# Power head Placement



## Daximus (Oct 19, 2011)

Jim_PA said:


> I don't seem to have any movement or very little at the top of my tank. I already have 2 Hydor Koralia Evolution Powerhead 750 gph, they are not in the tank yet. I was thinking about adding just one and see if that helps or should i add both one on the left and right?
> 
> Also any type of plant/moss I can use to tie on them to help hide them?
> 
> ...


In a planted tank many people seek a lack of strong movement at the top...keeps the Co2 in the water. 

I can't see your tank, and I'm not saying that's a good idea, but I disrupt the surface of my water as little as possible. I certainly never add anything that breaks the "skin" o the water. 

For some reason (must be a chemical thing that I don't get) but Co2 escapes the aquarium much faster/easier than o2. :help:

Now, I'm all about good flow in the tank...my little rule is I like to see all of my plants moving (even if just a smidgen) within the tank. If I can accomplish that, I don't care if the top looks like a sheet of glass. Unless you are terrible overstocked, or woefully underplanted, i think the plants will provide plenty of air for the fish. 

This is totally opinion...I have NO facts to back this up, lol :hihi:


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## Noahma (Oct 18, 2009)

Daximus said:


> In a planted tank many people seek a lack of strong movement at the top...keeps the Co2 in the water.
> 
> I can't see your tank, and I'm not saying that's a good idea, but I disrupt the surface of my water as little as possible. I certainly never add anything that breaks the "skin" o the water.
> 
> ...


co2 is cheap, fish lives are not. I do have my filter breaking the surface lightly to let a bit more o2 into the water, this does allow me to run the co2 a tad bit higher to offset any loss I might have,

I put my filter outlet and my powerhead in the same side of the tank, the powerhead is facing forward at a slight angle to the middle of the tank, and with a slight downward angle. I get a nice amount of flow from that setup. the only problem I have with my aqueon (cheap korala knockoff lol) is that plant leaves tend to get into the blade and slow the flow slightly.


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## NWA-Planted (Aug 27, 2011)

I took the spray bar from my canister filter and placed at one end of my tank (replacing with a lily pipe setup next week I hope!) and then placed a powerhead at the opposite end and corner pushing water back the other way, so far it looks to have created a bit of a circular current in the tank


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## kilfrg7864 (May 7, 2010)

I did what NWA-planted did as well to get good circulation in my tank. I do not ,however, know how effective it is.

Also does anyone know a way to get movement on the bottom of the tank without making the plants directly in front of the powerhead to be blown all over the place.


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## TactusMortus (Jun 28, 2011)

Watch a video of one of Tom Barr's tanks one time. I tried to mimic that when it came to surface agitation. My guess is he runs excess co2 however he also agitates the surface a lot. I am seeing great growth without even running co2. However once I add my pressurized co2 I don't plan on changing the way I agitate the surface in my tank. I am running 3 canister filters and a 1050 gph koralia faced at an upward angle that really moves some water. I suggest you do the same and just run more co2 if needed.


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## TactusMortus (Jun 28, 2011)

kilfrg7864 said:


> I did what NWA-planted did as well to get good circulation in my tank. I do not ,however, know how effective it is.
> 
> Also does anyone know a way to get movement on the bottom of the tank without making the plants directly in front of the powerhead to be blown all over the place.


What you want to do is face your powerhead towards one wall of the tank at a downward angle that way when it reflects of the tank wall it blows across the substrate surface. This is how I do it and my substrate is spotless no mulm buildup or fish waste.


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## Jim_PA (Aug 26, 2011)

Thanks all for the advise. I will give it a try today to find place that works best.


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