Power Heads

Treefer32 · Jan 31, 2020

I've got a 350 gallon display running for about a year with 2 Skimz S18's (about 5400 gph) and 1 MP40 that's 6 years old and not running well, loud, and the dry side is hot. I know I Need more circulation. My return does around 2400 gph. So, I'm currently at around 17,000 gph in the display.

My understanding is I should have around 10 x mywater volume. So, around 30,000- 35000 gph. Some of it is wave motion vs. actuall water flow. My corals are doing fine and my fish are strange, they like to find powerheads behind caves and swim against the current. so, I understand it helps circulate the nutrients in the water column, displace dead zones, and provide hamster wheels for fish... I get it.

I understand ideally I should probably have 3 more MP40s. (I have a second one that needs a new wet side and I might be able to get it working.) I don't care about all the fancy settings, I prefer constant on, but, probably should turn things down at night so fish can sleep (do fish sleep?)

So, with that said. I don't really want to spend $1000 on powerheads. I need to spend that on livestock. I've only got the display half stocked with fish, and I need probably several thousand more in corals. Lol. (I know need is a relative term). ha!

Do you byte the bullet and go for less cords in the water? For $800 for 2 MP40s I could get 7 skimz S18 powerheads (still controllable and sync able. Just have a cord in the water.) Not saying I want 7. But, there seems to be nothing between $120 and $400 for a powerhead that does around 5000 gph. Which is crazy to me.

It's like saying I want a cheaper sporty car and the only options are a $17,000 Honda Fit or a $80,000 Corvette.

So, any suggestions for something in the middle? I'd gladly pay $200 per wireless powerhead that doesn't have a bunch of features that does 4000 gph. That'd be a great in between powerhead.

reef lover · Feb 7, 2020

As far as i know mps ars the only ones without cords in tank. But tunze makes some nice pumps that are mid $...

Slawman · Feb 7, 2020

Treefer32 said:
I've got a 350 gallon display running for about a year with 2 Skimz S18's (about 5400 gph) and 1 MP40 that's 6 years old and not running well, loud, and the dry side is hot. I know I Need more circulation. My return does around 2400 gph. So, I'm currently at around 17,000 gph in the display.

My understanding is I should have around 10 x mywater volume. So, around 30,000- 35000 gph. Some of it is wave motion vs. actuall water flow. My corals are doing fine and my fish are strange, they like to find powerheads behind caves and swim against the current. so, I understand it helps circulate the nutrients in the water column, displace dead zones, and provide hamster wheels for fish... I get it.

I understand ideally I should probably have 3 more MP40s. (I have a second one that needs a new wet side and I might be able to get it working.) I don't care about all the fancy settings, I prefer constant on, but, probably should turn things down at night so fish can sleep (do fish sleep?)

So, with that said. I don't really want to spend $1000 on powerheads. I need to spend that on livestock. I've only got the display half stocked with fish, and I need probably several thousand more in corals. Lol. (I know need is a relative term). ha!

Do you byte the bullet and go for less cords in the water? For $800 for 2 MP40s I could get 7 skimz S18 powerheads (still controllable and sync able. Just have a cord in the water.) Not saying I want 7. But, there seems to be nothing between $120 and $400 for a powerhead that does around 5000 gph. Which is crazy to me.

It's like saying I want a cheaper sporty car and the only options are a $17,000 Honda Fit or a $80,000 Corvette.

So, any suggestions for something in the middle? I'd gladly pay $200 per wireless powerhead that doesn't have a bunch of features that does 4000 gph. That'd be a great in between powerhead.

There is no "best flow" for a reef tank in my opinion, just best for your setup. It comes down to what you are keeping, your aquascape and your skimmer/sump processing capacity (as in flow through sump from your return). Before spending anything perhaps look at whether what you have is optomised for your setup? Have your considered splitting your return into two and use something like this to direct flow:

Sometimes moving your pumps around and having them run into each other or direct flow together can make a huge difference to how effective they are.

Maybe you have already thought about this and everything is as good as it can get and then I would get another one or two good quality water movers (MP40, Maxspect Gyre is excellent, Tunze). Trying to save money on this sort of gear costs more in the long run.

Pickwun · Feb 7, 2020

What did I miss here? 350x10=3500 not 35000.

WVNed · Feb 7, 2020

I recently bit the bullet and got 2 MP-40s for my 240. For a 350 I would probably get MP-60s if you want coral.
I don't keep SPS, so I am getting buy and my gorgs are happy.

Treefer32 · Feb 7, 2020

Sorry, it's 100 times not 10 times. A zero off. Yeah, I've got some SPS that are doing nicely, not growing real fast, but are growing. I wanted mostly SPS. But I've got a birdsnest towards the top that is growing slowly. over a year,it's probably grown 2 inches in size. I thought they were fast growers...

I assume it's water flow... MY ph is 8.1 to 8.3 daily for the last 6 months. Nitrates at 4, phosphates at .08. If things aren't growing at High Ph and low bioload, I have to assume one of two things. Water is too clean or in sufficient flow...

Although, the third option is worst case, my thousands of aiptasia are stining the SPS preventing them from growing much. Well, stinging any coral I have. So, maybe flow isn't the issue. I keep forgetting aiptasia are a bigger problem than I want to believe...