Installed New Powerhead Have Questions

Hi! I have a 30 gallon with a Penguin Biowheel 70 HOB filter that I wanted to get rid of hopefully because they make noise and drive my husband crazy, especially if I am not here to troubleshoot. So I added a double sponge filter about 2 weeks ago. Yesterday, I added an Aquaclear 30 Powerhead with quick filter. It looked fine until we went to bed. When we got up this morning, it looks like it is either producing a lot of micro bubbles or blowing sand (I have a sand substrate). This tank is cycled and has 12 inhabitants. Fish are fine. I am just concerned if it's blowing sand that might be a problem.
Thank you!!

 

How could it blow sand if it is a filter? Filters filter out particles.

Make sure its not bubbles. If its near the surface it could be sucking air in.

To check if its sand or bubbles, observe whether the sand sinks or the bubbles float up.

I used to use a quick filter and found I could load it with generic filter floss instead of buying the expensive ones. The filter floss could just be washed and used again and again.

Maybe there is more than one design of these but this is what I did.

I find aquaclear powerheads very good. They are quiet. All cheaper ones seem noisy to me.

The quick filter was a black cylinder which slotted onto the bottom of the powerhead and had holes for the water to go through the filter material.

 

Honestly, it really looks like sand and I didn't know if the sand had somehow gotten in the filter and that's how it was blowing it back out. Whatever they are, some goes up and some goes down. Mostly it looks like it is falling down, I guess. The powerhead is not close to the sand. It is closer to the top of the tank. I will try to take a pic.

 

Not great pictures, sorry. I tried to take a video but I am technology-challenged and don't know how to properly use my phone. I've never taken a video before. LOL

 

Looks like microbubbles to me. Perhaps some air got between the power head and quick filter?

 

Wow that looks quite a powerful flow, especially for the Gourami which likes still conditions. It also looks like you have a tube going from the surface to the pump carrying oxygen. It looks like bubbles of air are being expelled into the pump outflow.

There should be some adjustment on the pump to reduce the flow and an option to reduce or stop the addition of air.

 

Wow that looks quite a powerful flow, especially for the Gourami which likes still conditions. It also looks like you have a tube going from the surface to the pump carrying oxygen. It looks like bubbles of air are being expelled into the pump outflow.

There should be some adjustment on the pump to reduce the flow and an option to reduce or stop the addition of air.

Yes a little "tornado" of air is going down.
Put the powerhead a bit lower.
And indeed quite a current for a Gourami.

 

OK thank you so much, I was wondering why the Gourami kept hiding since I added that. Duh! I did not add air, I just have the control part outside the tank to make it easier to adjust. Maybe I assembled it wrong? The "hang on the side of the tank part had a place for the air hose/adjust part but with the suction cups, I couldn't figure out where to put it.

I turned the flow down, and I moved it lower in the tank.

 

OK thank you so much, I was wondering why the Gourami kept hiding since I added that. Duh! I did not add air, I just have the control part outside the tank to make it easier to adjust. Maybe I assembled it wrong? The "hang on the side of the tank part had a place for the air hose/adjust part but with the suction cups, I couldn't figure out where to put it.

I turned the flow down, and I moved it lower in the tank.

What's the airline tubing go to? Is it just a VenturI (sucking in air to make bubbles)?

 

The airline tubing has the control valve on the end. It is just hanging outside the back top of the tank.

 

The airline tubing has the control valve on the end. It is just hanging outside the back top of the tank.

If the other end of the tube goes to the output nozzle of the pump, then it's for the venturi. Take it off if you don't want any bubbles.

 

The airline tubing has the control valve on the end. It is just hanging outside the back top of the tank.

Yeah that control valve is for pulling in air to be shot out the powerhead. Pull it off and your bubbles should completely disappear

 

Ok, I will. Thank you so much for your help!

 

If you take the tubing off and the port is above the water level won't it pull in max air? May just have to use the valve to shut off the air flow.

 

Yeah that control valve is for pulling in air to be shot out the powerhead. Pull it off and your bubbles should completely disappear

I read somewhere that if I take the airline off, I should cap the VenturI hole with something. What do I use? I also read that this tubing can siphon water out of my tank so I definitely want to avoid that!

 

If you take the tubing off and the port is above the water level won't it pull in max air? May just have to use the valve to shut off the air flow.

Depends how close to the surface the port is.. it could potentially siphon air in vortex style I suppose

 

I read somewhere that if I take the airline off, I should cap the VenturI hole with something. What do I use? I also read that this tubing can siphon water out of my tank so I definitely want to avoid that!

When I had them on my marine tank, I didn't cover the port for the airline. If you're concerned you can keep that airline in, cut short (a few inches above the water line) and put the valve on the end, closed completely

 

OK thank you!!

 

If the other end of the tube goes to the output nozzle of the pump, then it's for the venturi. Take it off if you don't want any bubbles.

Sharp eye !