Powerheads On at night?

[Anonymous]

Do you run your powerheads at night?

I have a wavemaker that switches my to powerheads at oppisite sides of the tank every 3 minutes. I was thinking about having them turn off or get a less powerful one for nighttime after the lights go out. I just got 2 clowns that like my forgspawn and after the lights go off and the frogspawn retracts they try to rest next to some live rock and when the powerheads switch they get blown across the tank.
_________________
Katana

 

[randy holmes-farley]

I'd keep it the same day or night. The benefits of oxygenation, nutrient delivery, and waste removal are just as important then as during the day.

 

[esmithiii]

I run mine all the time.

E

 

[Anonymous]

hi.
<blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">quote

when the powerheads switch they get blown across the tank.

Won't hurt them. So don't worry, and keep the powerheads on. (unless you want to save electricity...)
bye -ck-

 

[thinhvu]

All day long until the powerhead breaks down.

 

[Anonymous]

My wavemaker, Tsunami, has a light sensor that cut off all but the return and one other pump at night. I only use it because it has this feature, otherwise, I would leave them on all the time.

 

[DK]

I once ran an experiment with reduced flow at night. It significantly contributed to a system crash. I therefore leave them on. I also have the nighttime powerhead reduction option on my wavemaker, but I will not use it.

 

[louey louey]

Wow, this is an informative post. I've had my powerheads on a wave timer for over a year. Alternating patterns 24/7. I recently put it on a timer opposite of the tank lights. I thought I remember reading that there was some benefit to having "calm seas" at night. Now I will follow this post and if the replies remain so overwhelmingly in favor of 24/7, I'll change mine back!

DK-How do you know that this contributed to your crash?

BTW-this board is great!

Louey

 

[Anonymous]

DK, Could you elaborate a little more on your statement about how it significantly led to a system crash.

 

[loonz]

I've also heard of pple using timers to turn off their powerheads for calmer "night waters", is there no truth to the benefits of doing that?

 

[scooterr]

I have all my powerheads on 24/7 in all tanks but one. In my 30 gallon prop tank 2 of the 3 powerheads on different timers. One is out the whole night and the other is out for about 5 hours. I leave one on 24/7 in that tank. There aren't any fish so I don't worry about oxygen. I have no evidence of this helping or hurting coral growth.
jeff

 

[mariner]

In my tanks, I run all powerheads during the light cycle and during the dark period, half of them go off. Never had any problems.

 

[DK]

<blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">quote:</font><hr>Originally posted by louey louey:
<strong>
DK-How do you know that this contributed to your crash?


</strong><hr></blockquote>

About 6 or 7 years ago, my tank was "stable" but in the interest of "tinkering", I reduced the flow at night. This was the only thing that I changed. Within a couple of weeks problems started to develop. Of course this is anecdotal evidence on one tank.

If I only knew then what I know now................