FLOW GOAL: Let's talk about Methods, Equipment, Lessons and Goals

How are you accomplishing water flow in your reef tank?

  • Powerhead Type Pumps

    Votes: 490 67.0%
  • Closed Loop

    Votes: 30 4.1%
  • Return Pump

    Votes: 408 55.8%
  • Wavemaker

    Votes: 275 37.6%
  • Other (please explain)

    Votes: 20 2.7%

  • Total voters
    731

revhtree

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It was suggested that we talk about water flow in one of our daily questions and poll so here we go with FLOW! As you well know flow is very important for our tank for a multitude of reasons and choosing the right solution, pumps etc. is vital to the long term success of your reef. So help me out here and answer these questions and help us understand your FLOW GOAL!

1. What pumps, equipment, devices etc. are you using for flow?

2. Do you have some type of method or idea that you're employing to accomplish your flow goals? (gyre, random, closed loop, just stick a pump on the glass etc)

3. What have you learned when it comes to producing flow in your tank? Pros and Cons!

4. What is your goal for flow in your tank? (seems obvious but maybe not)

1553801673945.png
 

lapin

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Mp60's and a return pump feeding 3 sea swirls.
I do have 1 small Jebao in the back corner that points up to ripple the surface ( shimmy shimmy coco...kessils)
The new nem tank 20G has 2 of those Jebao's set on low. 1 hour cycle on then 1 hour off for each / opposite times
 

SDK

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Here is something I recently learned that may be helpful to others...

Do not overpower your return pump when keeping AIO tanks. I did a "recommended" upgrade and it caused several issues for me. The main ones were:

  • Water level in the display section was too close to the top, so splashover and salt creep were a constant issue.

  • I could not use my InTank refugium properly. The flow pinned the chaeto into a dense mat at the bottom of the basket that could not get enough light.

  • The high flow did not give bubbles from the skimmer discharge a chance to off gas in the back compartment. This caused a lot of microbubbles to make it into the display. This problem completely disappeared when I dropped the flow back down to the manufacturers recommendation.

You are better off with lower flow through the back, and using a stronger wavemaker/powerhead for flow in the display tank...
 
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Brew12

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I dislike the look of powerheads in my system but I was told I needed 50x tank volume for flow rates. I purchased a bunch of powerheads and run them in my sump. Everything is great! ;Troll

Ok, maybe not....

1. What pumps, equipment, devices etc. are you using for flow?
I have a pair of XF 250's on each side of my 30" wide tank.

2. Do you have some type of method or idea that you're employing to accomplish your flow goals? (gyre, random, closed loop, just stick a pump on the glass etc)
Almost all gyre, but as the gyre switches direction the water streams collide providing a shifting turbulent zone to help lift and remove debris.

3. What have you learned when it comes to producing flow in your tank? Pros and Cons!
I've learned that to establish a high quality gyre flow, the pump must be close to the width of the tank. This becomes critical when you add rocks. Otherwise, the flow hits the structure and gets diverted sideways. You want as wide a stream as possible so the flow is forced around any structures it encounters.

4. What is your goal for flow in your tank? (seems obvious but maybe not)
Velocity is king for acros. I don't care about turbulance, randomness or turn over rate. I want my water traveling past my coral at least 6" per second and I'm happy with it up to 12" per second.

One of the first indications I have that I need to clean a gyre or that it isn't working correctly is that my Alk demand drops. To me, that is a key indicator of the importance of velocity.
 

lapin

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Maybe not, very funny are you
 

Billldg

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I do most of my tank turnover with powerheads. I have 1 mp40, 1 mp10, and I just installed a gyre 350. I have all 3 running between 30 to 40 percent turning my tank over 40x’s. All my powerheads are running a variable speed setting. I also just installed a new Cor20 return pump. I have it running at 40 percent also, but could easily double the return.
 

vetteguy53081

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On My 660g.. . . .. 6000gph return pump with two icecap gyres as backups on backup batteries in event of power outage.
On my 93g Cube . . . . Two Hydor nano pumps and one tunze medium pump plus return from a sicce 4.0 and adding an Ai Nero today
On My 50g Cube . . . . Two sicce 2.0 and Ai Nero5
 
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hollback

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I have two oscillating powerheads in my 120 SPS tank. After having my system like this for the pay 8 years I will NEVER run a system without this added dimension of movement. Here is my old thread:

 

Mical

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I run Mag pumps for my returns and vortechs for my powerheads. MP10s on 65gal and MP40s on 120gal. I use variable flow patterns via my Apex.

