Flow in my 180g

[BlueWorldJeff]

My current tank setup is a 180 gallon (6'x2'x2') mixed reef. I have four large rock pillars that are centered in the tank and equally spaced, with the smaller two forming one in the middle

I have two Tunze 6105s that provide the flow, along with 4 loc line nozzles from the return (Waveline DC-6000 pump)coming out of the center overflow. I have the nozzles facing up to the water surface, so I dont have too much water backflow when I turn off the return pump for water changes.

The Tunzes are currently positioned behind the rock pillars facing inward and upward to create surface turbulence and chaotic flow (colliding with return flow and also anti-synced with opposite Tunze

I am questioning if I have the Tunzes in the best position for my reef. I get good flow, my LPS rock back and forth, but I do have some semi-dead spots in the front corners. Good for feeding without having to turn the tunzes off, but bad for corals and algae outbreaks.

On other tanks I notice that the powerheads are positioned in the middle of the reef (front to back) and normally blow over the "face" of the reef, if the reef is built on the back of the tank forward.

Since I have space in the front and back of the tank, what is the best way to position the Tunzes for optimal flow, where I'm not blasting the rock directly with the power head?

 

[nervousmonkey]

I would say on the back wall, 1/3 of the way in, between the rock pillars and 2/3 of the way up the wall pointed slightly upward so they hit the front glass and rebound across the tank, keeping high flow on the top of the tank with SPS and lower flow on bottom with LPS

 

[saltyfilmfolks]

If its good its good. Dosnt matter where the heads are, its specific to the tank.
Mt power heads are toatally "not how you do it" but the corals are huge so....

Slower areas IMO, are just a place for different corals or spots to acclimate new ones.

 

[nervousmonkey]

Great point Salty! +1 to his advice.

 

[saltyfilmfolks]

I would say on the back wall, 1/3 of the way in, between the rock pillars and 2/3 of the way up the wall pointed slightly upward so they hit the front glass and rebound across the tank, keeping high flow on the top of the tank with SPS and lower flow on bottom with LPS

Great point Salty! +1 to his advice.

That would totally work too.

 

[nervousmonkey]

@BlueWorldJeff , I think the point is that if your corals are doing well, there is no need to change things. Sometimes change in the reef makes things worse, and your tank looks pretty good to me. If I had to change flow because some corals had grown so large they were blocking flow, then i would think about changing it up, but otherwise, stay stable and let your tank do its' magic.

 

[BlueWorldJeff]

Only reason I am thinking of changing is because I'm not getting polyp extension on my monti digitata's and my undata doesnt look great where its at. It is probably more about the coral placement and light PAR vs flow patterns. I also need to get my Calcium up and lower my Alk a bit. I'll keep the Tunzes where they are and get my parameters where I want them and then go from there