# Hydor Koralia Water Circulation Pumps?



## atomicluck (Mar 26, 2009)

I have a 30 gallon tank with a Maxi-Jet 1200 powerhead (295 gph), but want more water movement. Been looking at the Hydor circulation pumps, but have no idea how much is to much. Thought about the #1 (400 gph), but wonder if the #2 (600 gph) is a better bet. Or would you use 2 of the smaller units instead of one larger? Do anyone have any experience with these pumps?

I like the Maxi-Jet, but it leaves to many dead spots the way my Cichlid's constantly dig up the bottom.

I also use a Eheim 2213 canister filter.


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## sleepy09 (Jan 15, 2009)

Hi atomicluck, Welcome to C-F

Are you sure that you need more circulation in your 30 gallon tank? I would think that having a Maxi Jet 1200 and a Eheim 2213 on a 30 gallon tank would be plenty.

To answer your question on the Hydo water pumps, you could use a #1 or you can also try using one of their Nano pumps. I am using a #2 on my 125 and it seems to be just enough circulation for my tank. I am thinking that a #2 might be to big or to strong for a 30 gallon. One of the cool things about the Hydor pumps is that it has an attachment that you could put on the front of it to make the water jet straight out or you can leave it off to let the water fan out.


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## sleepy09 (Jan 15, 2009)

Oh and by the way your Cichlids aren't going to stop digging up your substrate with more water movement in the tank. They are always hungry and looing for food to eat. The only way I can see them stopping is if you have them swirling around in the tank to the point where they are gettin dizzy and I am sure you don't want that.


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## Louis123 (Jun 13, 2004)

Check out the Maxi-Stream modification for the maxi-jet, you'll save $$, you can also buy a kit pre-made.

But your current MJ-1200 still has pros, you can stick a sponge to it for extra filtration wich a circulation propeller can't do..


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## atomicluck (Mar 26, 2009)

The reason for the change from the MJ-1200 is age. Everything in my tank is now between 6-10 years old. Not that they don't work well any longer, but the plastic/rubber is becoming "extremely hard, brittle and breaking. I need to replace most of the rubber items, tubes, mushrooms and even the MJ-1200. As they are slowly breaking apart little by little. And I was looking for a powerhead or something to add a little more variety of circulation to the tank to stop dead zones. With the MJ-1200 it only pumps in one single direction where the circulation pumps tend to move wather 360 degrees. Even looked at the MJ-1200 deflector, but so far anything that is added to MJ-1200 simply attaches to then of the pipe with nothing to hold it in place. Once the powerhead starts up it just blows any attachment off the end.

Because the water circulation in the tank is basically one way the fish stand on their tails in the corners trying to get into the flow of the water. Only one or two can fit into the MJ-1200 water flow while the rest fight to get into a spot where anything left over moves.

Due to the heavy rock in the tank it takes a lot out of any water flow so that the dead zones are the dumping ground for anything and everything that can't get to the filter intake. I just need as much movement as I can get to keep things moving to the filter intake.

Any ideas? :dancing:

Was just wondering if it's better to have 2 small pumps at different locations in the tank or one bigger???? :-?


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## Louis123 (Jun 13, 2004)

Well, as I said, you want a better flow, you can keep your MJ and modify it to transform the impeler into a propeller, thus you'll have much more flow and a much wider flow too..

It's basically converting it into a circulation pump.. Just do a search it's worth it


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## atomicluck (Mar 26, 2009)

Louis,

Thanks for the reply, but I still have a problem as I mentioned in the previous post. Due to the age of my MJ-1200 the plastic/rubber is becoming brittle and maybe even shrinking a bit. The MJ-1200 comes with several attachments and you can buy deflectors or upgrades. The problem Iv always had with the MJ-1200 is that the attachments do not secure to the water outlet. Because they can't be secured as soon as the pump comes of the water flow pushes the attachments off. There is a deflector as well as the upgrade to make it more like a wave maker. Unfortunately both have be purchased online where I can't see how they attach and even the web sites that Iv spoken with don't know either.

So am I just wasting time and money with any attachment or conversion with a powerhead that is already 6 years old? Plus, from the looks of things the conversion kit to make it circulate more appears to increase the size of the unit in the water.

I already have to replace my Eheim 2213 ASAP. Yesterday when I took it a part to clean it out the plastic broke a part. By the time I look at the cost of replacement parts it's almost cheaper to buy a new one.

Due to the extremely HARD water in my area the fish LOVE it, but it plays heck with aquarium parts. (See related post) :-?


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## illusions2281 (Jan 25, 2009)

i have a koralia 1 & 2 running in one direction and two #4's running a nother. they are set on oppoistie timers. much like a tide 6hours apart. i doo feel the 4s might be too much i may mix up the pump sequence.

Can i have too much movement in my hex tank?


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