BiomesInaBox

Category: Powerheads

  • Why Use a Circulation Pump for a Fish Tank?

    Two words in this hobby that get used interchangeably but are technically two different things are circulation pump and powerhead. Even companies use the words Powerhead and circulation pump interchangeably which can confuse people. Both have quite a bit of overlap in terms of what they do but there are key differences. At the end of the day, they both move water around an aquarium. I’ll briefly discuss what both technically are but for the sake of this article, I will use both terms interchangeably. This article will discuss why you might want to use a powerhead/circulation pump in an aquarium.

    What is a Circulation Pump?

    A circulation pump is technically a pump that can be used to pull water out of a sump system and into the display aquarium. Some might know them better as return pumps or sump pumps. The Hygger 24V Water Pump (Affiliate Link) is a great example of a circulation pump. The pump sucks water through the intake. The output end is usually connected to PVC piping or flexible tubing that discharges water into the aquarium. Some circulation pumps can be converted into powerheads but most do not have that capability.

    What is a Powerhead?

    A powerhead is a piece of equipment that moves water around a fish tank to increase flow. Think of it as an underwater fan that blows water around to create a current. There’s not much else to it. Unlike a circulation pump, a powerhead cannot push water through pipes. The Hydor Koralia (Affiliate Link) is probably the most iconic powerhead brand but there are many more great ones out there. In the next part of the article, I will discuss some uses for powerheads.

    Remove Dead Spots from the Aquarium

    Dead spots in aquariums are spaces where detritus can settle. Water flow doesn’t reach this space so it’s a perfect space for debris to rest, which can become a nutrient farm over time. A filter normally moves water around and removes debris from your aquarium, but sometimes your filtration could use a little help from a powerhead. Dead spots are inevitable, and in small quantities, they’re not always a bad thing. They’re a space fish can use to rest from current and water movement. So it has its benefits to some extent.

    Add Flow For Coral Reef Tanks

    Corals thrive on water movement. Different corals benefit from different levels of flow. For example, leather coral enjoys very calm flowing water. Others, like LPS and zoanthids, can tolerate moderate amounts of indirect flow. Lastly, stony corals love high flow, and large colonies can die off if not enough water movement gets through the intertwining branches. Filtration systems help with water movement, but that’s usually not enough for larger saltwater aquariums. The powerhouse that moves water around in a reef tank is often the powerhead.

    To Mimic an Ecosystem

    This more or less bounces off the previous statement. To imitate a coral reef, you need varying levels of flowing water to replicate the changing movements of water. You will not get a successful reef tank without any water movement. Live rock is part of the filtration system in a coral reef, and water must move in and out of it to do its job successfully. Corals will utilize water movement to filter feed. Without moving water, nutrients and food will never reach them.

    You can add flow to your aquarium with circulation pumps to mimic a river ecosystem. There are wonderful examples of fish keepers mimicking this type of environment using this equipment. Check out the video below of this exact example.

    Mixing Marine Salt For Water Changes

    I remember the days when I would manually mix saltwater before doing water changes. Luckily, I have grown in the hobby and made it easier for myself with an old circulation pump I had lying around. I add salt into a bucket, add RO water, and toss a circulation pump into the bucket to start churning the water. This allows me to set and forget this part of the water change.

    I check up on it from time to time to make sure salt hasn’t settled in a dead spot in the bucket. If it does, I shift the powerhead to move the water from a different direction. It’s a nice trick I use to give me a little more time to do things before a water change.

    Final Notes

    There are probably countless other ways to use powerheads in an aquarium. They’re a fantastic tool to use to create a unique ecosystem for specific species of fish, useful to make your aquarium maintenance easier, and the most obvious to aid in moving water around a fish tank. If you have other fantastic ways to use powerheads, consider taking the time to share them to help make this hobby great!

  • Do I Need a Circulation Pump For My Aquarium?

    Do I Need a Circulation Pump For My Aquarium?

    Aquarium circulation pumps come in many different shapes and sizes from countless brands in this hobby. Sometimes called an aquarium powerhead or powerhead, these pieces of equipment are primarily used to move water around an aquarium. The question we are looking to answer is do you need a circulation pump for your aquarium?

