Do I really need my powerhead?

[kmcmurtry]

OK, so wondering - 30g display cube, something like 10g in the fuge: if my return pump in my fuge is a Mag 5, do I really need my powerhead? Are my fish (mandarin, 1 clown) getting good oxygenation from the flow through the fuge itself? The water returning comes out at a good rate and moves the surface too. Any pros and cons to leaving/removing the powerhead from the whole system? Just trying to conserve power and clutter in the DT. I grow all softies.

 

[tlsrcs]

in the fuge does the water have a place to exchange gasses? (anywhere the surface is broken up)?

 

[djkms]

IMO you want the least amount of flow possible in your fuge, that is if one of your objectives is breeding pods. Copepods, amphipods, anypods do not like flow.

 

[kmcmurtry]

No, actually that was another problem I was having. The fuge has 2 sections. One side is where the intake comes in, right over some rock with pods and chaeto and there's an eggcrate divider - on the other side of it, the return pump sits with its sleeve of foam to make sure no sand gets sucked up. On that side, the water just kind of sits - the top looks goopy. Now I wonder if I should be running a teeny powerhead or something there but have little room and then I might stir up the whole thing too much and make the pods die...Bleh.

 

[tlsrcs]

hhmmm i would say if its breaking the water surface in the display to keep it. Just cause it sounds like the return is the only thing helping gas exchange.......unlessss is your overflow full syphon?

 

[kmcmurtry]

I think by "full syphon" you mean am I using like a U tube and overflow box on back? Yes

 

[tlsrcs]

oh no like on bean over flows there is a full syphon that alows little air o pass through. But on your set up you are getting gas exchange when the water flows down to the sump.

 

[kmcmurtry]

AAaahhhh, yes. That is true I guess. It's swirls around in the overflow and then down where it is flowing into the sump it's bubbling

 

[kmcmurtry]

The only thing I really worry about is the far end of my sump getting goopy looking on the surface but there's not really anything I can do about that other than trying to move my plumbing around once every few days to change flow