Questions on flow for future BTA, 3 hob filters looking for best hydor wave pump setup

jt8791

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Not quite sure if these hob filters are pulling anywhere near their rated flow, but it is a strong current. I'm sure the sponge prefilter and rubble rock slows the flow down a bit but hard to say how much. 1 ac50 full of rubble rock and 2 ac110 as fuges with about 1-2" of rubble rock, have to keep all 3 on high flow or the flow starts cutting out, fuges get a film on the surface. Also have 2 Koralia nano 425gph power heads. Big question I have and this is probably geared towards people with bubble tip anemone experience, is what would be my best setup as far as hydor wave pumps to make this flow work for a bta? Have read they like random indirect flow, so was curious if going up to the 565gph or another pump run intermitently with the wave controller would be a better option. Plan to make a prefilter/nem guard out of a filter sponge for the ac110 which might cut the flow down as well.

Any advice out there on what would be my best solution to make this setup work in the best way for a bta? I think eventually I will swap the hob filters for hob refugiums and vortech wave pumps but would like to get by for now without tearing into a massive upgrade. Bumping my tank mainenance budget a bit going to the lfs for prepared saltwater, rodi and frozen food so I really don't want to jump into a major equipment upgrade heading into winter. Had posted some of this info in a thread I had about stocking which turned more into a build thread I suppose. I debate if I have too much flow currently, factor the hob filters rated at 1200gph, not including rubble rock and prefilter, plus the wave pumps at 425gph each. Want to say I had tried sanding down the ac110 impellars and it gave me more issues.

Also tank has been running for 8.5 months, not in a rush to add a bta but would like to have it ready for one in case I come across a tank raised one in the next few months. Pulled a small live rock out of the ac50 to improve the flow in it and cap off the rock work. Lights are coming in Friday, Photon 24 V2+, bta aside I'm curious if this is overkill on the flow regardless. Thinking of going with the wave pump controller either way, just not sure which pump would be best after factoring the sponge prefilter/guard. Heard rare cases of the hydors starting up in reverse which I'm not sure they have the ability to, but simple option would be a sponge over side and front but that would really impede the flow. Long story short, I want to figure out how to make the flow in this tank ideal for bta's without breaking the bank too much at the moment. Can't quite justify the dc pumps and controller, so I can cross that one off the list but could consider the 565 or going up into the evolution series and controller.

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jt8791

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Decided to scratch Tunze since the controller is a bit expensive now and not eager to connect something inside the tank to my computer. Maybe someday way down the road I will get Apex or Neptune controller but I'm still doing my own top offs at the moment. Have spent a bit more on the tank this year than I had wanted to, saving big equipment upgrades for next year. Trying to keep it relatively simple at the moment, almost wonder if I should go down on wave pumps or just run these 425s intermittently to change up the flow for now. Probably overkill on flow just from the filters alone, but betting a big sponge guard/prefilter would cut the powerhead flow way down.
 
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jt8791

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Could possibly shut the wave pumps right off, potentially enough flow with the filters alone but not sure how the flow in the tank would be without them and they are handy to run on the power backup, ups whatever it's called. Fine plastic mesh may be a better makeshift guard then a sponge actually.
 
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jt8791

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Can probably close this out, think the simplest option is to talk to my lfs when I go for rodi and saltwater friday. Probably fine the way it is, minus the mesh guard over the wave pumps, which are up by the surface anyways so not likely to effect them more than the middle fuge would.

Think the only way I would know for sure is to try it and find out, worst case order a controller to run them intermittently. No point blowing big money on more cheap wave pumps, will save that money for ecotech and aquafuge2's later on, and the ac110s put out enough flow that lack of flow shouldn't be any issue.
 

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You definitely need to upgrade the lighting if you want a BTA
 

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