I have a 125 fowlr tank with a fluval fx5 filter and want to know how many power heads and how should i position them in my tank i dont want to put them on my front of my tank. I would like to use koralia powerheads...please help me out
how should i position my power heads and how many should i have
- Thread starter Fitter17
- Start date
Its basically going to come down to trial and error - I had to try a few different placements and angles when I got mine so it wasn't blasting a coral or blowing my sand bed around. I would start with at least two K4s and go from there, maybe one on each end of the back.
Agreed with the above. You'll find that every tank and the structures within have a unique arrangement that works best for them. You'll have to play with it to maximize the effect of whatever pump you are using. I also agree that the K4 is a good starting point. I always like lots of water motion in my tanks.
For my 125 another member ACE gave me an idea and I used it making some adjustments here and there to maximize the best setting in my tank. Bassically I have the water flow going around in a circle. On the leftside- closer to the front- I have 1 koralia 3 pointing to the right. Then on the back I have one in the middle pointing to the right. And on the right side, towards the back I have one pointing to the right. This is how I generally did mine - I have 3 koralia 3's. For me that, + my overflow I feel like is enough flow esspecially since i'm making a predator tank and not a reef.
Why not build yourself a closed loop setup? It would be cheaper then buying the koralia's.
All you would need would be a external return pump, some spa flex hose and PVC outlets. You could branch off several outputs to diffent ends of the tank.
All you would need would be a external return pump, some spa flex hose and PVC outlets. You could branch off several outputs to diffent ends of the tank.
I am a big fan of closed loop setups, but its not because they are cheaper. A pair of K4s will push about 2400gph of circulation. To match that with an external pump on a closed loop, you're looking at something like a Reeflo Snapper, one of the less expensive options at $300 or so. Not to mention the expense of the plumbing, and the time to set it all up.
If you are looking into the closed loop (I wish I had the money and time to invest in it) and have no need for the korilla's, let me know. I'm just using the Penguin powerheads at the moment, but I'd be happy to buy them from you.
At this point in time, the only real advantage afforded by a closed loop is less clutter in the tank. One could potentially argue heat transfer, but powerheads have become much more energy efficient, possibly negating that, as well. In terms of water volume and bulk movement, a good powerhead setup will outclass any closed loop system. I don't see any practical way of getting 10000+ gph out of a centrifugal pump and it working well. On the other hand, I definitely can (and did) with powerheads. In the end, if you don't mind taking up some real estate, powerheads are the better option.
