8' long tank - Spray bar or both end returns?

MjOB

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Hello, I am in the design phase for plumbing on my tank. It's 8' x 30" x 30" (~360 gallons) and I have a negative space aquascape. I'm going to have 2 returns, I am planning for 1 return (Abyzz a100) to be over-the-top on the left side of the tank - the overflow is on the left side of the tank. I plan on having 2 Stream 3's on the left side of the tank as well (along the far left wall - spaced so one is close to the front wall and the other close to the back wall)

The 2nd return (Varios-8) I'm debating on having placed in the middle of the far right wall vs a spray bar along the whole back.

With it in the middle of the far right wall, I would think the water would move along the front and back walls, and then return through the middle of the tank.
With a spray bar, I think I would minimize the risk of any dead spaces throughout the whole tank.

Anyone have thoughts or recommendations on this?
Aquarium Plumbing.jpg
 

Cory

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All i can say is spray bars mostly work only for 2 feet max because they reduce too much flow. Id stick with the other ideas.
 

Lost in the Sauce

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I think an 8-ft tank is going to require a lot more force being pushed through the returns, spray bars work well for.

For example I have a spray bar on a 30 gallon frag tank turning over 10x water volume.

I can barely feel the flow two feet away.
 

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