As far as what I learned - yea... my 65g w/MP10s loves high flow - lots of rock and crevices. On my 120g & MP40s - medium to low flow. (MP40s crank alot of water) I'm finding at 30% Lagoon setting my nems are happy. Most of time my powerheads are running anti-sync.
 

BryanJ

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Currently I use 2 powerheads on my 120 plus the return from the overflow for about 5000 GPH and on my 75 I have a closed loop plus a tunze tha runs at 1100 gph
 

Jon Fishman

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I counted “Return Pump” but honestly I think my 6x MP40’s in my 145-ish gallon tank are doing the heavy lifting
 

IronVulture

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In my 120 I use two apex wav pumps mounted to sea sweeps. I also use a tunze wavebox to create a standing wave. I love the wave and natural looking sway to my corals but not a fan of how big it is. I believe flow is probably one of the most important things to consider when setting up your tank even more important than light.
 

Nimitz87

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2x jebao 8k's and 2x icecap gyre 3k's in a 75 gallon mixed reef, gyres are set to 100% I use tropic eden reef flakes, no issue with sand storms.

jebao's are on 1" returns set to 50% with 1" random flow generator nozzles, bean animal 1.5" modular marine overflow.

the more flow the better.
 

Jeffdstafford

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Mp60's and a return pump feeding 3 sea swirls.
I do have 1 small Jebao in the back corner that points up to ripple the surface ( shimmy shimmy coco...kessils)
The new nem tank 20G has 2 of those Jebao's set on low. 1 hour cycle on then 1 hour off for each / opposite times
I’m thinking of adding a sea swirl to my return; how are you dealing with the back siphon though? Does your sump just have enough space to handle the extra water or did you do a siphon break of some sort?
 

gcrawford

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Have tried all the expensive stuff, vortech and such and I have always come back to the Jebaos for ease of cleaning and they just work. I appreciate being able to point them in the direction I want v/s MP10/40 being in a fixed trajectory.
 

lapin

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I’m thinking of adding a sea swirl to my return; how are you dealing with the back siphon though? Does your sump just have enough space to handle the extra water or did you do a siphon break of some sort?
I drilled a hole just below the water line which breaks the siphon.
I dont have a picture of it.
Here are 2 pictures when I was setting up the tank showing the original and what I went with.

Long_pipes.jpg




Clear_45s.jpg
 

siggy

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I dislike the look of powerheads in my system but I was told I needed 50x tank volume for flow rates. I purchased a bunch of powerheads and run them in my sump. Everything is great! ;Troll

Ok, maybe not....

1. What pumps, equipment, devices etc. are you using for flow?
I have a pair of XF 250's on each side of my 30" wide tank.

2. Do you have some type of method or idea that you're employing to accomplish your flow goals? (gyre, random, closed loop, just stick a pump on the glass etc)
Almost all gyre, but as the gyre switches direction the water streams collide providing a shifting turbulent zone to help lift and remove debris.

3. What have you learned when it comes to producing flow in your tank? Pros and Cons!
I've learned that to establish a high quality gyre flow, the pump must be close to the width of the tank. This becomes critical when you add rocks. Otherwise, the flow hits the structure and gets diverted sideways. You want as wide a stream as possible so the flow is forced around any structures it encounters.

4. What is your goal for flow in your tank? (seems obvious but maybe not)
Velocity is king for acros. I don't care about turbulance, randomness or turn over rate. I want my water traveling past my coral at least 6" per second and I'm happy with it up to 12" per second.

One of the first indications I have that I need to clean a gyre or that it isn't working correctly is that my Alk demand drops. To me, that is a key indicator of the importance of velocity.
Hey This is realy the first time I picked up on the importance of Velocity, I just thought volume was key. Thread please.
Here are 2 pictures when I was setting up the tank showing the original and what I went with.
Nice rock, heirlooms ? :D

FWIW I have 2 opposing MP40's on a 48" and an M2 return with the dual random flow thingy's :rolleyes: Thinking about the maxpect gyree or more mp's
 

A worm with high fashion and practical utility: Have you ever kept feather dusters in your reef aquarium?

  • I currently have feather dusters in my tank.

    Votes: 66 37.5%
  • Not currently, but I have had feather dusters in my tank in the past.

    Votes: 59 33.5%
  • I have not had feather dusters, but I hope to in the future.

    Votes: 25 14.2%
  • I have no plans to have feather dusters in my tank.

    Votes: 26 14.8%
  • Other.

    Votes: 0 0.0%
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