Anemone Safe PowerHead?

[celamb89]

Hi everyone,

So I've searched some and haven't found anything that really helps :S... I want to know how everyone makes screens their powerheads and make them anemone safe since this is one of the mayor problems with keeping them.

Maybe if someone could post some pics of a finished screened powerhead or one working or some tips on how to do this. I just need some ideas since I haven't come up with anything promising...

Thanks!

 

[celamb89]

Just in case anyone wants to know. i will be introducing 2 new 1250gph aqueon powerheads. Has anyone heard anything about this new line? I suppose its the same thing screening this guys than any other powerhead unless anyone has had other experiences?

thanks!

 

[celamb89]

Anyone? There should be plenty of screened powerheads since its a major death issue to anemones any pics out there?

 

[danno23]

Sorry, I cant help you but I would also like to know the answer to this issue...

 

[flameangel9]

I think the answer is that there isn't any. They can and will get into anything.
Try to keep the powerheads high on the glass and away from any rock that the anemone can transfer from. Drains can also be an issue. A good prefilter will help but not prevent. Once a favorite spot is established the powerheads become less of an issue. Also anemones that perfer sand are less likely to reach a powerhead high in the tank. Best of Luck!

 

[jupiter]

The best I was recommended or came up with is a VorTech with the mesh guard on it. This won't tear up the anemone if it touches it but it's still not perfect, as I'm sure I'll find out one day when I don't expect it.

 

[celamb89]

mmm ok.
So I guess Ill keep thinking about it. The mesh guard seems like a good idea! I was also thinking about making a cover for it with some acrylic. something that will surround the PH but with a larger diameter leaving plenty of space between the PH and the cover, they will attach somehow LOL still working on it but it should be anemone safe PH.
I dont know, we'll see what happens.

So if anyone else out there has any ideas they're appreciated!

Thanks for the inputs everyone

 

[natep206]

Any chain pet store, and most lfs, should have replacment foam filters for AquaClear Powerfilters. These foam blocks come in about a half dozen diffrent sizes and are easily cut to make a whole where the pumps intake can be slid inside and covered, protecting wondering anemones and the pump from collecting dibris. Instead detritus is collected in the foam and instead of freaquently servicing your pumps, you can unplug the pump and simply rinse the foam in a bucket of grey aquarium water during a waterchange. I can post photos of the unit i have running with my Heteractis crispa, if my explination is to confusing.

 

[celamb89]

Any chain pet store, and most lfs, should have replacment foam filters for AquaClear Powerfilters. These foam blocks come in about a half dozen diffrent sizes and are easily cut to make a whole where the pumps intake can be slid inside and covered, protecting wondering anemones and the pump from collecting dibris. Instead detritus is collected in the foam and instead of freaquently servicing your pumps, you can unplug the pump and simply rinse the foam in a bucket of grey aquarium water during a waterchange. I can post photos of the unit i have running with my Heteractis crispa, if my explination is to confusing.

No need for pics! The explination is clear! I will go and get me some foam! Thanks for posting I was pretty ready to do an acrylic screen that would have been lot of work hehe

Thanks

 

[WDLV]

I modded an aquaclear powerhead prefilter screen to fit my maxijet PHs. Set it and for get it.

Foam/sponge filters work as well, but I'm too lazy to clean them every day. If you don't they get food and poop on them and foul the water.

 

[celamb89]

I modded an aquaclear powerhead prefilter screen to fit my maxijet PHs. Set it and for get it.

Hey Walt! I have they same thing going on in my 42gal but now that Im upgrading ( this Saturday finally! ) to a 130gal DT I need more power than a 1200. I believe that is the ultimate screening! But how do you adapt it to lets say a koralia or a tunze? :S

 

[WDLV]

Maybe a modified strawberry basket would work???
The only other thing I can think of would be to enclose the intake and funnel it so that it used a cylindrical intake like the old school PHs do. I think the filter screen above could be modded to work with a 1"-1.5" piece of PVC if you pop out or modify the adapter ring.
Another way might be to hide the Tunze or Korilla behind a wall that served to diffuse the vaccuum of the PH. That's actually the scenario that I have pictured.


