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Waterflow and Powerhead placement

K

KennyZush

Reading a recent thread has inspired some thoughts about the importance of proper waterflow in the reef aquarium.

My question of the membership is: What tends to be the most effective way to create positive waterflow in a tank?

Should the powerheads be placed in random directions? Should they be pointing directly at the rock itself?

I am newer to the hobby (a few months) and have keep the powerhead placement as it was when I rescued the tank (90g 4'w x 2'h x1.5' deep approx.). There is one main current producer being pumped up from the filtration blowing from the back left corner of the tank across to the front. There are also two powerheads located in both rear corners blowing forward.

I do not think this setup is ideal and could be contributing to some algae problems.

What does the membership think the optimum setup for waterflow is in a tank of mixed corals?

Any feedback would be useful.

Kenny Z.
 
C

Carlo

I think you'll get a lot of different answers to this question as there are many "styles" of flow in the tank. I look forward to reading what others are doing so maybe I can pick up a couple of good tips too.

To me, my goal is to have enough flow in the tank that detritus and organics are kept free floating in the water column and aren't given a chance to settle on the rock or substrate. At the same time I don't want the substrate getting blown around. I don't worry about X times flow (ie 20x tank volume) numbers as I think you need to keep adding pumps until you get enough flow. In addition to keeping matter free flowing I try and have certain regions with higher flow and other regions with lower flow as I run a mixed reef tank and different corals demand different flow.

Generally speaking I've had the best luck in the past by putting the powerheads on the side of the tank and blowing in towards the rock. I found this to help keep the rocks a lot cleaner then having the powerheads on the back of the tank blowing away from the rock.

I'm about to start working on the flow in my 265 which I just got filled up with water and placed 500+ lbs of live rock in along with a thin layer of sugar size sand (Fiji Pink).

Here is what I'm planning on doing. The tank is reef ready so my returns (one on each side of tank) are feeding lactate nozzles. I have these aimed behind the rock work. The flow from these will not be strong as a powerhead as it's only returning the filtration and not designed for heavy flow.

I've burned out more powerheads then I care to comment on using wave boxes so on this tank I'm going a different direction. I'm utilizing 2 Wavy Sea Plus rotating devices mounted on the crossbraces of the tank. Each will be set to rotate 180 degrees. What I like about the Wavy Sea devices is that they are programable and you can control the speed the device rotates. So I should be able to pick a different speed for each device which will create a random flow in the tank. I'm sure I'll augment this with a small powerhead or two thrown in to direct more current at some of the acros in the tank which like higher flow. I can use these divices with a closed loop or I can attach a powerhead to them. I'm not sure which direction I'll go with yet (I'll play and see what works well).

Getting back to your "algae problems". If you can try and move the powerheads to the front corners and have them blow towards the opposite back corner and see if this helps. If the powerheads aren't strong enough to make it to the opposite corner then try aiming them at the middle of the rockwork.

Since every tank has different rockwork that will block the flow it's hard to say what will work in your case but you can experiment to see what works best with the equipment you have.

Carlo
 
kabal2

kabal2

KennyZush, what kind of pumps are you talking about, if is a powerful powerhead, you can aim them to the middle of the tank, and the return aim them behind the rockwork, another idea is can you put the power heands in a wavemaker??, if you do maybe you can put less powerheands aiming to different directions,

ps, what kind of powerheands are you using btw??

Gabe
 
K

KennyZush

I am afraid that I am not sure the brand/capacity of the powerheads in the tank. What I can tell you is that they hang from their cords over the edge of the tank and produce slightly less than moderate flow. If something were to blow in front of them (a piece of food or otherwise), it would make it a little less than 1/2 way across the tank. The big current comes from the pump located in my wet/dry system under the tank which comes up through the reservoir and blows over my rock diagonally across the front of the tank. These two seem to be afterthoughts not positioned for any particular reason.

Kenny
 
K

KennyZush

Awesome.
Thanks a lot.
Only one question...How do I know which one is for me?? (remember, I am new to the hobby and I have alot to learn..)
I have a 90gal mixed tank w/about 80lbs of live rock (estimated).
The tank is approx 4' wide.
What do you think?

Kenny Z.
 
kabal2

kabal2

i will go with 2 hidor 3 or 4s, and removed the other pump that you talking about, slow down the flow from your sump, that sound that you have a lot, and if you need more flow you can add your old pump, and if you need even more flow, well then we need to talk about other kind of pumps ;D

Gabe
 
mikem

mikem

Officer Emeritus
Officer Emeritus
I would do two # 3's. i have a 4 on one side of a 6ft tank and that blows half way across the tank.
 
kabal2

kabal2

if you talking about the sweper power head, i dont think they are good because the will stop at one point or other, you can get a maxijet and do some mods, but you will spend even more money doing that, that just buying the hidors or mini tunzes

Gabe
 
mfisher2112

mfisher2112

Hi Kenny:

I have a Hydor Koralia #3 on a 4ft 90 gallon tank and it reaches at least half way across the tank.

I'm putting another HK3 on the opposite end of the tank, both on the sides, towards the back, angled slightly forward. With the returns combined from my sump, this should provide amble flow to keep just about anything suspended in the water column.

I'd say go with two Hydor Koralia #3 for your 90 gallon. If you feel like you have a dead spot or need more flow somewhere else in the tank, you can always add a 3rd small power head somewhere else in the tank.

I've been running the hydor koralia #3 against a tunze nanostream 6045 since around christmas time, and I am actually replacing the tunze with the second K3. The tunze has nice wide flow that is pretty far reaching, and it is easier to direct where you want it to go with the pivot ball on the magnet mount. I think you will be very happy with them.
 
P

pgordemer

Officer Emeritus
Officer Emeritus
I run 2 - Koralia #4's in my 90 and just love it. Since adding it, all my Brown Diatom problems have gone since it never has time to settle on the sand.

1 is mounted in the left corner pointer to the center front of the tank, the other one is on the right wall pointing straight to the left wall. Good movement mixture where the 2 intersect.
 
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