do you have to have a powerhead

[salty160]

I have a 30 gallon nano and I'm planning on keeping some xenia or frogspawn, and I heard that power heads and wave makers are not required in coral keeping is that true? can i get by with any LPS corals without a powerhead?

 

[Majikhammer]

I wouldn't start a saltwater tank without a powerhead... Powerheads/wavemakes, are very important to saltwater when it comes to corals.. although some coral may not require as much flow as others, its still very important.

-Adam

 

[GSMguy]

Flow=stability=light

The triad

 

[footballdude2k3]

Don't need a wavemaker, but there is no way that I would start a tank without a powerhead, they are the least expensive thing for the tank aside from the heater...

 

[ReeferBatman]

Depends on tank inhabitants.

You definitely do need flow... but how much is variable depending on tank conditions and needs.

I would never keep my 55 fully stocked Reef without a power-head... (In fact I went all out with a Vortech!)

But my 'easy care' 30g reef-tank I keep at work runs using only HOB filter as it's only flow. (about 1 year now)

No, it's not going to win any beauty contests of rare corals with a heavy stocking list of fish like my 55g Reef at home... and not having a powerhead does limit bio-load (less oxygen available in water column + Less flow to carry food to corals)...


But here is an example that a 30g can still support easy-care corals and a small selection of fish just fine w/o a powerhead...

This tank houses

Bi-color Blenny
Blue Damsel
2x Clownfish
2x Cardinals

Green Fuzzy Mushrooms
Purple Mushrooms
Kenya Trees
+not pictured - large colony of Green Zoa Polyps that were becoming too big in my home Display tank.

You won't reach full potential w/o a powerhead...

But depending on needs of your tank it can be done.

Plus, you can always buy a Powerhead down the road... Aquariums don't tend to go anywhere!

 

[usmc121581]

In my 37 gal, I have duncans, Hammers, Favia, GSP, Xenia, and a frag of a purple chalice. I have one Koralia 4(Old style), 1 New style Koralia(1200Gal/hour I think), 1 Maxijet 1200, and 2 Maxi jet 400 in the rock work. The 3 maxi jets are all on a red sea wavemaker I had laying around.

This tank includes 2 clown fish's and a 1.5" BLue Hippo Tang. Please do not bash me for the tang. It was just recieved last week, and is to small to go into my 180 gal with the big fish. I believe the corals will show there nice side with flow.

 

[buk]

you don't necessarily need a power head but you do need flow. if you have enough water moving through your tank and enough oxygen exchange via return pumps, filters, etc than you could get away with now power head.

 

[rhdc2itr]

i ran no powerhead in my sons tank for almost a year.