Fluval AquaClear 50 Powerhead - up to 189 L

The Fluval AquaClear 50 Powerhead - up to 189 L is a submersible water pump for aquariums up to 189 L — it moves water rather than filtering it, creating current, driving an undergravel filter or running an accessory.

Key Features

• A pump, not a filter. It has no media and does no mechanical, chemical or biological filtration on its own
• Sits inside the tank on suction cups or a bracket and pushes water out through a directional nozzle
• Used for three jobs: creating current in a tank that has dead spots, driving an undergravel filter plate from the uplift tube, and powering accessories such as a venturi aerator
• Adjustable flow control and a directional output so the current can be aimed where it is needed
• Sized to match the AquaClear 50, so the output suits a tank of up to 189 L
• For use in both freshwater and saltwater aquariums
• Made by Fluval, the aquatics brand of Rolf C. Hagen, which has been building aquarium filters since 1975

What A Powerhead Is For

• Still water is the enemy in an aquarium. Debris settles in corners the filter cannot reach and the surface stops exchanging gas
• Aimed just under the surface it creates a ripple, which is how oxygen actually gets into the water — surface agitation, not bubbles
• On an undergravel plate it pulls water down through the gravel, which turns the substrate itself into the biological filter
• It will not replace a filter. If your tank has no filter, a powerhead alone will not keep the water safe

Maintenance

• Unplug anything electrical before putting your hands in the tank
• Pull the impeller out every couple of months and clean the shaft and housing. Limescale and slime on the shaft are what make a powerhead rattle
• Check the intake strainer for debris. A blocked intake makes the motor run hot
• Never run it out of water, even briefly

Good To Know

• This listing previously described the powerhead as a multi-stage filtration system with a filtration volume seven times larger than comparable filters. That is the description of the AquaClear power filter, a different product. A powerhead is a pump
• If you want filtration, you want the AquaClear or AC power filter. If you have one already and need more movement, this is the right product
• Strong current stresses bettas, fancy goldfish and other long-finned fish. Aim the flow at a wall or turn it down for those tanks
• Small fish and shrimp can be drawn into an unguarded intake. A sponge pre-filter over the strainer solves it