# Controlling Koralia powerhead rate using fan controller



## Calzone (6 Feb 2012)

Can anyone help here?

I have a Koralia 2800lph powerhead and would like to be able to control the flow on it (pretty aggressive as is).

Can I just plug it into a cheapo ebay-sourced electric fan controller (300W, 240V) and then into the plug socket, and adjust it by twiddling the knob like a dimmer switch?

cheers

Calzone


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## hinch (6 Feb 2012)

theoretically sure what effect the lowering of current will have on the motor is anyones guess. 

i read about someone (sure it was on here) using abit of plastic bottle to block off half of the back of the powerhead to stop effectively half the flow rate


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## Calzone (6 Feb 2012)

sound like a recipe for cavitation/motor burn out to me, but am not an expert.  I imagine a few curious cherries will have the same effect  )


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## freelanderuk (6 Feb 2012)

It will not work , i bought the same thing to try the  same and all that happens is the power head stops and will not run untill you turn the cotroller back to full power


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## Antipofish (6 Feb 2012)

freelanderuk said:
			
		

> It will not work , i bought the same thing to try the  same and all that happens is the power head stops and will not run untill you turn the cotroller back to full power



Thats put an end to that then Nick   Im sure there are powerheads out there that can be power regulated though.  Tunze ?  And I think the vortechs ?


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## sussex_cichlids (7 Feb 2012)

I was thinking of using a birthday balloon to stretched over the back of it your then be able to cut holes in it with a sharp knife or scissors to allow as much flow as you want

Also with using a fan/motor speed controller it must be a speed controller and not a light dimmer i deconstructed an old desktop fan and doctored the three speed button output to my Koralia and it worked fine had all three speeds when pressed the three different buttons.


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## clonitza (7 Feb 2012)

Antipofish said:
			
		

> Thats put an end to that then Nick   Im sure there are powerheads out there that can be power regulated though.  Tunze ?  And I think the vortechs ?



Sicce also and there are others.


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## Calzone (7 Feb 2012)

I figured it was to do with having to adjust the frequency of the ac and not just the voltage. Not sure how fans are different from powerheads mind you.  I will plant up and give it a try anyway as the plants will likely slow flow speed down.  It's a lot of flow though, 2800 Lph from the koralia, 1200 or so from the 2180 and maybe 600 Lph from the allpondsolutions.  But it's still only 14 x turnover.

It's impressive this koralia - 4W and it produces 2800 Lph albeit with no head, and it does it over a surprisingly broad front so the water speed isn't shocking, it's only when you look at the volume of water moving you realise how much it's doing.  Mind you it's easy to see the water column moving when half your Aquasoil powder is being whipped up off the bottom...

I have it on the back wall at the top, in the middle pointing flat towards the front.  It's a bit bigger than anticipated so probably sticks out 12-15 cm from the back wall.  The substrate is the best part of 50-55 cm below this.


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