powerheads

[kevin1407]

are powerheads a must with reef aquariums?

 

[DianaKay]

Very GOOD water circulation is needed. So I'd say YES. Just think about coral reefs in the ocean and the movement they have.
Some corals require more water flow than others. My fish and corals seem to look & act better with my MP10 on high power.

 

[DianaKay]

Oh, HI and
:welcomera Welcome to Reef Sanctuary!
Lots of nice members here & we love to have you tell us more about your tank!

 

[mcentire1123]

Welcome to RS!

 

[kevin1407]

ok I thought i might have enough flow through my sump return.but now I am not sure its enough.110 gal,eshopps sump,eshopps protein skimmer,fluval 460 canister.thanks for the welcome

 

[jcgardner]

Welcome.

 

[kevin1407]

what would be the best powerhead to get?have live rock,cup corals,flowwerpot corals,damsels,fire gobies,tangs,clown any suggestions would be great 110 gal aquarium

 

[kevin1407]

and how many should i put in the tank?

 

[Maprik]

2 ecotech MP10s one on each end. Get some nice currents going. They are pricey but for what they do they are worth every penny. I use one in my 28g nanocube on active reef mode and its incredible...

 

[Maprik]

Go to Ecotech and download a manual and read what they do. Way better than any regular one speed power heads....

 

[DianaKay]

This link might be helpful....
EcoTech Marine Flow Calculator
The MP10 and MP40 by Ecotech are pricey but I think it's worth the money.

 

[lbiminiblue]

are powerheads a must with reef aquariums?

No, if you havea really strong pump. But a pump is what you would buy only if you have a sump beneath your main tank. Powerheads are generally the way to go, they simulate currents and water movement that fish and corals love. People will tell you all about the Vortech MP40 powerheads, but really, why? They're extremely expensive, and while this hobby isn't cheap, you can certainly save money by buying two big powerheads for 20 dollars, like I did. They work just fine, and the colliding currents they cause are probably as good as those of any other powerheads. I have a link to them here:2 Pcs Circulation Pump Wave Maker 1300 GPH Aquarium Powerhead Suction Cup Mount | eBay

 

[lbiminiblue]

oh, and welcome!

 

[lbiminiblue]

if you combine two fixed speed PH's, you get currents that collide and cause all sorts of different flow. WAAAYYY cheaper than Ecotech's, and frankly, fish and corals don't exactly die from going cheap on powerheads.

 

[kevin1407]

thanks everyone for info.looked at the eotechs to expensive.bought an aqueon 950 for50 bucks.seem to be good

 

[imsalty]

Check our wp40 wavemaker with controller. Less than $100. Very powerful and adjustable

 

[Lipman]

Very happy with my Wp 25

 

[jerry26]

Check our wp40 wavemaker with controller. Less than $100. Very powerful and adjustable

the wp40 is VERY powerful. definitely pay the extra for the adjustable power supply. or buy a reef angel. i have two and i dont pass 50% power on my 100 gal dt.

 

[imsalty]

With the new controller that comes with the wp40 and wp25 the adjustable power supply is not necessary. We have a wp40 on our 55 and it can be adjusted to a little current to making waves splash out of the aquarium.

 

[DianaKay]

Do these still have wires that run down into the aquarium? I'm thinking about adding an additional MP10 but I might consider one of these WP brands IF there are no wires to be visible in my tank.