ISO recommendation on wavemaker type(s) and positioning for 140 gal bowfront

JeffLED

Community Member
View Badges
Joined
Feb 23, 2020
Messages
55
Reaction score
28
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Hello everyone,
I am relatively new to the forum but have been in the hobby for quite some time. After a recent move, I am finally able to set up the aquarium of my dreams with a beautiful show tank in my livingroom. My livestock is patiently waiting in a 55 gallon in the basement but they are tired of hearing about the delays in their new construction. My breeding pair of ocellaris clowns said they do not want to bring children into their current situation. I assured them I was working on it!
Aquarium Specs:
- Aquavim 140 gallon seamless bowfront
- 60" long, 3/4" glass
- Single center overflow with 3/8" acrylic
- I am trying really hard to minimize equipment within the main show tank, and especially do not want any equipment on the outside of the aquarium on the (when looking at photo) left side of the aquarium. This is the angle that is most visible.
Planned livestock:
- mixed reef, primarily softies, low maintenance LPS
Situation: I am running into some problems because the aquarium glass is so thick. Initially, I wanted to use two MP10's on the back walls and call it a wrap...but the glass is too thick.
I considered a single MP40 on one side (not the back wall) but I fear this is not enough flow.
I am not considering a Gyre attached to the overflow wall (place magnet inside overflow). I would place it vertically to create a circular flow pattern. I do not have any experience with the Gyres, so I am not sure how effective they are at creating a flow in this vertical orientation. By using the overflow wall instead of the aquarium glass wall, then my thickness is only 3/8" so I could use any of the models.
I have attached a picture showing the options I have conceptualized. Has anyone tried these layouts? Any thoughts? Is there another better option I am not thinking of? I tried to provide enough images for context, but if this does not make sense, I am happy to elaborate!
Thanks!

Flow in 145 gal.jpg Gyre.jpg Pic.jpg Pic2.jpg
 
OP
OP
JeffLED

JeffLED

Community Member
View Badges
Joined
Feb 23, 2020
Messages
55
Reaction score
28
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
How bout using two Sea Swirls?
If that’s what I’m thinking of, they are designed to connect to a return.
I only have a single return line currently and I’m probably only putting about 900gph. If I split it to two, I’m not looking at to much. Do you think this would be enough flow for the whole tank?
 

Blue Spot Octopus

2500 Club Member
View Badges
Joined
Dec 30, 2016
Messages
3,321
Reaction score
1,397
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
One problem is that your tank is to close to the wall, yes you can split your returns, I would get a DC return pump, probably at least a 8 to 10k pump. They would work great on a softies tank, anemone tank if you get more even a SPS tank.
 
OP
OP
JeffLED

JeffLED

Community Member
View Badges
Joined
Feb 23, 2020
Messages
55
Reaction score
28
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Blue Spot, thank you for your time, but I do not think that is the solution I am going for. Splitting my return will complicate my issue (already running a Herbie system). A single seaswirl is a possibility, but it is not addressing my entire issue in terms of flow on the tank.

The tank is intentionally close to the wall. I have molding I am using to give it a "built in look". It has not been installed yet. Moving the tank off the wall further to allow pump placement is creating a bigger aesthetic problem. I have access to the back of the tank through the wall so that is not a problem for airflow and access. After 20 years in the hobby I am finally able to have a beautiful livingroom show tank and I am simply not willing to compromise on aesthetics. I need this aquarium to look even cleaner and more finished than my wife's Ethan Allen furniture set that sits next to it

DC? The only DC I know is direct current...in which case yes I run a DC pump on my return but DC or AC is irrelevant. Ball valves would allow the same control over an AC pump as a DC pump...I am not sure why that matters. I am running the Sicce 7.0.

Is there any credence in the plans I designed in the drawing?
The thought was to have Gyre provide constant laminar flows around the live work/sand while using the MP40 for turbulent flow (I think they call it nutrient export) to suspend particulate matter for mechanical filtration in the sump.
 

Tuffyyyyy

2500 Club Member
View Badges
Joined
Aug 16, 2016
Messages
2,603
Reaction score
3,133
Location
BHM
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
I would do option #3 except I would rotate the gyres 90 degrees. Then you can have it circulate across your front glass.
 
OP
OP
JeffLED

JeffLED

Community Member
View Badges
Joined
Feb 23, 2020
Messages
55
Reaction score
28
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
3/4" glass on the back wall means that in order to rotate the gyre 90 degrees, only the new 350 gyre would work. The gyre was oriented like that because I was actually placing it against the overflow wall, not the back wall. Still stand by your same answer?
I actually thoughts that the bowfront would lend itself to a more rotational flow (when viewed from above) - hence I had them sideways to send the water across the front glass, back across the right side, then across the back, up along the left.
Do you have the gyres? Do you think two Gyre's are sufficient flow for this size tank? I have no experience with wavemakers in that orientation so maybe I am not even asking the right questions here.
Thank you in advance for your time and assistance.
 

High pressure shells: Do you look for signs of stress in the invertebrates in your reef tank?

  • I regularly look for signs of invertebrate stress in my reef tank.

    Votes: 41 32.8%
  • I occasionally look for signs of invertebrate stress in my reef tank.

    Votes: 28 22.4%
  • I rarely look for signs of invertebrate stress in my reef tank.

    Votes: 25 20.0%
  • I never look for signs of invertebrate stress in my reef tank.

    Votes: 31 24.8%
  • Other.

    Votes: 0 0.0%
Back
Top