Powerhead recommendation

[hansmatt]

my 90g is 4feet by 18" wide. I have the tank essentially divided into two narrow halves with a long island down the middle that goes 3/4 to the rim. This pretty much makes each powerhead work independently on each long side. Powerheads are about midway up the tank, angled to the side glass gently.
I just got the 6205 cover for only one of my two 6105's, to try it out as you are. They are both on the right short end of the tank pointing along the long viewing glass. After reading Roger's post above I switched so both are NOW on 12v...I think it's a bit better for control. I was using 18v on the 6205 covered powerhead, but was pulling a bit of sand up (not bad) on long pulse mode going up to 60%. Certainly not a sandstorm (this was right below the powerhead), but gentle mixing of the surface. It's also worthwhile noting the sand mixing was from backtow into the powerhead, not from the outflow. I feared it would eventually create a bit of a pile. With it now using the 12v chip, I can put it up to 90-100% without the same sand mixing, plus the lower end is "lower".

 

[dzhuo]

Oh Cool. I am going to do the 12v trick and then order 2 6205 faces. What mode are you running your 6105? Also, where do you order your 6205? Directly from tunze.com?

 

[hansmatt]

I ordered the face directly from Roger at Tunze. I am using interval 2, low speed is 30%, high is 80% I think.

 

[dzhuo]

Hi Roger,
When I replace the 18v with 12v, none of the pump starts up. If I put the 18v back in, both starts up. Any idea?

 

[rvitko]

It may be the pumps are partially jammed by calcium between the magnet and shaft and cannot start with only 12V. It may also be the potentiometer on the connector is turned down so any controller gets less than 8V needed to run the pumps. Do the 12V jumpers insert properly and fit?

 

[dzhuo]

The powerheads are brand new and it has been used for ~3 weeks in a new tank. It seems unlike this can be caused by calcium build up. Yes the 12v jumpers insert properly and fit.

I will have to check potentiometer. Are there indication to know they are in max or min settings?

 

[rvitko]

If you never adjusted them they are in max. It is not impossible, I have seen pumps jam in only a couple weeks if kalk or calcium reactor effluent is added near the pump or if the sand got stirred up by the new pumps. It is worth checking.

 

[thirst]

So I got my hands on 2 6105s. I have several other pumps. Trying to figure out if I should just use only the 6105s, or if I should use some combination of the 6105 + any or all of the following:

2 K3, 2 K4, 2 6025s, and a MP20.

I was thinking of putting the 2K3 + 2K4 + 2 6025 to pump on the overflow side of my peninsula tank, and the 2x6105 + MP20 on the opposite side. I would program the 6105s to surge at the same time.

Do you think this would work? Would it be less efficient since the 6 other pumps on the other side are "always on" and essentially works again the surge coming from the 6105s?

what would you suggest given the size tank I stated the beginning of the thread and the collection of powerheads that I can use. Perhaps I should just ditch all the little pumps, put the 6105s on the overflow side and the MP20 on the opposite side and the 6105s would come on and off together?

Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated

Thanks

 

[rvitko]

Is this for the 72" by 30" by 30" tank (280 gals)? If so I think the 2 6105 and the MP20 and maybe the 2 6025 are all you need, I would try to reduce the number of cords and number of motors heating the tank. For up to a 215 2 6105 is usually sufficient so you don't need too much more, just a spot flow at any dead spots.

 

[thirst]

If I am using the 2 6105 + Mp20 + 2 6025, do you have any recommendations on placement? yes it's for the 72x30x30 tank.

Thanks Roger. If money was not an issue, would you recommend some other set up? I.e., add wave box? or add 1 6205?

 

[rvitko]

A 6105 in each back corner aimed to hit the front about 4ft away would be my start, I would use the others where needed.

The ideal in my opinion would be to add a wavebox.

 

[thirst]

so I've placed one 6105 in each back corner and aimed to hit the front about 4 foot as you have said. I've programmed so that they alternate. I haven't observed it for too long but my guess is that it's not going to keep all detritus suspended.

I have a bare bottom tank and don't want the tank to have any areas to accumulate detritus. What additional pump do you think I need to buy in order to make that happen? Would more powerful pumps - say get a 6205 and put both 6105s on same end and 6205 on the other end, be sufficient to keep all my water in motion?

Would getting a wavebox help solve this problem? Can a AquaSurf control a wavebox 6215 extension?

 

[rvitko]

I can't answer for the AquaSurf, I have never used one, but the wavebox is the surest way to accomplish this as the wave gets flow to all areas. It suspends the detritus so the pumps can sweep it away. I don't think the 6205's would do it. Keep in mind some things like big tang poo is not likely going to go anywhere without vacuuming it up.