Hello reefers!
I'm looking to up the flow in my monster FO(WLR) tank. Most of the monster threads I've been through are using somewhere north of 4x 4000+gph powerheads for flow, granted mostly for reefs.
Currently I have this (controlled water flow shown along with a rough aquascape. Tank is roughly 10' long x 34" wide x 28" tall):
The only flow is from the return pumps, which I'm currently estimating about 3x system volume (750g) total flow from 2 pumps, so about 2250gph. They enter just under the surface. I have several braces that break the surface and have some definite stagnant flow between a couple of them.
My question is, where do I need to go with these big powerheads and what might be some good options for me (Gyre style pumps vs traditional impeller styles, concentrated flow vs broader more conical patterns, do lots of smaller pumps vs a few big ones, etc)?
I've tried digging around, but not finding a lot of similar setups with the end-to-end flow like this. I've seen a lot of side overflows and some creative inflows, and I don't have a good way to redo the overall circuit at this time.
Right now, I would likely do 4-6 powerheads (depending on power and flow shape) spaced across the tank in pairs just increasing the existing flow pattern (across top which should draw back along the bottom), but I'm new to all this so don't know if that's a good plan or if I'm just moving some water around with no real purpose.
I'm looking to up the flow in my monster FO(WLR) tank. Most of the monster threads I've been through are using somewhere north of 4x 4000+gph powerheads for flow, granted mostly for reefs.
Currently I have this (controlled water flow shown along with a rough aquascape. Tank is roughly 10' long x 34" wide x 28" tall):
The only flow is from the return pumps, which I'm currently estimating about 3x system volume (750g) total flow from 2 pumps, so about 2250gph. They enter just under the surface. I have several braces that break the surface and have some definite stagnant flow between a couple of them.
My question is, where do I need to go with these big powerheads and what might be some good options for me (Gyre style pumps vs traditional impeller styles, concentrated flow vs broader more conical patterns, do lots of smaller pumps vs a few big ones, etc)?
I've tried digging around, but not finding a lot of similar setups with the end-to-end flow like this. I've seen a lot of side overflows and some creative inflows, and I don't have a good way to redo the overall circuit at this time.
Right now, I would likely do 4-6 powerheads (depending on power and flow shape) spaced across the tank in pairs just increasing the existing flow pattern (across top which should draw back along the bottom), but I'm new to all this so don't know if that's a good plan or if I'm just moving some water around with no real purpose.