Replacement power head / pump - any ideas?

[mrsjoannh13]

I have a UNS 60A tank - it's the all in one type of tank with a chamber in the back for the filter media and a power head pump.   It is the bane of my existence.   First, cleaning the chamber is a royal pain in the rear.  But second (and more importantly) the power head that came with the unit has got to go.  The tubing that runs from the power head up through the little hole from the chamber compartment to the main tank is constantly coming off the power head.   So the water is not circulating properly from the back part of the tank to the front (where the fish are).   I'm including a link to the tank so you can see what I'm talking about in terms of the back chamber section.  It seemed like a good idea in theory when I bought the tank - all of the filter media and the heater is hidden.  But it's not so great in reality.  

https://ultumnaturesystems.com/complete-all-in-one-aquarium/

I do have one of Cory's sponge filters in the main section of the tank providing extra filtration and basically keeping the fish alive when the power head comes apart and doesn't circulate water properly.   But I'd like to replace that power head with something else in the back compartment that will be more reliable and keep the water flowing over the filter media in the back section.

Does anyone have any experience with this or opinions on what you'd replace the power head with?  I appreciate any input or advice.  Thanks!

[Atitagain]

I might be off here but if you hate it why not delete using it and use your sponge filter only. Maybe you will need to upsize you sponge. Not sure it wouldn’t be to big but you could add a ACO powerhead to the top of the sponge filter.https://www.aquariumcoop.com/collections/equipment/products/aquarium-co-op-power-head

Or get a small circulator. I had a 3G with a built in system like that and that is what I did. Like you said they are a pain to maintain.

[StevesFishTanks]

I built my own filter system similar to this using a sicce silent pump. The one I used was the 1.0

You can also try using a zip tie or a hose clamp to keep the tubing on your powerhead or the new pump

Edited October 17, 2021 by s1_

[mrsjoannh13]

On 10/17/2021 at 1:49 PM, Atitagain said:

I might be off here but if you hate it why not delete using it and use your sponge filter only.

I am not sure the sponge filter only would be enough for the tank.  It seems to me like the design of the tank with all the filter media in the back section requires some sort of pump back there to pull the water through and over the filter media and sending it back out into the main section of the tank in order to properly filter out waste.  I'd be leery of foregoing that filtration for the size and bioload of the tank.  I could be wrong, but that's why I'd like to keep it going.  

On 10/17/2021 at 1:58 PM, s1_ said:

I built my own filter system similar to this using a sicce silent pump. The one I used was the 1.0

You can also try using a zip tie or a hose clamp to keep the tubing on your powerhead or the new pump

Thanks for the recommendation.  We do have a zip tie around the hose on the current pump but it keeps popping off.   I might look into the one you've linked here to see if it's a better, more reliable option.   Thank you!

[StevesFishTanks]

another option may be buying a new section of flexible tubing maybe slightly smaller. Install it using the trick cory had shown in a video where you put the end in boiling water to soften it up. When it cools down it should be on there pretty solid.

[CT_]

A zip tie around it would help too.  or a more elastic tubing like silicone.