# Powerhead placement?



## WaterLife (Jul 1, 2015)

I am thinking, with the spray bar on the top left blowing toward the top right end, have a power head in the top right blowing diagonally to the bottom left, with another powerhead at the bottom left blowing to the bottom right where the intake is.
But I am pretty sure 2 powerheads might be overkill and you could just use one, probably just at the right side of tank mid-top in height aiming either at the bottom left or maybe middle front or back (or middle middle?) of tank.

But yeah, get some plants in there already! haha


----------



## Diana (Jan 14, 2010)

When you have more than one source of water movement you want them to be working together, not creating a whirlpool or churning the water. 

Here is one way to check this out:

Make a few of these:
A stick that is a bit longer than the tank is tall. 
Tie several pieces of thread on it, allowing perhaps 3-5" of thread hanging. Tie them in several locations up and down the sticks. 

By placing these in different locations in the tank you will be able to see where the water is flowing in a strong flow, and where it is too much of a mix-up.

Do this first with your current set up- spray bar top left/intake bottom right. 
You could test Waterlife's suggestion, but I think criss-crossing the flow will not work. 

I'll bet there is a dead zone in your current set up, directly under the spray bar, near the bottom, but check it out yourself to confirm. 
If you bought small powerheads or water circulators, then one could be aimed to increase circulation in this area. Perhaps attached low on the back wall. 

The other thing is that as you add driftwood, rocks and plants the dead zones may change, so you may have to adjust the location and aim of the powerheads. 

A powerhead contributes flow in 2 ways: The outlet is usually a strong blast, and the intake is more gentle. 

A water circulator (such as the Hydor Koralia series) has a more diffuse outlet and an even more diffuse inlet. The inlet does not really add to the circulation much. 

Will you be using one of the powerheads as part of the diffusion system for the CO2?


----------



## sohankpatel (Jul 10, 2015)

I will be using a rex grigg reactor to diffuse my co2, do you recommend a more gentle,powehead like a hydor? Or can I use a sun sun powerhead, because I'm on a budget


----------



## MJB13 (Jun 30, 2015)

I would use recirculation pumps instead of powerheads. They provide a wider softer flow and are rerlatively cheap. I bought 2 SunSun 110 JVP (530 gpg) for about $14 bucks on e-bay. I only used 1 in my 40 breeder.

My canister returns on the right rear flowing across the back and the recirc is front left pointed at the bottom of the far corner. My floaty plants go in a circlular pattern around the tank.


----------



## roadmaster (Nov 5, 2009)

Hard to say considering length of tank how much flow would drop off middle way's across the tank which could then affect CO2 /nutrient distribution farther toward's the other end.
Most effective placement for spray bar's ,power head's,would be mounted high on back glass with spray bar in middle ,and power head's on either side pointing toward's front glass.
Or..spray bar high on back glass on one side and powerhead (if only using one), high on back glass on other side ,both pointing toward's front glass. 
Even weaker flow this way would not peter out half way across length of tank, and fewer problem's with distribution of the gas and nutrient's to all area's.


----------



## sohankpatel (Jul 10, 2015)

So, should i move my spray bar?

Bump:


roadmaster said:


> Hard to say considering length of tank how much flow would drop off middle way's across the tank which could then affect CO2 /nutrient distribution farther toward's the other end.
> Most effective placement for spray bar's ,power head's,would be mounted high on back glass with spray bar in middle ,and power head's on either side pointing toward's front glass.
> Or..spray bar high on back glass on one side and powerhead (if only using one), high on back glass on other side ,both pointing toward's front glass.
> Even weaker flow this way would not peter out half way across length of tank, and fewer problem's with distribution of the gas and nutrient's to all area's.


Could you be a little clearer with the spray bar in the middle? I don't understand how the 2 poweheads will circulate the water, maybe you could draw a diagram, sorry for the bookish questions, I also moved my spray bar to the back glass facing toward the front.


----------



## sohankpatel (Jul 10, 2015)

Here is a picture of the spray bar placement


----------



## Diana (Jan 14, 2010)

Draw yourself a picture of the tank, seen from the top. Draw lines indicating how the water flows away from the spray bar. Add in a power head (any sort), and make the lines go the same way.
Question for yourself: Where do you need to place the PH so all the flow lines are parallel? 

Draw another picture of the tank as seen from the side. Draw lines showing the water flow. Ask yourself the same question: Where to place the PH to help the flow? 

Now test that in the tank. Get those dowels with thread I suggested you make earlier and see just what happens wen you try different placement and direction of spray bar and PH.


----------



## roadmaster (Nov 5, 2009)

sohankpatel said:


> Here is a picture of the spray bar placement


 Just move spray bar a little closer to middle or to the right in the photo and place power head(s) on either side of spray bar everything pointing the flow toward's the front glass.
Water will move out from spray bar/powerhead's and hit front glass then the water/flow will move down the glass to substrate,across the substrate from front to back glass,back up the back glass and then repeated as the flow from the powerhead/spray bar once again repeat's the pattern.


----------



## Diana (Jan 14, 2010)

> Just move spray bar a little closer to middle or to the right in the photo and place power head(s) on either side of spray bar everything pointing the flow toward's the front glass.


Very good solution! This makes sure everything is lined up so each piece of equipment is helping the others.


----------



## sohankpatel (Jul 10, 2015)

Is the Sun Sun JVP-110 800GPH a good powerhead? i plan to buy 2 of them, or should i get 2 500 GPH ones?


----------



## sohankpatel (Jul 10, 2015)

roadmaster said:


> Just move spray bar a little closer to middle or to the right in the photo and place power head(s) on either side of spray bar everything pointing the flow toward's the front glass.
> Water will move out from spray bar/powerhead's and hit front glass then the water/flow will move down the glass to substrate,across the substrate from front to back glass,back up the back glass and then repeated as the flow from the powerhead/spray bar once again repeat's the pattern.


Should I aim the powerheads directly forward, or should I aim them slightly to opposite sides?


----------



## roadmaster (Nov 5, 2009)

sohankpatel said:


> Should I aim the powerheads directly forward, or should I aim them slightly to opposite sides?


 Already answered in previous post .:wink:


----------



## LRJ (Jul 31, 2014)

Diana said:


> When you have more than one source of water movement you want them to be working together, not creating a whirlpool or churning the water.
> 
> Here is one way to check this out:
> 
> ...


This is excellent. Thank you for the idea!


----------



## MJB13 (Jun 30, 2015)

sohankpatel said:


> Is the Sun Sun JVP-110 800GPH a good powerhead? i plan to buy 2 of them, or should i get 2 500 GPH ones?


I have 1 530 GPH (my canister outflow acts as the second) in a 36" long (90 cm), 18" wide (47cm), 17" high (43cm) 40 gallon (151L) breeder and it is plenty (maybe a wee bit much)
You want gentle movement of your plants, not to have them growing at a 45 degree angle with leaves getting torn off.


----------

