Help with Powerhead placement

[towels]

Looking for recommendations on Powerhead placement based on the photos of my scape below.

I often have sand getting kicked up regardless of location.
Tried this layout last night and this is the result.

IM ext75 3x2x2
2nd week after cycle
Dmp30s typically on lowest setting (random)
Carribsea special grade

 

[Mr. Mojo Rising]

I would suggest its important to have agitation on the water surface, a flat surface is no good, so point either the return or powerhead upward.

Next is to try to position the flow against each other, so that 2 flows bounce off each other and create random flow patterns. Its not as easy as it sounds and it takes some playing around with.

Sand will also get 'heavier' in time as it gets colonized with bacteria and film algae, so it won't blow around so much.

Good luck

 

[Vivid Creative Aquatics Verified Sponsor]

New sand will always get blown around - it need a little time time to form a bio film and get sticky.

With tha said, try running just one power head, down in the lower back corner sort of pointed back behind the aquascape. set it to a lower setting - either constant one or a very slow ramp up/down- at least initialy.

That will help form a strong laminar flow around around the tank. then, those four 1/2in RFG nozzles you have will then help to break up that laminar flow and create really nice water movement throughout the tank.

I would also take two Ys with the 1/2in RFG and point one more parallel to the surface and diagonally across the tank, and then leave the other the way you have them now - pointed more downward. do that for each side.

 

[towels]

New sand will always get blown around - it need a little time time to form a bio film and get sticky.

With tha said, try running just one power head, down in the lower back corner sort of pointed back behind the aquascape. set it to a lower setting - either constant one or a very slow ramp up/down- at least initialy.

That will help form a strong laminar flow around around the tank. then, those four 1/2in RFG nozzles you have will then help to break up that laminar flow and create really nice water movement throughout the tank.

I would also take two Ys with the 1/2in RFG and point one more parallel to the surface and diagonally across the tank, and then leave the other the way you have them now - pointed more downward. do that for each side.

Thanks for the detailed reply. I've got one running on the back left now in the cove pushing water across the tank. It's creating a solid cycle around the scape and back to the powerhead. Would you recommend leaving as is and introduce the second powerhead on a corals-needs basis? or possibly put it on the same side of the current running head to break the cycle or even the opposite side to increase the cycle speed?

 

[TacticalBacon]

I got some agronite(sp) and sifted through it for the larger pieces, a 10lb bag got me about 2 pounds of good size grains/peebles and I mixed them in with some of my sand to keep to from blowing around.
It took me several, and by several, I mean, 10+ rinses to get all the dust off it before it ran clear. Giant pain the butt but it did the job.

This is after I had it up and running for a few months and the sand stopped moving. I didn't like the 2 bare spots I had. I technically had 3 bare spots but one is from Sally the Clarkii Clown and when I filled in her hole, she dug it back out.

It really keeps the sand from moving and I now have no bare spots.