Powerhead Advice ??

mluntz · 09/27/2013, 02:34 PM

I am at a loss. I am running 2 Koralia 1150gph powerheads on my 46g bow. I wanted to try to create more random flow, so I bought a Hydor smartwave. I've run this thing two seperate times and I am just not happy with the results. For one, I can't stand the clicking and I am afraid this thing is going to burn up my powerheads. I am also starting to think that the pumps are creating too much flow in the tank and I should have gotten smaller pumps. I am just starting out with a few softies and don't want to blow them to pieces! Any suggestions on what to do would be appreciated. I think I am leaning towards ditching the smartwave and just running the powerheads facing each other. Thanks in advance!

ska d · 09/27/2013, 03:58 PM

I basically built my own smart wave a while back using 555 timer ic. And stopped using it after a coupe of weeks. Its fairly common knowledge now, that koralias (ac pump) will click and chatter when using an on/off timer. It won't burn the pump out but will eventually break the little rubber bumper (located inside the front cover) off and cause the pump to sometimes run in reverse. See of you can trade it in and spend that money on something better. You can get decent random turbulent flow by just experimenting. Try each one in a back corner but have them at slightly different heights, point them somewhere towards the front centre. It can all depend in your rock setup to. Sometimes pointing one or both pH at the rock structure will break up the flow nicely, and it keeps the rocks cleaner to. The trick also with koralias is if you look at the front grill, it is angled. If you place your power head where you think you want it, and a certain coral is getting blasted, try giving the power head a little twist. The power cord doesn't always have to be facing up. And just a twist can make all the difference. Take your time and play with them, once you think you've got it let it stay that way for a week or so to see how things respond, it may take a few adjustments, but I found I can get great flow with just 2 power heads and no wave maker junk. OK I admit I just bought a tunze 6055 DC controllable pump that I haven't hooked up yet. This will be my first experience with using one of these so I may come back and tell you a different story next time.

mluntz · 09/28/2013, 08:06 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ska d

I basically built my own smart wave a while back using 555 timer ic. And stopped using it after a coupe of weeks. Its fairly common knowledge now, that koralias (ac pump) will click and chatter when using an on/off timer. It won't burn the pump out but will eventually break the little rubber bumper (located inside the front cover) off and cause the pump to sometimes run in reverse. See of you can trade it in and spend that money on something better. You can get decent random turbulent flow by just experimenting. Try each one in a back corner but have them at slightly different heights, point them somewhere towards the front centre. It can all depend in your rock setup to. Sometimes pointing one or both pH at the rock structure will break up the flow nicely, and it keeps the rocks cleaner to. The trick also with koralias is if you look at the front grill, it is angled. If you place your power head where you think you want it, and a certain coral is getting blasted, try giving the power head a little twist. The power cord doesn't always have to be facing up. And just a twist can make all the difference. Take your time and play with them, once you think you've got it let it stay that way for a week or so to see how things respond, it may take a few adjustments, but I found I can get great flow with just 2 power heads and no wave maker junk. OK I admit I just bought a tunze 6055 DC controllable pump that I haven't hooked up yet. This will be my first experience with using one of these so I may come back and tell you a different story next time.

Appreciate the thoughts. Thanks.

dkeller_nc · 09/28/2013, 08:22 AM

If you don't want to ditch your Smartwave just yet, try setting it on one of the longer time settings. In my case, I run 3 koralias in a 20 gal nano (two 240 gph and one 425 gph) on a smartwave that cycles every 15 minutes.

That cycle still gives me a back and forth surge in the tank that prevents detritus from settling, but cycles the pumps far less often than in the "wave modes" of a minute or less.

From the standpoint of moderating the flow, try placing the PHs as close to the water surface as you can get them without pulling in air. Direct them so that the flow goes all the way across the tank and hits the opposite wall so that when the water movement actually hits your corals, it's much broader and slower than if the pump's output directly hit them.

