powerhead position and its necessity

[frozeneclipse]

Hi, this is my first post : )

I am currently running a 55g tank with the equipments and fish as follow:

3 dwarf Gouramis
1 blue Gourami
1 Mango pleco L047
1 Green phantom L200
1 clown pleco
1 Vampire or Galaxi
*all the plecos are about 3-4" except the clown

Equipment:

Eheim 2217 canister
Fluval C3

and here comes the new powerhead MaxiJet900, which I recently purchased. I put it some what in the middle, but closely towards the top. Should I lower it towards the bottom half since "maybe" the Plecos would love it more in the bottom section than the mid-section. Another question is, Should I turn it off sometime or leave it all day?

Thank you in advance and sorry if I wrote too much.

 

[Brengun]

Move the powerhead to the same end as the canister intake so it draws debris to the intake. Higher in the tank is better as it will disturb the surface of the water for high oxygen.
When it hits the opposite end it the current will gravitate downwards and return across the bottom of the tank across the fronts of the pleco caves.
They will like their caves where that flow drops down the glass and across the bottom.

 

[frozeneclipse]

Move the powerhead to the same end as the canister intake so it draws debris to the intake. Higher in the tank is better as it will disturb the surface of the water for high oxygen.
When it hits the opposite end it the current will gravitate downwards and return across the bottom of the tank across the fronts of the pleco caves.
They will like their caves where that flow drops down the glass and across the bottom.

ahhh thank you! That makes a lot of sense. I will put the powerhead as you suggested. :thumbup:

 

[frozeneclipse]

Do u you think I put too many driftwood?

 

[-Pete-]

The wood in your tank looks neat to me, so not too much imo.

The only reason I'd have take some out, is if your PH was dropping too much.

Nice tank :thumbup:

 

[Irene0100]

be careful the gourami might not like too much water movement so try and have a quiet area for them

 

[Brengun]

I had a betta in current in a 3ft. He was a bit wonky until he toughened up and now he loves surfing the current lol.

 

[frozeneclipse]

Thanks guys! I think they love the added powerhead and its powerful current. I am thinking of changing from gravel to pool filter sand in the future, but a bit worried at the moment. I think i will wait until all my plecos are more stable.
oh and yes, the pH right now is 6.0 I will keep checking the parameters since that big piece of driftwood been there for only 2 days.

 

[Brengun]

An idea if you are changing over gravel to sand is to siphon out say a portional area of gravel and see if you can add sand in to that spot in a cup or something. That way you wont lose the good bacteria as it can spread into the sand.
Do another area the next week or two until its all sand.

 

[Nat's Fish]

Hey Brenda just to clarify do you recommend putting the power head in the same corner as the canister intake or the opposite corner (on the same end of the tank obviously)
Thanks,

Nat

 

[frozeneclipse]

An idea if you are changing over gravel to sand is to siphon out say a portional area of gravel and see if you can add sand in to that spot in a cup or something. That way you wont lose the good bacteria as it can spread into the sand.
Do another area the next week or two until its all sand.

great idea! I also need to adjust my intake tube to be higher I supposed. How high do you think I should place above the sand substrate?

 

[Brengun]

Depends on how much current you have and how fine the sand is.
River sand is the best as its a little bit coarse and not easy to pick up in the current.
I have even used fine white sand but yes I did have to raise the canister intake a little.
You can either cut it or just prop it up and see how you like it set up.
Make sure the power head is turned off until you get the sand settled.

I ended up being totally lazy and just having bare bottom tanks. The plecos can glide on their bellies easier and they love it.
I was hopeless with growing plants in substrate and anubias on wood is about my plant limit.
If you go bare bottom, make sure you introduce sponge filters and let them run several weeks to see with bacteria before you remove all substrates.

 

[Nat's Fish]

Hey Brenda just to clarify do you recommend putting the power head in the same corner as the canister intake or the opposite corner (on the same end of the tank obviously)
Thanks,

Nat

 

[Brengun]

Same as the intake, it will push across the top then come back along the bottom and pull debris towards it.

 

[Nat's Fish]

Great thanks. It makes a lot of sense & I can see it working already