Powerheads for 135gallon

[Pterois]

Hi everyone! I'm new here, and thought I'd start off by asking a question weighing on my mind. I have a 135g aquarium sitting in it's crate, and I'm working on getting equipment for it. It may take me awhile, since I tend to analyze everything to death.

What should I do with the aquarium in it's crate while I'm waiting for equipment? Hubby doesn't want to fill it with water due to mosquitos (we're at a lake).

I've been studying powerheads this month. I thought I was sold on the Tunze Streams, but they are awefully expensive. Is there a comperable make, in your opinion, that is less expensive? I've killed 4 cheap models in the past year, and don't want to go that route with this tank.

Thanks,

Angela

 

[Chris]

I have a tunze myself and find that it really does a great job of moving water without the head torq of a normal power head. I would love to find an alternative, the $200 price tag really hurts.

Oh, and an offical welcome to the forum, a fellow Chattanoogan!

 

[jhnrb]

welcome to the forum pterois. what do you want to do with the pump/s. is your aquarium drilled? give more information and I'll render an opinion. myself i will use a dolphin 3000 ampmaster as the main pump for returns and other equipment in equipment shed, two sea swirls one in each corner rotaing 90 degrees (one in center could rotate 180 degrees), and a dolphin 1200 feeding the two sea swirls and four additional returns on the back glass with duck bills pointing downwards behind the reef connected to 2 squids./ on my last system 125 reef i ran 4 hagen 402 on a red sea wave maker each with a piece of pvc on the end bent or offset downwards a bit, two hagen 802 in the corners on timmer, and the main return. I have found that i prefer caotic flow over linear flow. like two power heads pointing at each other instead of just flow one direction only, or, alternating flow back and forth. so if something here gives you an idea great if not provide a bit more infomation where you want to go with water movement, purpose, and what you are trying to accomplish and i'll be glad to share my thoughts. good luck be patient. my system dry for 8 months now and i am still assembling.

 

[Pterois]

Hi,

The aquarium is not drilled and has thick glass. My first pump purchase is an Iwaki 1200 gph pump. This will be the main pump, because it's supposed to be very quiet.

My main goal is to have LPS and clams. I need a quiet system because it's going to sit directly behind our chairs in the living room.

I'm taking my time and trying to gather good quality equipment, based on recommendations from others. I appreciate your opinions.

I am very patient, and my cycling process involves waiting about 3 months before adding livestock.

Angela

 

[jhnrb]

I really think that incorporating some sea swirls into your system would give you a tremendous variety of flow. since the sea swirls are just rotating motors (4 watts) they are very quiet. you could feed with your main pump. the 1/2" are rated 550 g/p/h and the 3/4" are more. just a thought. that would probably preclude the need to add pumps inside the aquarium. well good luck if I come up with any ideas on quiet I'll let you know. has been my experiance that the less pumps in the aquarium the less noise. the main reason i decided to go with the sea swirl this time and a fixed flow alternating with squids for the back wall. only one pump in aquarium as a loop since my system is bottom drilled and 1/2" from wall. hope something here helps.

 

[Pterois]

Thanks for the ideas! I really want to have very few pieces of equipment inside the tank.

Angela