# Powerhead needed..??



## Kimberly

I currently have my 125 gallon tank set up with water and ecocomplete substrate. I have the eheim pro II canister filter running with the heaters. I wanted to make sure how everything was working, since my live plants are going to be shipped soon.

WELL.. problem number one: It seems like there is DEFINITELY not enough water movement in the tank. I can see with my eyes that there are many dead spots, even the top of the water isn't moving. Guess this is one aspect i over looked.

So solution: What do you guys recommend as far as a powerhead, or two, for the tank? How many, and placement?

To answer the types of fish question: I am going to be moving all the fish from my 75 gallon into my new tank when its ready.

Please help, any advise would be great, this is something completely new to me.


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## Obsidian

I am not sure what comes with the output of your filter. Most canisters offer both "power head" style and "spray bar" style that you can put on- you choose. Either one of those should be putting out at least enough to push the top some. If you want whole tank, slower- go with the spray bar. If you want a little faster, but with some spots not necessarily affected then go power head. 

Now with that said you need a second filter on that tank, it's not rated high enough for a 125 on the box AND those things are usually underrated in the first place. On my 100 I had one canister and one HOB. That created enough water movement because the power head worked in the tank and the AC110 got the top really well. Put outputs on opposite sides of the tank. 

Your other option is to get a second canister filter, same deal- opposite output. I will say that most people I know who keep big tanks have at least 2 filters on them. 

Once you have a hold of your filtration then you can see where your water movement is at and then decide about a power head. With 2 in there you really shouldn't need the power head, and then only put one in if you are really looking for some faster movement.


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## AquariumTech

Yea I would invest money in filters, not powerheads. Really you wont spend much more for a filter, than you would a powerhead anyways. I think someone else recently just had a thread on filters, plus theres stuff in my sig. Not to mention it is ok to have a few small spots with little or no flow. You definitely need more filters, though, ^ pretty much nailed it on the head. Filters are overrated for what they can do, and that isnt even rated for that tank. I even have some 10 gallons that I run 3 filters on (had extra filters laying around, counting sponge filters too).


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## Kimberly

Okay, thanks for the advise.. I will just put my two HOB filters on it then. They are both rated for 55g each. So that should provide adequate filtration and flow.


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## Kimberly

Obsidian said:


> Your other option is to get a second canister filter, same deal- opposite output. I will say that most people I know who keep big tanks have at least 2 filters on them.


I was thinking again.. I think I would rather go with another canister filter instead of using the HOBs i have. They are noisy and in order for them to fit i would need to drain the whole tank and move it forward another couple inches. I also talked to my husband and he said just get another canister filter because that would be a pain.

What i was looking into was a a Fluval 406. So would this filter and the eheim pro II be enough filtration and movement?

Also, on the eheim, when i bought it with the tank it only came with the spray bar, which is obviously reducing the water movement from it.


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## AquariumTech

Kimberly said:


> I was thinking again.. I think I would rather go with another canister filter instead of using the HOBs i have. They are noisy and in order for them to fit i would need to drain the whole tank and move it forward another couple inches. I also talked to my husband and he said just get another canister filter because that would be a pain.
> 
> What i was looking into was a a Fluval 406. So would this filter and the eheim pro II be enough filtration and movement?
> 
> Also, on the eheim, when i bought it with the tank it only came with the spray bar, which is obviously reducing the water movement from it.


It should be enough filtration power (though personally I would still use like 1 HOB); but wether it will be enough water movement, thats up for you and your fish to decide. I imagine it will be enough for most purposes, though, I dont really know what the proII can do (list specs, arent always 100%). 

Also with the spray bar thing, its not that they put out less water, its that the flow just isnt as concentrated. So it wont reach as far away from the spray bar but it will cover more area length wise to the spray bars, than a regular dove tail/outlet.


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