Do I need a wave maker?

[drcole]

I have a 55 gallon reef ready tank, I am looking to add some soft corals and LPS. Do I need a wavemaker, if so, where do I place one?

 

[Ranjib]

For softies probably not, but for some of the LPS, i would say add at least a cheap hydor or jebao. They also help you controlling stuff like cyano (by adding some flow around the sand surface)

 

[cmcoker]

You will generally need additional flow besides the return pump.

Generally people put powerhead on the sides or back wall of the aquarium. There is many variables, like where is the returns pointing, the shape of your rock work, placement of corals. So you will have to move the powerhead around to find a good spot.

You dont want any corals getting a direct blast from the powerheads, for softies and lps you want them to be kinda gently waving. Pointing the powerheads up helps with gas exchange, and you can direct the flow off an opposing pane of the aquarium to help provide indirect flow.

Check out some of the articles on Flow in advanced aquarist. They will help give you a starting point.

 

[Nicholas Dushynsky]

If you don't want to put wave makers in the tank, if it's possible with your particular tank you could uprate the return pump and split the output with a y adapter in say lockline and even put random flow generators on the ends. It saves having extra wires in the tank. There is also a bonus is that if your new pump fails or you have to remove it for periodic cleaning you still have the original one for flow. The downside with this though is if it fails there will be no flow in the tank until you notice. So a long winded way of saying no you don't need a wave maker. I have a jaebo rw4 and for the price and control you can't moan really.