Archipelago style aquascape and flow

[CatsandClowns]

Heyo! I'm preparing to set up a Fiji Cube 38-gallon peninsula AIO and have been planning an archipelago-style rockscape for the center strip of the tank. My idea is to create a series of islands, ranging from small to large, with some smaller islands closer to the glass, mainly for aesthetics and microfauna rather than coral placement. These smaller islands will be kept low to avoid impeding water flow.

Given that the rockscape will include some tunnels running along the tank's length as well as several tight gullies between the islands, how would you recommend maximizing water flow to minimize dead spots within these spaces? I have a standard wavemaker ready for use during cycling, but before adding fish or coral, I want to understand how to achieve proper circulation.

Would it be beneficial to place a gyre pump at the far end opposite the return pump? Also, would adding a secondary adjustable wavemaker diagonally on the same side as the return pump, positioned above the weir, help create a good rocking motion and overall circulation? Brand preferences are flexible as long as the pumps provide effective flow.

For context, my only previous tank was a 15-gallon, so I'm new to managing water flow in a longer tank like this.
Thanks for your advice!

 

[ReeferDog]

Are you planning on making the new setup bare bottom, or do you have substrate?
IMO, with bare bottom, your options for getting flow are a lot easier without having to worry about blowing sand around with low-mounted gyres or power heads.

 

[CatsandClowns]

Are you planning on making the new setup bare bottom, or do you have substrate?
IMO, with bare bottom, your options for getting flow are a lot easier without having to worry about blowing sand around with low-mounted gyres or power heads.

I work with bare-bottom clown harem FOWLR systems, and it’s a lot of work to keep them clean. I can’t imagine that with corals as well. For that method, I would much prefer if I had ample live rock to begin with. Since I will only have 15-17 pounds to start, I think I’m going to stick with a 1” course sandbed. Plus, I like the natural look of it more, as well as how inverts, fish, and microfauna interact with the sand, including them kicking it up from time to time! I ended up not getting a gyre, instead just a platinum slim DC 2600 wavemaker. It should be fine for the time being, if not, I can cannibalize a decent wavemaker from my 15-gallon.

 

[CatsandClowns]

Are you planning on making the new setup bare bottom, or do you have substrate?
IMO, with bare bottom, your options for getting flow are a lot easier without having to worry about blowing sand around with low-mounted gyres or power heads.

Though from my understanding, the direct flow on a coral or rock area shouldn't need to be high as long as the surrounding current is strong enough to pull water past them. For context, I do want to grow branching SPS in the future, so I will need to experiment with strong multidirectional, random, and turbulent flow. For that reason, I'm less inclined to go with a gyre and more so for two alternating, yet random wavemakers

 

[ReeferDog]

Are you planning on making the new setup bare bottom, or do you have substrate?
IMO, with bare bottom, your options for getting flow are a lot easier without having to worry about blowing sand around with low-mounted gyres or power heads.

Though from my understanding, the direct flow on a coral or rock area shouldn't need to be high as long as the surrounding current is strong enough to pull water past them. For context, I do want to grow branching SPS in the future, so I will need to experiment with strong multidirectional, random, and turbulent flow. For that reason, I'm less inclined to go with a gyre and more so for two alternating, yet random wavemakers

Sounds like a better plan to me. Mount them on opposite side at slightly different heights and you should get nice random flow.