# Powerheads: What's too strong and too weak



## Freshbest (Aug 3, 2020)

Hi y'all I'm considering getting a powerhead for my 29g (L:29.25' x W:15.25' x H:16') because I have noticed the circulation in the aquarium is terrible, the heater can't do its job, I stick my hand in and I can feel different layers of heat when I don't have my bubbler on(for certain reasons I don't have my bubbler on all the time). I don't need anything super strong so as to not disturb what the fish are used to, I only want enough to get the heat spreading. But, I know nothing about gph and what level of strength they mean. Does anyone have any advice?


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## mistergreen (Mar 3, 2007)

Put the heater next to the bubbler?


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## maico996 (Nov 6, 2016)

I use two 3W 530GPH power heads in my 29g Walstad tank and they circulate the water very well. I'd stay away from the AQQA Wavemaker however. That's the brand I currently have and one works fine but the other rattles intermittently. This is the third one I've tried as the second one I bought rattled constantly and nothing I did would fix it. They're inexpensive so you get what you pay for but the flow rate is just about perfect for my tank.


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## Freshbest (Aug 3, 2020)

Thank you for the brand advise! why would you want two? Do you think shrimps or more fragile leaved plants would have a hard time with 530gph powerhead?


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## maico996 (Nov 6, 2016)

Freshbest said:


> Thank you for the brand advise! why would you want two? Do you think shrimps or more fragile leaved plants would have a hard time with 530gph powerhead?


Without my cannister filter I was getting a dead spot at the opposite end of the tank when I only ran one powerhead. My filter provided flow in the opposite direction so I only needed one powerhead at the time. Since I've converted to a Walstad tank and removed the filter I added another power head to keep everything flowing constantly around the tank. I have a powerhead in the back right corner of the tank, and another in the front left corner. The one nice thing about the AQQA brand is that you can adjust the flow by sliding a piece of plastic to cover some of the intake. I have shrimp and tetras and they seem to do fine with the flow. It's really pretty gentle. I'll try and shoot a quick video so you can see how it works in my 29g tank.


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## maico996 (Nov 6, 2016)

Not sure if this video will work or not...






This is my 29g tank with the two power heads running. These are the AQQA brand. Unfortunately the one in the front left corner is making noise so I'm sending it back. I ordered a Hydor Koralia Nano 240 to replace it.


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## hoppycalif (Apr 7, 2005)

I like having a very small powerhead in a tank, just to keep the water surface moving a bit, but not enough to make the plants wave in the current. I used one like this, https://www.amazon.com/TMI-Submersi...ca-403a-923c-8152c45485fe&tag=5042nst800sr-20 for awhile, and was satisfied enough to buy a second one. I had it in a 65 gallon tank for awhile.


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## Freshbest (Aug 3, 2020)

Maico That aquarium is beautiful. Thanks for the advice y'all! I think I will get one around 530 then and go from there.


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