/24/2017, 08:08 AM   #5
ReefsandGeeks
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I just have a Sun Sun 800GPH pump hanging in my mixing Brute (44gallon). It works fine, but I'd get the next size up if I were to start over. I just use a drain valve and buckets for actually moving the water. I'd love to have it all plumbed in, but don't have the spare money to spend on it for now. I never use more than 3 or 4 buckets at a time anyways, so not a big deal for me. If I had a 200+ gallon tank, I'd be very inclined to plumb in an external pump that I could use to transfer the saltwater, rather than only mixing.


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Unread 04/24/2017, 08:41 AM   #6
TokiHacker
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Quote:
Originally Posted by devastator007 View Post
I just have a Sun Sun 800GPH pump hanging in my mixing Brute (44gallon). It works fine, but I'd get the next size up if I were to start over. I just use a drain valve and buckets for actually moving the water. I'd love to have it all plumbed in, but don't have the spare money to spend on it for now. I never use more than 3 or 4 buckets at a time anyways, so not a big deal for me. If I had a 200+ gallon tank, I'd be very inclined to plumb in an external pump that I could use to transfer the saltwater, rather than only mixing.

That's what I did... a cheap SunSun


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Unread 04/24/2017, 06:06 PM   #7
bobt2
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I use an mj1200 in a 30 gallon garbage pail. after mixing I use a 10ft piece of tubing on the output and pump it into the tank


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Unread 04/24/2017, 06:25 PM   #8
bblumberg
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I have an old mj1000 to circulate the water and a Mag5 that I plug in when I am dissolving new salt.


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Unread 04/26/2017, 04:34 PM   #9
AquaFrenzy
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Quote:
Originally Posted by devastator007 View Post
I just have a Sun Sun 800GPH pump hanging in my mixing Brute (44gallon). It works fine, but I'd get the next size up if I were to start over. I just use a drain valve and buckets for actually moving the water. I'd love to have it all plumbed in, but don't have the spare money to spend on it for now. I never use more than 3 or 4 buckets at a time anyways, so not a big deal for me. If I had a 200+ gallon tank, I'd be very inclined to plumb in an external pump that I could use to transfer the saltwater, rather than only mixing.
Wow those are cheap!! cant see how you can go wrong with one even if it only lasts a couple years.


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Unread 04/27/2017, 04:11 AM   #10
homer1475
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A couple old Hydor korallia nanos in my barrels for mixing, then an external pump to pump it into my tank.


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Unread 04/27/2017, 06:18 AM   #11
ReefsandGeeks
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Quote:
Originally Posted by AquaFrenzy View Post
Wow those are cheap!! cant see how you can go wrong with one even if it only lasts a couple years.
Exactly. I've had one I use in my display that's been running 24/7, other than an occasional cleaning for about 4 years now and still going strong. They are the only powerheads I've used, so I really can't compare actual flowrates or quality, but so cheap it's hard to argue. They make bigger ones, or I saw one that is basically 4 of these stuck together for like $20. I'd use one of those for mixing if I were buying another. the 800 I have is a bit underpowered for a 44 gallon brute. I hang it by the wire and it sort of moves itself around by itself and keeps the bottom mixed. The bigger ones would be more convenient for mixing time, and can be put on a time to save electricity when used just to keep the saltwater circulated.


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Unread 04/27/2017, 10:27 AM   #12
billdogg
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I use a mag18 for mine. (55g barrel) for general circulation/salt mixing I put an old koralia 1500gph power head near the bottom pointed upwards


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Unread 04/27/2017, 11:56 AM   #13
hkgar
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I am using a Sicce Syncra 4.0 in a 32 gallon Brute. Does a great job!

I didn't buy it for the job, just had it around. Heck I got 3 or 4 pumps just laying around.


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Unread 04/27/2017, 12:19 PM   #14
Treasure Coast
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Sicce 5.0 in 1 can and a Redsea 1800 gallons per hour in the other. In my opinion I would get a bigger pump then the little power heads. Sometimes you can find one in the Amazon Warehouse section fairly cheap.


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Unread 04/28/2017, 02:18 PM   #15
BigDave
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I use a Mag9 on my 55 gallon drum. I also use it to pump the water to the tank for water changes.


