Do I need wave makers?

[Letta's Lettuce]

New to saltwater but not to fishkeeping. Everything came together secondhand. I have:

Nuvo AIO 40 cube.
Jebao DC return pump (30w controller)
Aquashield 11w UV light
Aqua gadget SkimMate ghost skimmer midsize

I put in a Fluval prism 2.0 light just to start.

Been running about 4 months. Had 2 clowns for 2 months and just added a sifter goby, bi-colour Angel, and chocolate chip starfish. All were decided upon with help.

I have 2 Sicce voyager nano stream pump q Max 1000 L/h. I have not put these in yet because I have no idea what to do with them. Do I need them without coral? If I should use them, best positioning in tank?

Sorry for the horrible quality photo. I changed the colour of the light for the photo to help illuminate it more...

Thank you for any help!

 

[MoshJosh]

Honestly I am not a FOWLER expert, but I think the answer will be YES, you should have more flow than just the return pump. That being said the Sicce's you have are not exactly wavemakers (as least as I understand the term), they do not simulate wave movement by ramping up and down or starting and stopping, they just push water continuously. They are great pumps, I have a few running right now, but I prefer the flow created by "wavemakers". I THINK they are better and more natural for your tank inhabitants (though what is natural about a glass box).

 

[Mr. Mojo Rising]

Personally I think flow is very important in a salt tank, and its often underestimated. We are replicating the ocean after all, not a pond or a stream. Even with fish only, rocks and flow are the biofilter. (google about 'the berlin method", this explains biofiltration in a salt tank)

Even my 15 gallon has 2 sicce voyager nano's.

I like to have one powerhead pointed at the water surface to agitate the surface and help oxygenate the water. It always helps to have another powerhead on the opposite side to create random flow patterns, otherwise you have a one-way linear flow.

 

[Letta's Lettuce]

Okay, great! So I can attach one on each side, probably pointing into opposite corners? Because I can have the return pump pointing up at the surface which I have right now. I don't want to create a whirlpool...

 

[Mr. Mojo Rising]

Its easy to suggest to put powerheads into the tank, but not so easy to advise how to aim them lol.

Getting the flow right is not easy, it takes some experimenting. One trick is to put an airstone in the tank, that way you can see where the bubbles are flowing. You want to eliminate dead spots and also keep any food or detritus floating in the water column so it can be filtered out.

And as you add corals and they grow out, it will require some flow adjustments.... its something we are always tinkering with.

 

[Letta's Lettuce]

Personally I think flow is very important in a salt tank, and its often underestimated. We are replicating the ocean after all, not a pond or a stream. Even with fish only, rocks and flow are the biofilter. (google about 'the berlin method", this explains biofiltration in a salt tank)

Even my 15 gallon has 2 sicce voyager nano's.

I like to have one powerhead pointed at the water surface to agitate the surface and help oxygenate the water. It always helps to have another powerhead on the opposite side to create random flow patterns, otherwise you have a one-way linear flow.

Next question - you have a couple of those Nanos, eh? Mine are missing the magnet attachment, from what I can tell. Both of them.
I bought some rare earth magnet bars. Even the stack of 5 bars isn't enough to barely hold the pump to the wall of the tank.

Recommendations? How else can I get those things attached? A few months ago I looked up getting replacement magnets and it was ridiculously expensive. Not sure if it's any better now...

 

[CBonito]

Its easy to suggest to put powerheads into the tank, but not so easy to advise how to aim them lol.

Getting the flow right is not easy, it takes some experimenting. One trick is to put an airstone in the tank, that way you can see where the bubbles are flowing. You want to eliminate dead spots and also keep any food or detritus floating in the water column so it can be filtered out.

And as you add corals and they grow out, it will require some flow adjustments.... its something we are always tinkering with.

Preach it man! You can move 1 rock, and it will mess up everything and you'll have to figure it all our again. It seems like it would be fine, but that's not how it works!

 

[Devaji]

I would say 100% yes one needs flow even on a FOWLR tank.
now the trick in what kind of flow and how much we can debate this tell we are blue in the face.

so it sound slike you have just water pumps in the tank and not true "wavemakers" right?
there are either on or off is the correct?
if you I guess you could amim them at each other to get some of the turbulent flow that we need in the tank. this might work more than likely you will get dead spots and crap and well as sand will settle in areas.

my humble option is just get a small wave maker, you dont need the top of the line Mp10 all tho that would be a nice in there.

I used the jebao pumps they normally last a around 2+ years some more some less.
like this:


or the cross flow pumps:


I am using one currently in a RS 300XL
just keep in mind what ever wavemaker/power head you get flow will decrees with they get dirty expecally with the jebao ones.

on a side note be careful with magnets in the tank make 100% sure there is no exposed metal.
they rust. so what ever you get just keep an eye on it.

 

[Letta's Lettuce]

Update!

Bought a new, simple light, and two flow pumps from Amazon. Cheap as borscht. Excellent idea! Watched a video on basic positioning and away we go! Everyone looks much happier! All the detritus was picked up and moved around. Looking good!

I wish it was easier to get photos that actually do justice to the beauty of the tanks...

 

[Letta's Lettuce]

on a side note be careful with magnets in the tank make 100% sure there is no exposed metal.
they rust. so what ever you get just keep an eye on it.

The magnets actually went on the outside of the tank. The inside part is fully inclosed in plastic and rubber. I was putting bar magnets on the outside of the glass. Doesn't really matter, though, because I got a different kind with suction cups so it's all good!