Powerhead placement/power question- Pic included.

Amount0001 · 04/06/2015, 08:27 PM

Hi everyone- I just set up a tank for the first time today- it's a 45 gallon tank with a layer of substrate and a layer of live sand.

I just put in my live rock a few hours ago and it seems to be doing well. My question is in regards to my powerheads. I want to know if I have them placed effectively? The one on the left is a marineland maxi jet 900 and the one on the right is a Koralia 900. Also- I can't tell if the one on the left is too strong for the tank, it seems to be really blowing hard on the live rock but I have no idea how to tell if it's too much.

Thanks for your advice!

stingeragent · 04/06/2015, 08:38 PM

I'd say reposition both if it was me. I think for the most part you don't want them blowing directly on anything. If it was me, i'd move the left or the right one , which ever. Put one closer to the front and angle it up slight and towards the front glass. Put 2nd one back and up towards back glass. I have a similar setup to what I just described and then a 3rd smaller one in the back 1/4 way from the bottom to keep the back bottom from accumilating crap on sand. A lot of the flow is also gonna depend on the coral you plan to get as well, as well as the fish. I started my first salty a 20 and had a marineland similar to the one you have in 600gph. I had the kickin in the tank and it was crazy flow and my 2 clowns looked like they were in a hurricane so I downsized for that tank. Oh, and the reason I say up on 1 or both is to keep the surface agitated. It looks like you don't have a sump so you'll get a film over the top if you don't have good surface agitation.

pyithar · 04/06/2015, 08:41 PM

since you don't have any coral in there, i would not worry about the powerhead placements yet as long as the sandbed is not blown away. point one of them at the surface for better gas exchange.

04/06/2015, 08:41 PM	#3
pyithar Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2013 Location: yangon,burma(myanmar) Posts: 1,786	since you don't have any coral in there, i would not worry about the powerhead placements yet as long as the sandbed is not blown away. point one of them at the surface for better gas exchange. __________________ take it easy, pyithar Current Tank Info: 150G display, 50G sump, mixed reef

04/06/2015, 08:38 PM	#2
stingeragent Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2014 Posts: 1,032	I'd say reposition both if it was me. I think for the most part you don't want them blowing directly on anything. If it was me, i'd move the left or the right one , which ever. Put one closer to the front and angle it up slight and towards the front glass. Put 2nd one back and up towards back glass. I have a similar setup to what I just described and then a 3rd smaller one in the back 1/4 way from the bottom to keep the back bottom from accumilating crap on sand. A lot of the flow is also gonna depend on the coral you plan to get as well, as well as the fish. I started my first salty a 20 and had a marineland similar to the one you have in 600gph. I had the kickin in the tank and it was crazy flow and my 2 clowns looked like they were in a hurricane so I downsized for that tank. Oh, and the reason I say up on 1 or both is to keep the surface agitated. It looks like you don't have a sump so you'll get a film over the top if you don't have good surface agitation.