can i use a powerhead to run my protein skimmer

[jcegt87]

to make a long story short .... my return pump from my fuge basically crashed and burned (not because their wasnt enough wate in the last compartment BUT because the little motor got stuck and well yeah)
so now i was eighter thinking about using one of my maxijet powerheads to run my return pump OR take the pump off my skimmer and use that as my fuge pump and use the maji jet for the skimmer

the skimmer pump is a rio 1400 - 420GPH
and the maji jets i have are all maji jets 1200 - 295 GPH

would this work ok or should i just buy another return pump
the pump that "died" was a rio 2100 it was pumping the water a lil too fast so i had to have the valve to reduce the flow

 

[daugherty]

i would get a new main pump the little rio's or maxi jet are not going to give you the flow that you need or even pump fater up into the tank. i have a rio hyperflow 15 i think. i puts out more than the rio 2100. check out the rio hyperflows.

 

[jcegt87]

i would get a new main pump the little rio's or maxi jet are not going to give you the flow that you need or even pump fater up into the tank. i have a rio hyperflow 15 i think. i puts out more than the rio 2100. check out the rio hyperflows.

ok so whats a good GPH for a 75gallon tank

the LFS has one that pumps 500(or 525) for 59.99

 

[daugherty]

that would be ok. do you have any power heads in the tank

 

[jcegt87]

I had one yesterday I bought 2 more ,they're all maxijets 1200

 

[daugherty]

i my self would rather have a main pump that pumped more than i needed that way i could dial it down a little if needed.

 

[daugherty]

if i were you i would get another rio2100

 

[jcegt87]

if i were you i would get another rio2100

ima try and get an equivalent cause noone here carries anything higher than a 1700

I saw some eheim (i think that's what their called) that's the one I said they want 60 bucks for it 500 gph

3 PH aren't enough

 

[daugherty]

you want to get at least 10x the volume of you tank in water movement per hour.

 

[yote]

James is right.
Go a head and invest in something like a Mag-5 at least.Thats what I'm using for a return pump.I'll probably up-grade that when I build a sump/refugium though.
Maxi-jets arent designed to operate with a head pressure,so it'll most likely over-heat and lock up.

 

[Bifferwine]

MagDrives are excellent. Powerheads aren't going to be able to push enough water to act as a return pump.

 

[jcegt87]

I just Bought a mag 7series for 45$
just for laughs I went to another lfs and HOLY CRAP the same 7series for 120 damn what a ripoff:shock: