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Circulation Pump for 12 Gallon Long

1875 Views 3 Replies 3 Participants Last post by  tenthe
Can anyone recommend a good powerhead or circulation pump for a 12 gallon long? I'm not getting sufficient flow on one end of the tank. I'm looking for something adjustable and quiet.

I've tried a Hydor Koralia 240, but it was way too much flow for my betta and would kick up substrate if I aimed it down at the HC, which is where I'm trying to direct the flow.

I just replaced the Koralia with a Hydor Pico Evo-Mag 180, which is adjustable and puts out the perfect amount of flow, but it hums quite loudly.
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I had the same problem in my 12 long. I use the Koralia 240, and have no issues with too much flow. I keep it towards the top to agitate the surface slightly.
I tried a Maxijet 900 and had the same problem with the propeller configuration, just way too much flow. The power head configuration was just about right but I didn't like it the looks of it hanging in my tank. I then tried its external pump configuration which was better (Maxijets used an O-ring to seal the intake housing allowing it to be used externally) but finally went with a Sicce Syncra 2.0 Aquarium Pump, 568gph, external pump. I didn't like the ability of the Maxijet to leak if any pressure was applied to the intake hose. The intake housing is weak plastic and any warping stops the O-ring from properly sealing.
It's a shame that all the best powerheads are designed for reef tanks and put out super high flow. I was eyeing the VorTech MP10, but even at its minimum setting it would be too much flow.

I got the Evo-Mag to quiet down, so I think I'll just stick wit it for now. There really doesn't seem to be much out there for the flow rates that I'm looking for.
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