Power head for gravel cleaner DIY ?

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rajdeeprath

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Jul 17, 2012
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I am looking to make a power head powered gravel cleaner like one I saw on youtube DIY. I have a 55 gallon aquarium. What kind of power head should I use that would suffice in picking up dirt from the gravel with enough pull force ?

A few options that I have in market are

1. 400 l/h
2. 800 l/h
3. 1200 l/h
4. 2800 l/h

Please advice based on efficiency that would be enough for me. Do not take the upper slab approach even though it's tempting. (Cause it will simply cost more :) )
 
One might ask exactly what you are hoping to extricate that would require a powerhead...
 
I understand what you want to build, I'm just not sure why. A normal gravel cleaner will remove fish waste using just gravity, so...what is being removed that requires more power?
 
The thing is I think using a power head I can generate perhaps more force ? And have the water flow back into the aquarium automatically?

Any pointers how I could do that better ?

Thanks for your replies.

image.jpg
 
I have a own made top filter like system where a small 5 w motor lifts the water and drops back through a sponge matter almost throughout the day. So it basically like a cycling system. And with the plants in place I want lesser complete cleanup cycles. I want to preserve the water as much as I can other than monthly 20% water change I don't want to throw away water and have to refill again. If I can get the spoils out of the aquarium and leave the water as it is the filter action and the plants should be able to take care of it. I do 20% water change every month anyways.

Gravel cleaning looks a little inefficient when wasting that water at this same time to me. Then again that's just me.
 
You can always just attach the gravel vac to the intake of your filter. that way you won't need to buy a powerhead at all.
 
Then just use a small powerhead for the filter, 400l/h should be more than enough
 
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