What exactly is a powerhead?

[gale]

Is it a substitution for a pump? Can it power the air type decorations and/or a sponge filter? Most importantly, is it quiet?? I hate my whisper pump but I want to put a sponge filter in my big tank to have it ready in case I need it to quarantine new fish.

 

[Stryker]

A power head is a water pump that has an inlet and an outlet.

They are handy for all sorts of things, I personally use one to move water round in my tank and another for doing water changes.

For example, here is a link to what I use, the maxi-jet mj series.

http/www.aquaculture-hydroponics.co.uk/S...eries_MJ-2.html

HTH

 

[blue_ram]

They are handy for all sorts of things, I personally use one to move water round in my tank and another for doing water changes.

Powerheads are definitely handy for things like that. It definitely helps to ciculate the water around so that waste dosen't get collected on one spot. Some even runs in reverse, for use in reverse flow UG filter. But you need to put a sponge in the inlet, in reverse flow mode. Otherwise, you may find that little fish has tendency to get sucked in and chopped up by the impeller.

 

[Gazoo]

Most importantly, is it quiet??

The unit itself should be.

Until recent, I used to get a vibrating noise from my AquarClear 402 power head that's on a lift tube. When I swapped the included adapter cone with a power head adapter accessory the noise went away. The adapter does a much better job locking the power head in postion rather than forcing the cone into the tube.