When it comes to higher flow demand, I personally go to closed loops with barracudas or Hammerheads. They don't have the versatility of a powerhead but they are reliable and if you plan ahead you can place the intakes in such a way as to minimize the risk of anemone danger. I have a few thoughts on that but it is a lot longer description.

 

[natep206]

If you would have to rinse your foam daily or more frequently, I would you are already having waste issues. I clean my foams about weekly, if not less frequent, and the flow rate is effected minimally ... The AquaClear110 powerfilter foam replacments are larger then necessary to construct a prefilter for any sized pump.

 

[WDLV]

If you would have to rinse your foam daily or more frequently, I would you are already having waste issues. I clean my foams about weekly, if not less frequent, and the flow rate is effected minimally ... The AquaClear110 powerfilter foam replacments are larger then necessary to construct a prefilter for any sized pump.

I see where you're going but that's not the case. Food gets stuck there before it can be eaten and remains there because neither the fish nor the clean up crew will mess with it in that high flow of an area. And I did exaggerate. It doesn't necessarily need to be changed every single day but really every other or every third day or it becomes a problem. If it's there a week, the sponge filter collapses and loses power.
I tried that before I switched to the current scenario. It's been that way 1-2 months and has not yet needed to be cleaned.

 

[flameangel9]

I modded an aquaclear powerhead prefilter screen to fit my maxijet PHs. Set it and for get it.

Foam/sponge filters work as well, but I'm too lazy to clean them every day. If you don't they get food and poop on them and foul the water.

This very prefilter pictured with foam insert is how I lost an RBTA. The powerhead was behind some rock and although I could see 1/2 way down the prefilter and didn't think it could possibly get in my rbta entered through the bottom of the prefilter all the way up into the powerhead. If it didn't happen to me I would have not believed it.

 

[WDLV]

Yeah I'd have to see it to believe it. I can see one maybe losing a few tentacles if it was really close to the intake or if it was a really large anemone and surrounded the whole prefilter but I'm shocked to hear it would enter through the bottom.

 

[kinlayan]

best anemone "safe" powerhead is a wavebox like tunze or diy one

 

[WDLV]

Excellent point! I was looking at using one of those but my tanks are 24x24x19. You need a rectangular tank to have them work properly.

 

[natep206]

I see where you're going but that's not the case. Food gets stuck there before it can be eaten and remains there because neither the fish nor the clean up crew will mess with it in that high flow of an area. And I did exaggerate. It doesn't necessarily need to be changed every single day but really every other or every third day or it becomes a problem. If it's there a week, the sponge filter collapses and loses power.
I tried that before I switched to the current scenario. It's been that way 1-2 months and has not yet needed to be cleaned.

Yeah I'd have to see it to believe it. I can see one maybe losing a few tentacles if it was really close to the intake or if it was a really large anemone and surrounded the whole prefilter but I'm shocked to hear it would enter through the bottom.

I am humored. Are you assuming that both of us are falsely reporting our experiences? I release food in front of the power head's exhaust and in my systems, the fish and anemone consume all of the food before it gets the chance to make it back to the intake of the power head and decompose or slow flow rate. If this is a problem, like it is in your system, I would assume the unit you currently run would just collect this food on the actual intake and impeller of the power head? which would result in more servicing of your pump, as I stated previously. The solution to this problem would be simply unplugging these powerful pumps during feeding, once all excess food is consumed, replug! And yes, with a power head that has the same flow rate or stronger than a AquaClear 30, It is easy to beleive E. Quadricolor was drawn through a rigid plastic screen like the the AC prefilter. I find it disrespectful you would say you do not believe someone simply reporting their experiences.

 

[cherubfish pair]

I modded an aquaclear powerhead prefilter screen to fit my maxijet PHs. Set it and for get it.

Foam/sponge filters work as well, but I'm too lazy to clean them every day. If you don't they get food and poop on them and foul the water.

What I do for my maxi-jet foam/sponge filters is set the powerhead lower in the tank and let the pods clean them. That's right, they will actually get inside the foam and eat the food and poop. You can watch them do this, it is amazing.