Flow for mixed reef peninsula

[dbleoh7]

I'm having a peninsula built that is 48" x 18" x 14" (L x W x H). I'm not wanting any hardware on the peninsula side, but was hoping to get away with one gyre on the side against the wall to maintain the sleek appearance. It will just be a couple of easy SPS (green slimer) in the middle and mostly softies. The rockscape is going to be mostly shallow rocks in a minimalistic scape. Could I get away with just one gyre and which gyre would you recommend? I would rather spend more on a more functional gyre that I can control with my phone.

 

[Alchameth]

I have a few IceCaps and only thing I run anymore. You can buy them with a wifi controller that can control 2. I have a 5ft peninsula tank too and debated the same thing you were and tried a few different ways. I have a 1K, 2K, and 3K gyre. With all my LPS, having all the flow coming from one end was just too much. I ended up settling on the 1K on the side with the overflow and 2K at the far end. Both of them dialed down some too. Since I'm doing edge mounted light bar I'll run the cord up and over so it wasn't a big deal for me.

If you do setting for one on one end, I'd suggest you buy the gyre kit so you can run 2 of the same blades eg A and A or B and B ... This way you can get some alternating flow. I've gone back and forth on that one but think I'm going to swap back to that way.

 

[dbleoh7]

I have a few IceCaps and only thing I run anymore. You can buy them with a wifi controller that can control 2. I have a 5ft peninsula tank too and debated the same thing you were and tried a few different ways. I have a 1K, 2K, and 3K gyre. With all my LPS, having all the flow coming from one end was just too much. I ended up settling on the 1K on the side with the overflow and 2K at the far end. Both of them dialed down some too. Since I'm doing edge mounted light bar I'll run the cord up and over so it wasn't a big deal for me.

If you do setting for one on one end, I'd suggest you buy the gyre kit so you can run 2 of the same blades eg A and A or B and B ... This way you can get some alternating flow. I've gone back and forth on that one but think I'm going to swap back to that way.

How deep is your tank? I'm thinking since my scape will have just shallow rocks and my tank is only 14" high that I might be able to get away with just 1. I looked those up and read a couple reviews of people using the 2k on a 50 gallon tank and they said it was too strong on even the lowest setting. The size I would need seems to be 1K which is unfortunately no longer made. I really want one that I can program to go at different speeds throughout the day like I have with my Vortech.

 

[Alchameth]

You can set different modes, flow patterns, speed throughout the day and you could take off one of the blades and cap it. Ran the 1k in my biocube that way for awhile. My tank is 24in

 

[dbleoh7]

I can't get a 1k since its discontinued... Has anyone ran a 2k on a tank my size with success?

 

[Alchameth]

I ran the same 1K and 2K on a standard 90G (48X18X24)

 

[dbleoh7]

Just to conclude the thread in case someone is looking for the same issue. I ended up switching to 2 x Nero 5 on the side of the peninsula tank. The gyre's didn't give that great of random flow (although maybe I just didn't know how to adjust them appropriately). 1 x Gyre 2k was barely enough to cover the tank