Power Sweep powerheads: Good, bad, or just plain ugly

[polo]

Hey! I would like to know of your experiences with these powerheads. Thanks and have a super day!

[Brooke]

Good concept, bad (cheap) design and mechanisms, and ugly cuz they always stop sweeping and require lots of cleaning. Hopefully they will come out with a better sweeping mechanism. The one in the ph is cheapo plastic that clogs way too easily with algae, etc. A Sea Swirl or the swirly ones that attach to your return seem to work a lot better.

my .02-
Brooke

[Rick O]

I hate to downright bash a company but I haven't heard of one person that has had success with powersweeps without having to make their own modifications to them.

I bought one and the sweep function worked for less than 24 hours and was noisey when it did work. When it quit I took it apart and cleaned it. After that it worked for less than one full cycle. Even used as a PH alone they are weak.

There was a long thread about them on another board which I e-mailed to ZooMed but they never responded. I guess they had nothing to say so whenever someone asks I always tell them of my experiences.

Rick

[Powrplay]

Ditto not a long term sweeper. I'm not sure how it will do in freshwater but, IME, will eventually stop sweeping. I've only had the 214 series with thumbs down to it.

[mandarin1]

Have one that lasted for about 2 weeks before it stopped rotating. Use it in bucket to mix salt water now. sweeps when it wants to mostly not.