cbashaw April 8, 2011 April 8, 2011 I'm setting up a Biocube 14G and I plan to replace the return pump with a MJ900 but I'm not sure what powerhead to get for additional flow in the tank. I plan on keeping soft coral and LPS. Most importantly it needs to be as quiet as possible quiet because it will be the bedroom.
Chad April 8, 2011 April 8, 2011 I would probably go with a tunze nanostream. They are quiet, low power usage, and push a lot of water for their size.
El Camaron April 8, 2011 April 8, 2011 the 900 will give you plenty of return power, and if upi have the money a vortech mp10es is always nice but if not you can make due with a koralia or tunze.
The Kerrnel April 8, 2011 April 8, 2011 Good lord, a vortech mp10es is way overkill for the $$ for a BC14! I've got an Aquapod 12g, very similar to the BC14 and have a MJ900 as the return pump as well. The corals themselves you're keeping I think are ok with just that, but for overall health of the tank I do think additional flow is needed. Originally I tried the MJ600 has my additional PH and felt it had too much footprint for the tank, and not enough flow to keep the algae down. I ended up going with the Koralia Nano 425gph. The challenge is to find the right flow pattern. My tank is doing better with the Nano. Mike.
El Camaron April 8, 2011 April 8, 2011 flow output can be regulated with a vortech and changed as he replaces corals with anything else, thus why i said if you have the money a vortech is alwasy nice and the footprint on the vortech is less than half of the Koralias.
The Kerrnel April 8, 2011 April 8, 2011 Don't get me wrong, the vortechs look nice, and I'll probably end up getting one whenever I upgrade to a larger tank, but for a 12g, as nice as it would be to have adjustable flow, it doesn't make a lot of sense to pay over a hundred bucks for a PH for that kind of setup. Unless you've got cash to burn, but then you'd probably not have a 12g. Mike.
Reefoholic April 9, 2011 April 9, 2011 Hey, I had a Biocube 14 gal before my current set-up and also replaced the return pump with a MJ900. I also installed a Hydor Koralia Nano 240 on the back wall at the right top corner. I also replaced the stock pump return apparatus with a Hydor Koralia Rotating Water Reflector. All of these worked pretty silent. I don't remember ever being bothered by any noise considering I live in a studio. Hindsight, if you are going to use the water reflector, try to secure it with some e-poxy or super glue since the MJ900 will have a strong flow and might cause it to pop-out. All these attachments create more than enough water flow for a 14 gal. My corals (both SPS and LPS) thrived over time! In my opinion a Vortech is a great addition to any reef set-up but honestly for a 14 gal it is a little bit over kill. You can achieve a similar wave cycle affect with timers, which you can buy from CVS or any hardware store for a lot cheaper...
dakotasreef April 9, 2011 April 9, 2011 I agree though expensive, I personally would do the vortech myself. Pros: Small footprint No heat transfer No chance of stray current Adjustable flow patterns and rates Cons: Price I would try to find one used if you can.
cbashaw April 9, 2011 Author April 9, 2011 Thanks for now I decided I'm going to order a Tunze but I'll keep an eye out for a vortec later on.
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now