Water flow without conventional powerheads

[Tlledsmar]

Hi ! I'm setting up a couple saltwater tanks and one is already underway being set up as a reef tank, the other one I would really like to do a seahorse tank. I have done a lot of reading bout flow and apparently they actually need a lot of flow, but spread out around the tank. I don't think powerheads would be too good, and may even hurt seahorses. I had an unconventional idea to kind of build a closed loop inside the tank that just moves water around. I would take a DC return pump (leftover from another setup) and mound it in a pile of LR, then build a pvc plumbing network to deliver water at various places around the tank where I could place diffusers to direct/spread out flow.


Thoughts? I'd this actually common and I don't know what it's called?

 

[blaxsun]

You might do ok with some random flow return outlet nozzles.

 

[Tlledsmar]

I forgot to mention this is a 75 gallon tank with a canister filter

 

[blaxsun]

Yes, you could build something like you describe. A pair of the smallest controllable powerheads would probably also work (something like a Tunze).

 

[Tlledsmar]

Right now I have a pair of current usa smallest wavemakers in a FW tank. Are the tunze heads more fish friendly? I have lost a few fish to the current usa WM and would hate to injur or kill a horse with a powerhead.

 

[Tlledsmar]

Another thought,are seahorses going to be less prone to getting sucked into my current usa wavemakers? I could repurchase them I'd so. It seams the guppies are trying to peck at microalgae on the backside of the pumps and aren't able to swim away from the inflow side

 

[blaxsun]

Right now I have a pair of current usa smallest wavemakers in a FW tank. Are the tunze heads more fish friendly? I have lost a few fish to the current usa WM and would hate to injur or kill a horse with a powerhead.

I honestly couldn't say. I run gyres, and I've never lost a fish, invert or anemone to one (and inverts are routinely grazing on any algae buildup on them). Seahorses like to anchor themselves to things; I saw a tank that a guy did with those plastic baby rings that you can clip together. They seemed to love those.

 

[Tlledsmar]

I could easily throw a gyre pump in there and call it a day if that's gonna give me what I need

 

[SteveMM62Reef]

I’ve been looking at these “Perforated Rigid Tubing,“ from Fish Farm Supply. You could make something up to go over the intake. I’ve always have found out Aquarium Inhabitants can end up in the Darnedest places.

 

[Tlledsmar]

I’ve been looking at these “Perforated Rigid Tubing,“ from Fish Farm Supply. You could make something up to go over the intake. I’ve always have found out Aquarium Inhabitants can end up in the Darnedest places.

Those look nice to slip over gyre pumps or the intake of powerheads. Thanks for that