How many hours a day do you run powerheads in your planted tanks?

LS2012

Jack Dempsey
MFK Member
Feb 24, 2013
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I'm curious to see what others are doing. I've been keeping mine on mostly 24/7 in my 110g 28inch tall planted SA Cichlid tank. Its a hydor 1050 and I also have 2 eheim 2217 canisters, one with a spray bar and the other without.

Plants are willow leaf hygros, giant hygro, anubias, bronze wendtii and Italian Vals. No CO2. Using root tabs and pps pro ferts with alternate days of macro/micro. Lighting is a 48in Current Sat+ on a ramp timer and a recently added 48in Finnex planted+. Eco complete and black sand substrate.

WC Stock list, 5 Red Head Tapajos, Bujurquina pair, Hypselacara Temporalis pair, Australoheros Oblongum pair, and a male L240. They enjoy the current, however they swim more in the mid and top levels of the tank when the ph is off. I'm thinking about putting the ph on a timer.

Since adding the finnex a few weeks ago, I'm finally starting to see noticeable plant growth. I spent my snowed in day cleaning, trimming and rearranging the scape. Moved the power head to the opposite side of the tank because the plants are now much taller and getting sucked into the ph.

Any thoughts? Suggestions? Thanks!

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bbortko

Polypterus
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Mar 3, 2010
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Don't run any but plan on doing so. I plan on going 24/7 to help particulates make their way through dense vegetation. Not sure if it will make a difference or not and imagine there are several who run powerheads just to distrube co2.
 

LS2012

Jack Dempsey
MFK Member
Feb 24, 2013
782
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Northern NJ
Any other ideas? On/off periods or on 24/7?

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F1 VET

THE serrasalmus rhom
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Nov 3, 2011
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Any other ideas? On/off periods or on 24/7?

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24/7 IMO!

Good for exercising fish which speeds up their metabolism and helps the efficiency of the filters! I run mine 24/7 in all my tanks, planted or not. In my high tech tank is helps distribute co2 and makes a nice surface ripple. The 1050 is such low wattage too so there really isn't an advantage to shutting it off and when you get your pothos in there they will add good circulation to the roots which is clutch!




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LS2012

Jack Dempsey
MFK Member
Feb 24, 2013
782
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Northern NJ
24/7 IMO!

Good for exercising fish which speeds up their metabolism and helps the efficiency of the filters! I run mine 24/7 in all my tanks, planted or not. In my high tech tank is helps distribute co2 and makes a nice surface ripple. The 1050 is such low wattage too so there really isn't an advantage to shutting it off and when you get your pothos in there they will add good circulation to the roots which is clutch!
Thanks, I was thinking in terms of my fish swimming more in the upper part of the tank. When the ph is off during feeding, theyre up there a lot more. Once in a while I forget to turn it back on and they stay up top. I'm sure pothos roots will give them more cover as well since the top is pretty open and boring right now!

Which power heads do you use in your tanks?

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THE serrasalmus rhom
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Nov 3, 2011
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Thanks, I was thinking in terms of my fish swimming more in the upper part of the tank. When the ph is off during feeding, theyre up there a lot more. Once in a while I forget to turn it back on and they stay up top. I'm sure pothos roots will give them more cover as well since the top is pretty open and boring right now!

Which power heads do you use in your tanks?

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Hmm well giving them a 2-3 hour break may be a good idea then!

my 125 has a hydor evo 1500 and 40b a aqueon 750. Plan on grabbing a hydor for the 40b eventually!


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__________________________________________________________________
Cheap way to decrease nitrates and keep your fish healthy: http://monsterfishkeepers.com/forums/showthread.php?t=504763
 

LS2012

Jack Dempsey
MFK Member
Feb 24, 2013
782
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Northern NJ
Great! Thanks.

Amazon.com has significant price fluctuations in hydor phs. If you catch it at the right time, sometimes they're 50-60% less. I have a hydor 750 in my 40b which is a grow out for my Paretroplus Maculatus and chubby clown loaches. It's on 24/7 and I'd never consider shutting that off. They all play in the current. These are most of the fish that are going into the 125 I'm working on now.

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jeremoose

Candiru
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Aug 10, 2011
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Yep I also like to keep my powerheads going 24/7, there's still deadspots in the tank for if the fish need to rest.
 

HybridHerp

Fire Eel
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May 18, 2012
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I have two korelia 750's in my 75....its a little much immediately at the ends of the tank where the powerbeads are, but I wanted to extra flow. I run my 24/7....although as I gain more plant mass and such I may re-position them or something to make a more gentle flow in all areas.

You want your plants to be swaying a little, never being completely still and dead in the water. Also helps circulate around ferts and poop and things.
 

LS2012

Jack Dempsey
MFK Member
Feb 24, 2013
782
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Northern NJ
Thanks everyone! Looks like the consensus is 24/7. I do love the way the plants billow softly in the current. And there are just a few dead/low spots where they seem to congregate at times. That's where the poo winds up as well, ultimately making it easier to vacuum up if needed.

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