Powerheads In Fresh Water Tank

[AdrianB]

In my 30inch freshwater tank there is almost no water movement, I just have the filter spray bar. Adding a powerhead would obviously improve water circulation but would the fish like it and is it worth considering in a freshwater tank? I have gold barbs, mollies and platies.

Thanks.

 

[saboy]

What is your tank size ?(in litres of gallons) Maybe your filter could not be good enough ? And what filter you have on it ?


I wouldnt see the need for powerheads just for water movement, I think a filter upgrade would do the trick !

 

[AdrianB]

The tank size is 110 litres. I have an external eheim 2211 with a spray bar but it gives almost no water movement.

 

[Fish_Dude619]

I was thinking of getting one of those aswell, because I have a fluval 304 and it doesn't make any water movement.

If there is no water movement or bubbles does that mean that there isn't much oxygen in the tank?

 

[saboy]

I do know that if there isnt any surface ajitation then you cant have much oxygen in the tank, the spray bar need to be just touchint the surface to make some movement, and ajitate the water

 

[CFC]

I run powerheads on all my larger tanks to increase water movement and aeration. Your fish should enjoy some extra current, most fish do with the exception of some still water species like Bettas and Gouramies.
The Eheim aquaball powerheads are good for smaller tanks as they have a fairly leisurely 600lph turnover, have an ajustable output and can be moved in their bracket to face different directions to obtain the best flow path.

 

[AdrianB]

The spray bar does give a fair bit of movement on the top of the water but just not further down, its probably not necessary but just thought the fish would like it.

Might look into the Eheim aquaballs then.

They are only £13 not too bad I think. Do you think 600lph would be too powerful in a 110 litre tank?

Does any one if gold barbs, mollies and platies like a higher flow rate?

 

[dylema]

I put a 500lph powerhead in my 20g tank to keep my plecos happy. I have the venturi air pipe attached but bent a bit to resrict the air to a nice amount of bubbles. I bent a piece of pipe to point down so the current runs down towards one corner and along the front of the tank. It works well for me and the plecs and keeps the gravel in the corner really clean.

I have a few platties. They didn't like the current at first but now they like it and swim towards it.

Funnily enough my one of my bettas likes to swim at the outflow of his filter and get his tail pushed around by the current.

 

[Tolak]

Try mounting the spraybar vertically instead of horizontally, and spray across the length of the tank.