gange valves and powerheads

[devder1]

ok my question is if i have an air pump with two outlets, and i am running two airstones, is it beneficial to use a gang valve thing to be able to run 5 airstones? or is it just a waste and not making any difference

my next question is can you use a powerhead with an ac70? if so how?

oops mods can someone change the title from "gange valves" to "gang valves"

 

[jcardona1]

on the airstone thing, if they all going into the same tank i dont think it would mae a difference since the volume or air is still the same, just split into different lines...

 

[devder1]

on the airstone thing, if they all going into the same tank i dont think it would mae a difference since the volume or air is still the same, just split into different lines...

ok that makes sense thank you
now to the powerhead question

 

[JakeH]

yeah you can use a powerhead. Why not? Your filter doesnt matter, as long as your fish can handle the current. As far as the airstones are concerned, I thought the turbulence on the surface was the idea, so the gases could exchange... I would think the type of airstone you use would have more effect on that?

 

[devder1]

yeah you can use a powerhead. Why not? Your filter doesnt matter, as long as your fish can handle the current. As far as the airstones are concerned, I thought the turbulence on the surface was the idea, so the gases could exchange... I would think the type of airstone you use would have more effect on that?

ok i see what you are saying with the airstones thats a good point
and do you have to attach a powerhead to something or do you just put it in the tank?

 

[Cholly]

do you have to attach a powerhead to something or do you just put it in the tank?

Do you mean like a wall or a device? It has to be anchored, or it'd bounce all over the tank until it picked up enough substrate to destroy the impeller. Most can be used by themselves, with prefilters to keep stuff other than water out of the impeller.

 

[Toby_H]

I agree with the above advice... you can connect the air outlets with a gang valve... if the air outlets are providing different rates of air flow this will balance them... but if they are providing the same air flow it serves no benefit...

my next question is can you use a powerhead with an ac70? if so how?

I suspect there is a typo in here... please rephrase your question...

If you mean AC70 = HOB... then no you do not want to do this. The AC 70 has a motor that the filter is designed to rely on...

If you mean AC70 = Powerhead... then your question is can you use a powerhead on a powerhead... which makes no sense (thus I suspect the typo)...

If you mean "can I use an AC70 as a powerhead to pull water through a sponge filter/Under Gravel Filter/etc"... the answer is yes. Hopefully the powerhead will simply plug onto the extension shaft of your sponge filter (or other filter) but if it does not fit you may need to buy/create an adapter.

 

[devder1]

I agree with the above advice... you can connect the air outlets with a gang valve... if the air outlets are providing different rates of air flow this will balance them... but if they are providing the same air flow it serves no benefit...



I suspect there is a typo in here... please rephrase your question...

If you mean AC70 = HOB... then no you do not want to do this. The AC 70 has a motor that the filter is designed to rely on...

If you mean AC70 = Powerhead... then your question is can you use a powerhead on a powerhead... which makes no sense (thus I suspect the typo)...

If you mean "can I use an AC70 as a powerhead to pull water through a sponge filter/Under Gravel Filter/etc"... the answer is yes. Hopefully the powerhead will simply plug onto the extension shaft of your sponge filter (or other filter) but if it does not fit you may need to buy/create an adapter.

can the other filter be an ac70 is my question?
i understand you are supposed to use it with an undergravel filter, can i use ut with an ac70 HOB instead?
i really dont understand how a powerhead works can someone explain it to me
im sorry for being a noob but i think my clown loaches would like a powerhead

 

[Toby_H]

Where my confusion was coming from is there is an AC 70 powerhead as well as an AC 70 HOB... I'm pretty sure I understand your question now...

Can you put a powerhead on the intake tube of an AC 70 HOB filter?

The AC 70 HOB filter already has a motor on it. If the powerhead you added pushed water into the HOB's intake slower than the HOB was attempting to pull water up by it's own motor, then the powerhead would actually slow the current down... if the powerhead pushed water into the HOB faster than the HOB's motor was attempting then the HOBs motor would cause some resistance and the HOB would likely just spill unfiltered water back into the tank (just like HOBs do when the media is too clogged).

So I take it you have an AC 70 HOB and you are trying to improve it's performance?

The typical use of a powerhead is to either power a sponge filter, UGF or other filter that is normally air driven… or to be placed in the tank to simply add current to the tank. If you have a tank that has adequate filtration but waste is building up or you have dead spots, you can place a powerhead blowing water into the dead spot or at the built up waste.

 

[devder1]

Where my confusion was coming from is there is an AC 70 powerhead as well as an AC 70 HOB... I'm pretty sure I understand your question now...

Can you put a powerhead on the intake tube of an AC 70 HOB filter?

The AC 70 HOB filter already has a motor on it. If the powerhead you added pushed water into the HOB's intake slower than the HOB was attempting to pull water up by it's own motor, then the powerhead would actually slow the current down... if the powerhead pushed water into the HOB faster than the HOB's motor was attempting then the HOBs motor would cause some resistance and the HOB would likely just spill unfiltered water back into the tank (just like HOBs do when the media is too clogged).

So I take it you have an AC 70 HOB and you are trying to improve it's performance?

The typical use of a powerhead is to either power a sponge filter, UGF or other filter that is normally air driven… or to be placed in the tank to simply add current to the tank. If you have a tank that has adequate filtration but waste is building up or you have dead spots, you can place a powerhead blowing water into the dead spot or at the built up waste.

this is what i am looking for my question is do i anchor it to my ac70 or something else, or can i just drop it in the tank?