Hate to tell you this, but if you want random flow and the adjustability and soft-start that prevents pump clicking and damage, your options are Vortech, Tunze, and the cheap Chinese knock-offs. Of these, the only ones with really sophisticated programming that lets you get close to ocean conditions are the Vortechs.

dax123 · 09/28/2013, 09:23 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dkeller_nc

Hate to tell you this, but if you want random flow and the adjustability and soft-start that prevents pump clicking and damage, your options are Vortech, Tunze, and the cheap Chinese knock-offs. Of these, the only ones with really sophisticated programming that lets you get close to ocean conditions are the Vortechs.

+1

Check out the Jebao Wp-20. Might be the solution you are looking for. IF money is not the issue, go Vortech.

09/27/2013, 02:34 PM	#1
mluntz Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2013 Location: Millersville, Md. Posts: 727	Powerhead Advice ?? I am at a loss. I am running 2 Koralia 1150gph powerheads on my 46g bow. I wanted to try to create more random flow, so I bought a Hydor smartwave. I've run this thing two seperate times and I am just not happy with the results. For one, I can't stand the clicking and I am afraid this thing is going to burn up my powerheads. I am also starting to think that the pumps are creating too much flow in the tank and I should have gotten smaller pumps. I am just starting out with a few softies and don't want to blow them to pieces! Any suggestions on what to do would be appreciated. I think I am leaning towards ditching the smartwave and just running the powerheads facing each other. Thanks in advance! __________________ 46 Gallon Bowfront, (1)Ocellaris Clownfish, (1)Carpenter wrasse, (1)Coral Beauty, (1)Kole Tang

09/27/2013, 03:58 PM	#2
ska d Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2012 Location: toronto Posts: 508	I basically built my own smart wave a while back using 555 timer ic. And stopped using it after a coupe of weeks. Its fairly common knowledge now, that koralias (ac pump) will click and chatter when using an on/off timer. It won't burn the pump out but will eventually break the little rubber bumper (located inside the front cover) off and cause the pump to sometimes run in reverse. See of you can trade it in and spend that money on something better. You can get decent random turbulent flow by just experimenting. Try each one in a back corner but have them at slightly different heights, point them somewhere towards the front centre. It can all depend in your rock setup to. Sometimes pointing one or both pH at the rock structure will break up the flow nicely, and it keeps the rocks cleaner to. The trick also with koralias is if you look at the front grill, it is angled. If you place your power head where you think you want it, and a certain coral is getting blasted, try giving the power head a little twist. The power cord doesn't always have to be facing up. And just a twist can make all the difference. Take your time and play with them, once you think you've got it let it stay that way for a week or so to see how things respond, it may take a few adjustments, but I found I can get great flow with just 2 power heads and no wave maker junk. OK I admit I just bought a tunze 6055 DC controllable pump that I haven't hooked up yet. This will be my first experience with using one of these so I may come back and tell you a different story next time.

09/28/2013, 08:22 AM	#4
dkeller_nc Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2013 Location: Central NC Posts: 5,062	If you don't want to ditch your Smartwave just yet, try setting it on one of the longer time settings. In my case, I run 3 koralias in a 20 gal nano (two 240 gph and one 425 gph) on a smartwave that cycles every 15 minutes. That cycle still gives me a back and forth surge in the tank that prevents detritus from settling, but cycles the pumps far less often than in the "wave modes" of a minute or less. From the standpoint of moderating the flow, try placing the PHs as close to the water surface as you can get them without pulling in air. Direct them so that the flow goes all the way across the tank and hits the opposite wall so that when the water movement actually hits your corals, it's much broader and slower than if the pump's output directly hit them. Hate to tell you this, but if you want random flow and the adjustability and soft-start that prevents pump clicking and damage, your options are Vortech, Tunze, and the cheap Chinese knock-offs. Of these, the only ones with really sophisticated programming that lets you get close to ocean conditions are the Vortechs.