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Unread 05/01/2017, 11:16 PM   #16
cody6766
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I have a 40 gal tank and use a Mag 1 for pumping out and for circulation when I mix the salt into the fresh water. I keep a Koralia K2 in there for water movement between fills/changes. It's worked well for me for several years.


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Unread 05/02/2017, 07:00 PM   #17
Rene Obergfell
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Mag 6 would work great


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Unread 06/25/2017, 02:04 PM   #18
forddna
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Those of you using pumps rather than powerheads, this might sound stupid, but are you just letting it sit on the bottom and flow wide open, or do you put something on it to spread the flow around??

Also I see a lot of people naming specific pumps and powerheads. Can anyone please tell me what you think a minimum flow rate inside a large Brute can would be, for mixing? I had this same setup several years ago, and for the life of me, I can't remember what I had in mine. :/


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Unread 06/25/2017, 02:28 PM   #19
hkgar
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I just set mine in the bottom and let it do whatever it wants. I leave it in about 6 hours to mix and then remove it. I use Red Sea Salt (not coral) and it doesn't need constant stirring. As far as flow - the faster the better to mix quickly and move the water. It is somewhat dependent on the size of the container. Sometimes I mix in a a gallon pitcher and my Sicce would truly be overkill. My brute is a 32 gallon that I fill to 24 gallons.


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180 gallon, 40 gallon sump, 3 250 W MH + 4 80W ATI T5's, MTC MVX 36 Skimmer, Apex controller Aquamaxx T-3 CaRx

Current Tank Info: A 2 Barred Rabbitfish, Red Head Salon, Yellow/Purple, McMaster Fairy, Possum, 2 Leopard Wrasses, Kole, & Atlantic Blue Tangs, 2 Percula Clown, 3 PJ and 1 Banggai Cardinalfish , Swallowtail, Bellus and Coral Beauty Angels
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Unread 06/25/2017, 04:42 PM   #20
der_wille_zur_macht
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I've had two different mixing station setups over the years. Both were based on the common Brute cans. First setup had a pump that was external and PVC run back in to the Brute for mixing, with another line T'd off running up to the tank. This way, I could mix, and then just throw the valves and fill the tank.

Current setup is a lot simpler. I have a cheapo ebay Chinese prop-style powerhead sitting loose in the bottom of the Brute. I think it was rated 1800 gph but that seems optimistic. I have a uniseal with 1" PVC near the bottom of the Brute with a valve, so I can fill buckets to carry to the tank. All I have now is a nano, so a bucket is plenty for a water change and I could avoid routing hoses to it.

In terms of minimum flow - I think it really depends on how you have the pump situated. If it's well positioned to optimize the flow and not create dead spots where salt can collect, I'd think 700 or 800 gph would be more than plenty. If you don't want to worry about it and want a quick mix with no chance of salt settling out, I'd aim for twice that. If you're using the same pump to push water a long distance or height to the aquarium, then the head loss of that run of pipe will probably dictate the size of pump.


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Unread 06/26/2017, 09:15 AM   #21
ca1ore
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I fail to see why a large mixing pump is needed. I use a tiny powerhead in mine, and shocker, the salt dissolves just fine. I suppose if one wished to accelerate the dissolving process, a bigger pump would help, but I always let NSW 'settle' for a day or two anyhow.


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Unread 06/26/2017, 01:16 PM   #22
PanicBuyer
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I use a 800GPH power head, pointed clockwise, located at the base of the brute can. It seems to get enough of a vortex going to mix what settles to the bottom.


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Unread 06/28/2017, 07:10 PM   #23
forddna
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I definitely used to use a lot less flow than most of you guys lol


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Unread 07/01/2017, 01:24 AM   #24
sfdan
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I use an Eheim 1262 in my mixing station, because that is the same as the return pump in my DT. I always want to have a backup return pump around, just in case, why not also give it some light duty work in the meantime?


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Unread 07/06/2017, 04:38 PM   #25
lprettyman
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I use a brute 44g with a bulkhead through the bottom directly in the center, plumbed through the stand I built for them. This is plumbed to a ball valve and gravity fed. Inside of the container I have a Hydor Koralia 565gph powerhead pretty close to the bottom and pointed down to kick up anything that settles. When I get water out of it, the first bucket gets dumped back in so that the water thats been just sitting in the pipes for a week or 2 does not get used. Works perfect and the 565 is cheap and very effective. I can mix an entire container sufficiently in just a couple hours. I usually wait about 4 hours before use though.


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