    Just like any other topic in this hobby, it simply depends. I cannot provide a clear-cut answer because there are so many variables within this hobby. I’ll cover some of the reasons in finer detail, but I know I won’t be able to highlight every reason. A large part of this hobby is research, luckily there is a plethora of information available on every fish, coral, and ecosystem type we keep in a glass box. This article will discuss some of the reasons it makes sense to set up a circulation pump.

    Freshwater Aquarium vs. Saltwater Aquarium

    One thing to think about when deciding whether to set up a circulation pump for your aquarium is whether you are keeping freshwater or saltwater. Generally speaking, saltwater fish tanks will likely require more flow, especially if you are running a reef tank. Corals don’t move, so food, oxygen, nutrients, and everything else they need must come to them. However, the amount of flow completely depends on the species of coral you have.

    Freshwater aquariums will generally tolerate much less flowing water or no flow at all. Sometimes a filtration system is enough flow to keep your freshwater aquarium thriving. A planted aquarium might not have any air pumps, filters, or circulation pumps and be completely dependent on the oxygen produced by the plants. At the end of the day, it is completely dependent on what type of freshwater aquarium you are running. For example, a river-themed freshwater tank will benefit from having more flow, compared to a planted tank.

    Small vs. Large Aquarium

    Another thing to think about when figuring out whether a powerhead is necessary is thinking about aquarium sizes. Small aquariums often get by without requiring a circulation pump. Flow from an air pump or filtration system is usually enough to keep the aquarium going. An aquarium circulation pump may be overkill for nano tanks, unless you are attempting to create a specific habitat, like a riverbed.

    Large aquariums may need a powerhead. If you have areas in the aquarium where detritus builds up, you may want to get something facing that general direction to stir up the build-up of waste. In a saltwater aquarium, you will want to consider setting up a circulation pump to provide enough flow for your coral.

    What Do You Plan on Keeping?

    Fish come from all types of habitats, it is important to know what habitats they are from. It was mentioned earlier, but if your fish comes from a fast-flowing river system, you may want to build your aquarium around that. A circulation pump may be the exact thing you need to achieve that. However, if you are keeping fish from slow-moving waters, such as lakes and ponds, you may not need a powerhead because the flow from your filter might be enough to keep your fish happy.

    Also, fish with long fins, slow-moving fish, and very small fish may struggle with certain circulation pumps. I would not recommend keeping a long-fin betta fish in an aquarium with a powerhead. The betta moves slowly and has long flowy fins that can get pulled into the spinning fans of the powerhead.

    Plants & Circulation Pumps

    Keeping plants and circulation pumps may or may not be a good idea. In a small aquarium, I often do not recommend doing so because the current created by the powerhead can very easily tear the leaves of your aquatic plants. The filter should provide plenty of flow in a nano planted tank. In a larger aquarium, that has more open space, it’s possible to have an aquarium circulation pump running without damaging plants. Many different circulation pumps with varying sizes will do the job for you.

    If you’re looking for a very small amount of added flow, check out the Hydor Koralia Nano Circulation Pump. This pump only pushes 240 GPH and might be just the thing if you’re looking for some extra flow. If you need more flow, some massive powerheads can push over 1000 gallons of water per hour, like the Fluval Sea CP4 Circulation Pump. There are many options out there, so you’ll have to shop around to find what will work best for you.

    Coral and Circulation Pumps

    When you work with corals, you’ll learn that each species has its unique personality and needs. Many coral species love varying types of flow. For example, most stony corals will do better with high indirect flow, while other species, such as zoanthids often do better with a gentler flow. You may need a stronger powerhead for a large aquarium with SPS coral, compared to a large aquarium with zoanthids or soft corals. Too much direct flow can irritate certain coral species. This will cause them to close up and can lead to their demise if the flow intensity does not change. If you see your coral closed up, you might be providing it with too much or too little flow.

    Final Notes

    There are probably plenty more reasons why you should or shouldn’t use a circulation pump for your aquarium. The goal of this article is not to list every single reason, but to help new and old aquarists think outside of the box as to why something like extra flow might be needed. Powerheads are very handy tools when used correctly. They can help remove dead spots from aquariums, help bring nutrients to corals, and much more. I share some more information on flow rates on Different Aquarium Water Flow Rate Requirements.