Flow Decisions －Your Help is Wanted

[nickkohrn]

I am looking to purchase a couple of pumps to supplement the pumps that I currently have providing flow in my display. Below are the details of my current setup:

Aquarium:

• Waterbox 100.3
  • roughly 3' long x 2' wide x 2' tall
  • roughly 70 gallons
  • bare-bottom
  • SPS-only
  • bonsai structure for coral placement

Flow:

• (2) VorTech MP40
  • each set to a maximum of 60% on different modes throughout the day
  • placed on rear glass pane to both sides of the overflow box (pointing toward front glass)

Below is a photo of my display (before livestock was added):

As you can see, the display is quite open. However, after having filled the structure with SPS corals, I have noticed some areas that don't get as much flow as I would like. There seems to be a lack of desired flow below the MP40s on the rear pane, and there is not much crossflow above the structure.

So, I have been thinking about adding a couple of pumps to help. My decision has come down to either two more MP40s or two Gyre xf330s.

If I add two more MP40s, then I would place one on the left pane and one on the right pane, each facing the other to create some crossflow. However, this would mainly be toward the front of the tank because they would provide too much direct flow at the corals at the top of the structure when they grow larger; I would like to avoid unnatural growth patterns due to direct flow.

If I add two Gyres, then I would place one on the left pane and one on the right pane, just as I would with the MP40s, but the Gyres would be centered toward the top of the tank. This would allow the more sheet-like flow pattern to rush across the top of the tank, not directly hitting the corals below, but providing more movement across the top, which I think would cause more movement throughout the tank.

I would love to know if you have had experience with MP40s and Gyres and whether you found Gyres to be a nice addition to your MP40s that provided you with a flow pattern that you were looking for.

Please, share any of your thoughts, concerns, recommendations, or anything else that you can think of. I'm paralyzed by the decision.

 

[ihavecrabs]

Oh man. Both those options seem like overkill to me. I have A LOT of flow (equivalent of 4x MP40) but in a 60x30x20" display. What I have found is that the MP40's alone can be too directional and I opted for two additional powerheads angled upward. These run randomly and complement the majority of my flow coming from the MP40's.

If it were me, I'd either do one additional pump on either the left or right side pushing water across the top angled upward, or a gyre to move water in one direction at the top of the tank.

I have a gyre in my frag system along with another powerhead and it works very well.

Hard choice though, but given the cost difference, I'd do a single gyre on one of the sides just to get that additional current moving.

 

[TheHarold]

Have you tried optimizing the flow with your existing powerheads? Making them interact, to oscillate the flow pattern.

 

[Jon Fishman]

Oh man. Both those options seem like overkill to me. I have A LOT of flow (equivalent of 4x MP40) but in a 60x30x20" display. .

I currently have one Koralia 1400-1500gph powerhead and (5) MP40’s in my 75g, and my coral do great with all the flow

 

[nickkohrn]

Oh man. Both those options seem like overkill to me. I have A LOT of flow (equivalent of 4x MP40) but in a 60x30x20" display. What I have found is that the MP40's alone can be too directional and I opted for two additional powerheads angled upward. These run randomly and complement the majority of my flow coming from the MP40's.

If it were me, I'd either do one additional pump on either the left or right side pushing water across the top angled upward, or a gyre to move water in one direction at the top of the tank.

I have a gyre in my frag system along with another powerhead and it works very well.

Hard choice though, but given the cost difference, I'd do a single gyre on one of the sides just to get that additional current moving.

I agree that two Gyres might be a bit too much toward the top of the tank, but they would be set to alternate, just as the VorTechs currently do throughout the day. Other than minimizing dead spots, my main concern is a reduction in flow consistently coming from the same direction so that corals don't start showing unnatural growth patterns. I really like that the Gyres can run in reverse as well; that's quite appealing to me.

Have you tried optimizing the flow with your existing powerheads? Making them interact, to oscillate the flow pattern.

I have, and I have to ramp up the flow quite high to make a difference. I don't mind doing that, but it causes a lot of high-velocity flow to come from the MP40s, making it difficult on my fish at times; they get blasted when they swim in front of a pump, and I don't like that it causes them to be violently hit with flow.

I currently have one Koralia 1400-1500gph powerhead and (5) MP40’s in my 75g, and my coral do great with all the flow

I'm highly considering MP40s because they will work with my current set of MP40s and my Apex. However, I don't mind having Gyres that don't work with my Apex if it means that I can provide a more appropriate flow pattern. I do like not having cords in my display, so the MP40s are a little ahead in my preference.

 

[theMeat]

Have been in hobby a long time, and have tried so many combinations of pumps it’s silly. Now have a large gyre standing up from top to bottom on my 220. Couldn’t be happier. No more too much flow in one spot, and not enough in another

 

[Tureefik]

I have the Waterbox 100.3 also bare bottom partially and I have two gyre 230 one on the left and right and a Nero 5 on the back wall left pointed at an angle towards the right and I love the flow I have my have lps on the right mainly and sps from the leftside of thevtank to the center
In fact I want to add another Nero 5 or maybe a vortech mp 10 on the right bottom going across the back wall

 

[theMeat]

I have the Waterbox 100.3 also bare bottom partially and I have two gyre 230 one on the left and right and a Nero 5 on the back wall left pointed at an angle towards the right and I love the flow I have my have lps on the right mainly and sps from the leftside of thevtank to the center
In fact I want to add another Nero 5 or maybe a vortech mp 10 on the right bottom going across the back wall

With one on left and one on right each pump’s flow collide and cancell each other out in a sense, or to a degree.

 

[MTBake]

Have you moved the mp40s to the side glass and let them collide with eachother?

I would try placing the mp40s on each side of the tank, versus the back panel. If that doesn't get you where you want to be, perhaps adding one gyre would suffice to create flow on top of the tank.

I use one ice cap gyre set at 60% continuous mode and 2 Tunze 6025s. The tunze blow behind and under the rock work to move detritus. The gyre creates a nice round about flow across the tank. This is in a 40 breeder.

 

[Tureefik]

With one on left and one on right each pump’s flow collide and cancell each other out in a sense, or to a degree.

I have them offset a bit so part of the flow collides which along with the Nero causes more random flow all around the the tank