how many and what kind of powerheads?

[tim000]

Im still in thre process of setting up my new 35g reef. right now I have a T-bar return from sump, and one hagen 301 PH. what is an all around good PH to buy? and in the future I plan on getting a wavemaker to hook up to all my PH's.
also how many should I buy?
thanks alot!

 

[JohnD]

Tim,

Do yourself a favor and stick with Maxijets. They are probably the best powerhead around. They can be hooked up to a wavemaker and have no problem starting and stopping.

I have a couple Maxijet 1200s and a single 900 in each of my 30 gallon tanks.

The Red Sea wavemaker hooks up to 4 powerheads, so 4 is probably a good number to purchase.

I have a couple old Hagen's - 201, 301, 402. I have been switching them out with the new Maxijets. I have retired them to the water make-up barrell and the like.

 

[newkie]

Agreed, maxijets are pretty reliable and are generally considered the best. Depends on what you're keeping for how many I'd recommend. If sps then as many as you can fit in... if lps/softies two should suffice. HTH

 

[ReefMole]

You didn't mention what the dimensions of your tank were...I'd assume that it's similar to mine? I have a 40(37 actual)gallon tank that is 36x15x16. It's a wide low (widescreen aspect ratio

)tank. I put in one MaxiJet 600 and added a MaxiJet 900 last week. The MJ600 was perfect for one side or the middle of the 16" deep tank. When I added the MJ900 it seemed a bit too powerful; I added it to a timer so it only comes on several times a day for 2-5 minute intervals and blows around the waste and detritus. If you want them on all the time and have a tank of similar height I'd try a couple of MJ 600's. If you are using a wavemaker (like you mentioned) you MIGHT want to go with a 900 and a 600 or two 900's. In my opinion the 1200 is too strong for a small tank but I'm a newbie so take my advice for what it's worth (not much).

 

[mariner]

A couple of maxi jet 1200's will be sufficient. They are rather powerful and very reliable. I have four in my 90 andI run two of these maxi's 24/7 for the past year and it's still goin strong.
At only $22.00 a power head, I already got more than my money's worth.

 

[Enkidu]

The 1200's are alot less efficient than the others. I have two 1200's in my 75 and I wish that I had gotten two or three 900's instead.

 

[danmhippo]

Concur on Maxijet's I have 150G with 6 maxijet 1200's. I think I may need one or 2 more. Maxijet's has no problem with stop and go wave making setup.

 

[tim000]

thanks for all the replies! my tanks dementions are 36x18x12. so would maybe 3 900's plus the 1 301 I have be sufficent? or should I add a few 1200's in instead?
where is the best place to place them all?

 

[fishpoo]

my tank's a 50. dimensions are 36"x18"x16" and i use two aquaclear301's and mag7 return. even these small ph's push the HD sand around.

 

[waterloomarc]

I don't have them in my tank anymore since I revamped my return lines from my sump but I use Hagen 401's. These are greeat reliable powerheads! Mine have been going now for several years. Much better than the Maxijets IMO. Of course if anybody gave me anything by Aquarium Systems I'd throw it back at them, so that may bias my answer

I don't see how a company that markets the Visi-jet and Seaclones can be trusted.

But all bitterness aside, my 401's work great and I would buy more in a heartbeat. And another thing is they're black so they blend in better.

[ November 10, 2001: Message edited by: waterloomarc ]</p>

 

[mariner]

How about two 1200's. Put one1200 bowind across the back upwards, one 1200 blowing across the front downwards(the opposite way of the back ). You'll have very nice water movement going on there. Remember, the main reason for having the water movement is to allow plankton to move through the corals and waste to escape. They need the water movement through them. You don't nee d to create waves in the tank. You'll just end up with water on the floor or worse yet, on your lighting ballast. ZAP!!!!