# Powerhead Advice Needed



## mcgdz86 (Jan 17, 2016)

Hey everyone

I was looking into adding some powerheads into both of my tanks and am looking for some advice. I am mostly uneducated when it comes to them; my basic understanding is that they can help add aeration and circulation to the tank, which is the reason I'm considering them. I could use some advice if they would be useful for my situation or if there's something better, and also what type/brand/power would be best.

The first tank is my brackish tank. It's a 37g bowfront that houses a Green Spotted Puffer and 10 bumblebee gobies. No live plants. It's currently freshwater but I'm slowly transitioning it to near full marine conditions. 









I have it filtered with an Aquatop CF400UV Canister filter, which is rated at 370gph. I have both output valves pointed at the surface to produce surface agitation to pull oxygen into the tank. While the agitation is quite strong on one half of the tank the other half is pretty calm. So I'm concerned that possibly enough oxygen isn't being pulled in. I have no bubblers or other aeration system set up in this tank. I also worry that since both outputs are pointed towards the surface that the bottom portion of the tank is not getting circulation. I notice when I feed bloodworms they tend to just float straight to the substrate and sit there until their pecked off. 










My second tank is a my freshwater community tank. It is a 37g bowfront as well that houses 1 Betta, 2 German Rams, 1 Molly, 1 Koi Angel, 2 Guppies, 2 Albino Plecos, 6 X-Ray Tetra, and a handful of Ghost Shrimp. No live plants.










This tank is hooked up to an Aquatop 300 Canister Filter rated at 264gph. I also have an Aqueon Quietflow30 HOB rated at 200gph. A Fluval Q1 air pump powers a large air stone in the tank. A believe there is plenty of surface agitation in this tank between the output of the canister, the HOB, and the bubbles from the air stone. I was wondering if some extra circulation in the tank would help... mostly to keep waste from settling on the substrate so the filter can pick it up easier. 


























Please let me know what you guys think would be appropriate for each tank. Thanks


----------



## kedi (Dec 24, 2015)

There are several things that contribute to circulation. Positions of inlet and outlet to the filter system. Heater causes up flow around it. Air stones cause up flow. Then something as major as a power head.
I have a 55G tank. 306 filter. At first I had the outlet spout that came with the 306 filter. A flat slightly fanned out spout. Intake and outlet at opposite ends. It worked OK but not great. I got the Eheim spray bar attachment and put that on the outlet. The three sections were too long to go across the end of the tank, so I put them along the back of the tank at one end. Great surface agitation. But not so good overall flow. I removed one section and drilled extra holes in the remaining two sections. Mounted it so it is across the end of the tank pointing upward and towards the opposite end. Great surface agitation and very good tank circulation overall. The plants leaves at the opposite top and bottom end of the tank sway in the current as well as the ones under the spray bar. No dead spots in the tank. My tank is only planted moderately heavy at the end far from the spray bar. Thick Elodea bottom to top, two Amazon Swords mid way to top. Large fake rock decor in middle. Smaller Amazon sword under spray bar.

Your air bubbler will make an up current. If you were to put a spray bar across the end of the tank above that, pointing the outflow to the other end of the tank. I think you would get a big current cycling end to end.

I am also going to move the heater to the end with the spray bar. The heat convection will be minimal there. But the flow will be great across it and it won't be adding a tiny bit of resistance at the other end.

Some DIY piping with your filter outlet flow, or re positioning of the outlets should be enough to make good flow in your tanks. If your plants and decor cause some real walls to flow. Add some outlets in strategic places?


----------

