Power Heads???

[>]

I have a question about power heads and the amount of current SW fish will
tolerate.

I started my 120FW with 4 power heads and the current was so strong that
most of the fish in my tank could not hover still anywhere in the tank
except the back corners.

I see mention of 4 power heads in a SW 55g. Are
these power heads real low in gph? I know the ocean has movement all the
time, but how much current will tanked critters tolerate?

Is the need for movement to keep the water from getting stagnant? Are there
any other ways to keep the water circulating without such drastic movement?

TIA
JOhn :-)

[Adam]

"><(((\"> John Lange" > wrote in
message et...
> I have a question about power heads and the amount of current SW fish will
> tolerate.
>
> I started my 120FW with 4 power heads and the current was so strong that
> most of the fish in my tank could not hover still anywhere in the tank
> except the back corners.
>
> I see mention of 4 power heads in a SW 55g. Are
> these power heads real low in gph? I know the ocean has movement all the
> time, but how much current will tanked critters tolerate?
>
> Is the need for movement to keep the water from getting stagnant? Are
there
> any other ways to keep the water circulating without such drastic
movement?
>
> TIA
> JOhn :-)

I believe I was the one that mentioned 4 powerheads in a 55. This is how
mine is set up. I have 2 on the back top corners pointing towards the
center of the front of the tank. They are also pointed up enough to ripple
the surface (for gas exchange). Also none of the powerheads have air lines.
I personally think the bubbles ruin the look. One of the other powerheads
is on the left side back pointing about to the center of the right side of
the tank half way down between the top powerheads and the sand. The last
one is about half way down from third to the sand and is on the right side
pointing to center left. This configuration provides plenty of water
movement and also leaves plenty of weaker areas for fish to "hover". I'm
sure that this is overkill but it works great for me. I believe I said
before that this turns over about 4-6 times the tank water capacity per
hour.

HTH and as always the rest of you folks on here can feel free to correct or
add. :-)

Ed

[Marc Levenson]

I had 4 powerheads in my 29g about a year ago, to keep the current strong enough
to avoid algae issues. It is all in the placement. Fish will naturally find
quieter zones to sleep and hide within, but they have all the equipment to
traverse some of the strongest stuff we can throw at them.

I had a tang that would surf in the flow of a Tunze Turbelle, which moves 700gph
all by itself. A lot depends on the fish as well.

Marc


"><(((\\\"> John Lange" wrote:

> I have a question about power heads and the amount of current SW fish will
> tolerate.
>
> I started my 120FW with 4 power heads and the current was so strong that
> most of the fish in my tank could not hover still anywhere in the tank
> except the back corners.
>
> I see mention of 4 power heads in a SW 55g. Are
> these power heads real low in gph? I know the ocean has movement all the
> time, but how much current will tanked critters tolerate?
>
> Is the need for movement to keep the water from getting stagnant? Are there
> any other ways to keep the water circulating without such drastic movement?
>
> TIA
> JOhn :-)

--
Personal Page: http://www.sparklingfloorservice.com/oanda/index.html
Business Page: http://www.sparklingfloorservice.com
Marine Hobbyist: http://www.melevsreef.com

[Marc Levenson]

Adam,

Air bubbles in the sal****er tank are problematic at best. It can affect the
fish adversely, as they can collect in the gills of fish and lead to serious
problems. The only time bubbles are a good idea is in the case of loss of power
and it is your only source of oxygenation (battery-powered air pumps).

Air bubbles in a freshwater tank are larger compared to sal****er. The finer
bubbles can even pose problems for some corals.

Marc


Adam wrote:

> I believe I was the one that mentioned 4 powerheads in a 55. This is how
> mine is set up. I have 2 on the back top corners pointing towards the
> center of the front of the tank. They are also pointed up enough to ripple
> the surface (for gas exchange). Also none of the powerheads have air lines.
> I personally think the bubbles ruin the look. One of the other powerheads
> is on the left side back pointing about to the center of the right side of
> the tank half way down between the top powerheads and the sand. The last
> one is about half way down from third to the sand and is on the right side
> pointing to center left. This configuration provides plenty of water
> movement and also leaves plenty of weaker areas for fish to "hover". I'm
> sure that this is overkill but it works great for me. I believe I said
> before that this turns over about 4-6 times the tank water capacity per
> hour.
>

--
Personal Page: http://www.sparklingfloorservice.com/oanda/index.html
Business Page: http://www.sparklingfloorservice.com
Marine Hobbyist: http://www.melevsreef.com

[Richard Reynolds]

> I had a tang that would surf in the flow of a Tunze Turbelle, which moves 700gph
> all by itself. A lot depends on the fish as well.
>
> Marc

I have a sailfin tang, maroon clown, picasso trigger, and lunar wrase that get into the
direct path of a 3000gph return, and play in it :)

--
Richard Reynolds

[Adam]

"Richard Reynolds" > wrote in message
news:qY8db.24645$gv5.21733@fed1read05...
> > I had a tang that would surf in the flow of a Tunze Turbelle, which
moves 700gph
> > all by itself. A lot depends on the fish as well.
> >
> > Marc
>
> I have a sailfin tang, maroon clown, picasso trigger, and lunar wrase that
get into the
> direct path of a 3000gph return, and play in it :)

My female YSMClown gets on the opposite end of the jet stream and waits for
food to be washed over to her at meal time. The male in the same tank will
swim past it and turn and give it what has become known as "the look" with
the water flowing directly into its face. He must like it because he will
do it over and over again.

Ed

[>]

Thanks for all your responses. Are the strength of FW vs. SW that much
different?

JOhn :-)


"Marc Levenson" > wrote in message
...
> I had 4 powerheads in my 29g about a year ago, to keep the current strong
enough
> to avoid algae issues. It is all in the placement. Fish will naturally
find
> quieter zones to sleep and hide within, but they have all the equipment to
> traverse some of the strongest stuff we can throw at them.
>
> I had a tang that would surf in the flow of a Tunze Turbelle, which moves
700gph
> all by itself. A lot depends on the fish as well.
>
> Marc
>
>
> "><(((\\\"> John Lange" wrote:
>
> > I have a question about power heads and the amount of current SW fish
will
> > tolerate.
> >
> > I started my 120FW with 4 power heads and the current was so strong that
> > most of the fish in my tank could not hover still anywhere in the tank
> > except the back corners.
> >
> > I see mention of 4 power heads in a SW 55g. Are
> > these power heads real low in gph? I know the ocean has movement all
the
> > time, but how much current will tanked critters tolerate?
> >
> > Is the need for movement to keep the water from getting stagnant? Are
there
> > any other ways to keep the water circulating without such drastic
movement?
> >
> > TIA
> > JOhn :-)
>
> --
> Personal Page: http://www.sparklingfloorservice.com/oanda/index.html
> Business Page: http://www.sparklingfloorservice.com
> Marine Hobbyist: http://www.melevsreef.com
>
>

[Richard Reynolds]

> Thanks for all your responses. Are the strength of FW vs. SW that much
> different?

first its not so much strength as even the weekest healthy FW fish can withstand it its
just not natural but,

in many cases yes, like many things there are exception, but most reef safe fish live on a
reef (what a shock right =:> ) and most reefs enjoy a high amount of water movement,
compare that to FW fish where many fish evolved in areas of little to no water movement
and have adapted to enjoy it.

> JOhn :-)



--
Richard Reynolds