Looking for advice - powerheads or gyres for 150g mixed reef build

adreef

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I'm looking for some advice on powerheads on my new tank build. I've been out of the hobby for many years, and my previous tank was small and didn't use any powerheads, so all I know about them is what I've read on the forums.

I have a 150g (5x2x2 with 1/2" glass, center trap overflow) that I am planning on setting up as mixed reef - light to medium fish load, easier-to-keep corals. I have no plans for sps other than MAYBE throwing in a small frag or two someday and seeing what happens. I am going to use a decent amount of live rock, but I am thinking it's going to be two non-symetric islands that aren't too tall, and with decent space between them and the glass. My last tank was pretty crammed with LR, so I know to keep circulation in mind now when setting up the aquascape.

My question is - do I go with gyres or powerheads? I'm leaning towards gyres, but I'm really hoping to hear from those of you that have tried and used both, and whether you have formed a clear preference or not. I don't have the budget to drop $300+ on each pump. Just from shopping around, it looks like I could get a pair of IceCap 4k gyres and controller for about $400, so that's sort of my arbitrary - though rough - limit for now. I have no issues with cheaper options like Jebao other than the fact that I hear their magnets are relatively weak, so my 1/2" glass could be a problem there. Also, noise is a big concern of mine since this tank will sit a few feet behind the sofa where we watch TV in our living room.

Anyway, thanks in advance for any input.
 

revhtree

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I personally run a combo of powerheads and gyres just to have a variety of options. If I were to choose one I would probably go with powerheads for the sole reason that there are more placement options.
 

X-37B

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I run 4 Tunze in my 120.
If money is an issues get 4 of these.
I ran the ow25's in my 120 for over a year and now my frag system.
They move some serious water and wont break the bank.
You can position the flow and they are wireless linked with plenty of different setting.
I have them in my 36x24x12 frag tank and have to run them at level 2.
I ran them at 100% in my 120 and they are pretty good for the price.
Here they are after 1 year running before I removed the coralline.
20200515_183735.jpg

These ow40's would be all you would need for your 150, imo.
 

zudo

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I just got my reef back in shape and I used to only have a pump under the tank that fed a PVC line going in the tank and "T" off to a perforated PVC tube that ran the length about 4-6" off the bottom. That was decent and hidden by rocks but I just added two of the 4K gyre icecaps and I am so impressed with the flow. I have them on the opposite ends of a 7' long tank and they are set to do a sine wave from 25% to 75% flow every minute during the day and 25% to 50% flow at night. I think that provides a more natural flow rather than a constant flow setup. The phone app makes it easy to control, and to change it to feeding mode where all the flow is off when feeding fish.
 
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adreef

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I run 4 Tunze in my 120.
If money is an issues get 4 of these.
I ran the ow25's in my 120 for over a year and now my frag system.
They move some serious water and wont break the bank.
You can position the flow and they are wireless linked with plenty of different setting.
I have them in my 36x24x12 frag tank and have to run them at level 2.
I ran them at 100% in my 120 and they are pretty good for the price.
Here they are after 1 year running before I removed the coralline.
20200515_183735.jpg

These ow40's would be all you would need for your 150, imo.
I'll definitely keep those in mind, but my only worry with them is using them on thick glass. I have read about other people having issues with the Jebaos (and some others) on thicker tanks. At that cost, I might just get a pair anyway and try them out. Might be useful to have around even if they don't end up as my primary powerhead option.
 
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adreef

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I just got my reef back in shape and I used to only have a pump under the tank that fed a PVC line going in the tank and "T" off to a perforated PVC tube that ran the length about 4-6" off the bottom. That was decent and hidden by rocks but I just added two of the 4K gyre icecaps and I am so impressed with the flow. I have them on the opposite ends of a 7' long tank and they are set to do a sine wave from 25% to 75% flow every minute during the day and 25% to 50% flow at night. I think that provides a more natural flow rather than a constant flow setup. The phone app makes it easy to control, and to change it to feeding mode where all the flow is off when feeding fish.

Thanks for that info. I've been kind of leaning towards those. If you are having good results from two of the 4K's on a 7' tank, I wonder if I could get away with the 2K's instead on my 5' tank. Of course, having he bigger one's would give me more options down the road.

I don't need them quite yet, so I still have some time to decide.
 

Gtinnel

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I have 2 of the jebao scp-150 gyres in my 6' 125. I really like them now, but in my experience when I first set them up they were loud. They constantly made a high pitched humming sound, but it eventually quieted down. They move a tremendous amount of water, I have mine on nearly the lowest setting and set to master/slave to where they alternate which one is on. I think my glass is 3/8 and the magnet is easily strong enough for it
 

ScottR

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I prefer gyres for flow and then add powerheads for movement in dead spots. It really depends on your rock work.
 

revenant

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I just installed a Current USA eflux wavetimer kit (2x 2100gph power heads) on my 100g long and am very happy with it.. you could probably apply two kits and run 4x of the 2100gph units on a 150..
 

zudo

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Thanks for that info. I've been kind of leaning towards those. If you are having good results from two of the 4K's on a 7' tank, I wonder if I could get away with the 2K's instead on my 5' tank. Of course, having he bigger one's would give me more options down the road.

I don't need them quite yet, so I still have some time to decide.

My guess is that the 2K's would work but since others have said that they had noise issues over time? which might be due to them getting dirty? But one thing is that these are essentially variable speed motors so if you have more than enough flow you just tune them and thus the motors will work a lot less and likely never create a noise issue. So if money was not a concern I would get the 4K's and then just tune them down. Mine are tuned down so that the maximum they ever go is 75% of full speed and 50% at night; you might find that you would go a decent amount less than these levels since your tank is 2' shorter and then it will likely never have a chance of making noise...
 

Buffalou

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I have a 150 gal SPS dominated tank and have a combo of 2 gyre's left and right and three Neptune power heads on rear wall, max flow that works well.
 

dalax64

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I have seen others comment on noise with the IceCaps. I run both a Maxspect and an IceCap and have only had noise issues with the more expensive MaxSpect (just fixed another one this morning only 4 days after the last cleaning).

The only thing I wonder is, will you be adding BT nems to this tank? Seems like whether they are in a tank or not is a major consideration when designing flow. At least for me, because my wife loves them and.. yeah.
 

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