Powerhead issues

ddaddy2420 · 07/31/2007, 11:19 AM

http://www.imagehoop.com/view_image/...40/bubbles.JPG

I have an aquatic gardens powerhead 601 - says its rated for approximately 200 gph. Its in a 10 gallon saltwater tank. See picture.

Everytime i turn it on wide open it produces an insane amount of bubbles. Is there something i am doing wrong?

der_wille_zur_macht · 07/31/2007, 11:26 AM

Does it have a venturi fitting on it? Look for any part of the pump sticking up above water level that could be sucking in air.

Shaummy · 07/31/2007, 11:39 AM

Exactly...make sure the powerhead is low enough in the tank so that the air inlet on the top is below the surface.

If there is a small air line sticking out of the top take it off as well.

hopefully that is the reason...otherwise take a pic of the powehead itself and we'll see what's going on.

ddaddy2420 · 07/31/2007, 11:54 AM

lol i am such a noob. It had an air line sticking out of the top out of the tank with a manual regulator on it. I just figured this needed to be sticking out of the tank. That would be the cause of the air bubbles.

Why would these have this air tube sticking out of the top?

der_wille_zur_macht · 07/31/2007, 12:03 PM

In FW tanks, it is common to use powerheads with venturi adapters (that airhose thing) to aerate the water. It's a problem in marine tanks since saltwater holds bubbles much longer. In a FW tank, they just float right to the surface and dissipate instead of blowing all over.

reelsteel · 07/31/2007, 12:09 PM

Some use them on skimmers.

Shaummy · 07/31/2007, 02:10 PM

see that ddaddy2420....one more thing you know from now on!

Everyone does that kind of stuff starting out. You are on your way now.

07/31/2007, 11:19 AM	#1
ddaddy2420 Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Arkansas Posts: 51	Powerhead issues http://www.imagehoop.com/view_image/...40/bubbles.JPG I have an aquatic gardens powerhead 601 - says its rated for approximately 200 gph. Its in a 10 gallon saltwater tank. See picture. Everytime i turn it on wide open it produces an insane amount of bubbles. Is there something i am doing wrong?

07/31/2007, 11:26 AM	#2
der_wille_zur_macht Team RC Member Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: NY Posts: 17,749	Does it have a venturi fitting on it? Look for any part of the pump sticking up above water level that could be sucking in air. __________________ Inconveniencing marine life since 1992 "It is my personal belief that reef aquaria should be thriving communities of biodiversity, representative of their wild counterparts, and not merely collections of pretty specimens growing on tidy clean rock shelves covered in purple coralline algae." (Eric Borneman)

07/31/2007, 11:39 AM	#3
Shaummy Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2001 Location: Chicago burbs Posts: 857	Exactly...make sure the powerhead is low enough in the tank so that the air inlet on the top is below the surface. If there is a small air line sticking out of the top take it off as well. hopefully that is the reason...otherwise take a pic of the powehead itself and we'll see what's going on. __________________ Shaummy Current Tank Info: Current Tank Info: 90g mixed reef, hermits, snails,Lyretail Anthias,Orange back Fairy Wrasse,Blue Reef Chromis,small blue tang, Flame Hawk, Royal Gramma

07/31/2007, 12:03 PM	#5
der_wille_zur_macht Team RC Member Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: NY Posts: 17,749	In FW tanks, it is common to use powerheads with venturi adapters (that airhose thing) to aerate the water. It's a problem in marine tanks since saltwater holds bubbles much longer. In a FW tank, they just float right to the surface and dissipate instead of blowing all over. __________________ Inconveniencing marine life since 1992 "It is my personal belief that reef aquaria should be thriving communities of biodiversity, representative of their wild counterparts, and not merely collections of pretty specimens growing on tidy clean rock shelves covered in purple coralline algae." (Eric Borneman)

07/31/2007, 02:10 PM	#7
Shaummy Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2001 Location: Chicago burbs Posts: 857	see that ddaddy2420....one more thing you know from now on! Everyone does that kind of stuff starting out. You are on your way now. __________________ Shaummy Current Tank Info: Current Tank Info: 90g mixed reef, hermits, snails,Lyretail Anthias,Orange back Fairy Wrasse,Blue Reef Chromis,small blue tang, Flame Hawk, Royal Gramma

07/31/2007, 11:54 AM	#4
ddaddy2420 Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Arkansas Posts: 51	lol i am such a noob. It had an air line sticking out of the top out of the tank with a manual regulator on it. I just figured this needed to be sticking out of the tank. That would be the cause of the air bubbles. Why would these have this air tube sticking out of the top?

07/31/2007, 12:09 PM	#6
reelsteel Registered Member Join Date: May 2004 Location: Southern Maryland Posts: 73	Some use them on skimmers.