Power Head Question

[lamphere]

Is it necessary to have a PH aimed to disturb the water surface?? I am having a bit of trouble with my flow being too aggressive. I got it where I want it now but its not aimed up anymore. Just wondering if anyone has done this and is it ok? I have 2 MJ 1200's aimed at my rock in the back of my tank slightly down. they are at the rear two corners opposite each other.

mike

[tsalter]

I don't really know if its necessary but I don't think your tank is going to lose O2 over night. You are getting some aeration from your skimmer. I have never had a ph pointed at the surface but I have a huge skimmer and i don't think a ph would put a candle to the air that it can put in the water.

I have the seio 820, the big one and erik has two of the littler ones in his 55. I think one or two of the 820s would do you well. they move alot of water in a less direct way than the maxi jet. maybe something that might help.

t

[SHOmuchFUN]

2 MJ1200s in a 55 would be plenty of movement for softies.
I'm not quite sure what your concern is, but...

If it's aeration, like Tom said, your skimmer provides the majority of aeration in your tank. The physical action of it's output draining into the main display tank is also acting as a method for aeration.

The biggest concern about not having any movement at the surface, is that you may find that you develop an oily film on the top. This happens as inorganics break down in the tank coupled with the fact that you don't have a surface skimmer or overflow in your tank. The best way to combat this is to have proper surface movement and aiming a powerhead at the top of the tank will take care of it.

If worse comes to worse, just get another maxijet dedicated at stirring up the surface of the water. You probably wouldn't need another 1200. Maybe just a 400 or a 900.

[lamphere]

I was trying to get a more gentle flow on my softies a few of them were getting more current than they like. I ended up buying a couple of small chuncks of LR and put them in the path of the current to break it up a bit and it worked out great. I aimed one of the PH's back up to the top. Everything is happy. thanks