The main benefits of using a wavemaker or powerhead are creating circulation in the tank, introducing new oxygen and facilitating gas exchange, and simulating a natural environment for fish, invertebrates, plants, and corals. If you’re experiencing dead zones in your aquarium, then you will need to position the wavemaker such that it isn’t overly affecting fish, but still creating water movement through the areas needed keep in mind that some freshwater fish love swimming against the current as well! What are the benefits of using a wavemaker? If you do have a densely planted tank though, you might need that flow to keep dead zones from happening in your aquarium where detritus piles up. Too much flow can make it difficult for your fish to swim and can even start to injure live plants.

However, in a freshwater setup, many of the fish are that much smaller and come from stagnant or near stand-still water conditions. In most cases, wavemakers and powerheads are commonly used in saltwater setups because those fish are used to swimming against such currents and the corals need ample flow to be carried debris and nutrients for food. While a wavemaker isn’t usually necessary in a freshwater aquarium, there are many benefits that come with using one. Should you use a wavemaker in a freshwater aquarium? Wavemakers are good for creating back and forth movement while powerheads can be used to reach stagnant areas of the tank and to help move water past equipment, like a heater or a UV sterilizer. In comparison, powerheads move concentrated water in one direction and are best used in pairs where each is creating turbulence against the other.īoth wavemakers and powerheads look pretty similar to each other, but the desired result in the aquarium is quite different. This is done by a motorized propeller that creates an ebb and flow of water in the tank, moving a much broader and less focused wave. Check Price on Amazon What is an aquarium wavemaker?Ī wavemaker is also usually referred to as a powerhead, though the two are slightly different.Ī wavemaker does what it sounds like it would do and attempts to recreate the motion of waves or water flow in an aquarium setting.

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