MP10 in a 29Gal Standard

Jakemac · Jul 5, 2013

So i was thinking about getting an MP10 for my 29 gal tank but just one.

I was looking online at some of the videos of the 29 gal and 30 gal tanks that have them and noticed a small wave the top of the tank. Now some of you might be saying "well duh thats what wave makers do" but ive also seem some that dont move at all. Im not sure if this is because they are off, in feeding mode, or night mode, but i cant really have that kinda wave playing around in my tank. I currently run a ATO with the float switch in my DT and do NOT have a sump. What can i expect to see if i get one, and if i do get a small wave is there anyway to make the random flow i want without it? Even walking by my tank makes the ATO go off lol

duke4130 · Jul 5, 2013

I have two in a 34 gallon. They create a small wave... I have found that the higher they are in the tank the higher the "Wave" is. Is it an all in one tank or a real standard 29 gallon? If it is a standard 29gal and you have everything in the display tank then it could cause a small issue the ATO. We are talking about an 1/8" to 1/4" max of a wave. In a 29 gal you will not have it turned up full blast, you will only have it up about 1/3 to 1/2 off the way.

Jakemac · Jul 5, 2013

Yea its not an all in one. But i was thinking of trying to find a sort of overflow box that i can stick on with a sucktion cup to use as a buffer for the wave. Aqua-c makes one http://www.marinedepot.com/AquaC_Re...n_Skimmers-AquaC-AC3311-FIPSAC-AC3323-vi.html

Figure i can make-shift something to get it to block most of that wave

bfam4t6 · Jul 5, 2013

This might help give you an idea. I tried to make a longer video, but my Ipad is running low on space at the moment. This is my Mp10 in my 29 gallon. The first setting I show is the setting on which I normally run the pump. The second setting is just to demonstrate how large of a wave the pump is capable of making on it's highest setting.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p1QKPMVVdjY

ParkerB · Jul 5, 2013

There are different modes, pulsing modes will usually create the wave better then others IMO.

I have one with a tunze 6015 on my 15g at about 50% on NTM. It's awesome I love how random that mode is.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Jakemac · Jul 5, 2013

Okay i think im going to get one then. Thank you very much bfam that helped a lot. Plus now i know how low to put it on my glass. Also does it blast the corals more on the side where the pump is or does the tank get the same amount of current no matter where in the tank?

eliramos · Jul 5, 2013

do you have the biocube?? or just a regular 29 gallon?

Jakemac · Jul 6, 2013

Just ordered my mp10. Kinda nervous on spending that kinda money but it seems worth it.

bfam4t6 · Jul 6, 2013

Jakemac said:
Okay i think im going to get one then. Thank you very much bfam that helped a lot. Plus now i know how low to put it on my glass. Also does it blast the corals more on the side where the pump is or does the tank get the same amount of current no matter where in the tank?

It definitely blasts the corals on that side of the glass, but I don't exactly have the best rock placement. My digitata that gets almost direct flow definitely grows a little funky to avoid some of the blast.

But, it blasts the corals on the opposite wall pretty mush just as well. The good thing about the mp10 s is how wide their flow is. They do not produce a narrow jet the way some cheaper power heads do. Also, I used to have a 425 koralia opposite the mp10. I took it out about three weeks ago for cleaning and noticed that not only was the lighting improved on that side of the tank, but the flow seemed to be a little better too now that nothing was there to fight the mp10. I still haven't decided if this is permanent or not, as ultimately, I want my flow to be as random as possible.

Good luck getting yours set up! I think you'll be very happy with the purchase!

Jakemac · Jul 8, 2013

Looking forward to it, im just a little worried for everything. Ive had huge growth with what i have... I just want some more flow intense corals and the RBTA that ive got waiting for me will thrive (i think) better along with my fish with this mp10

swimmatte · Jul 8, 2013

I use an MP10 in my 30 gallon frag tank

Jakemac · Jul 12, 2013

MP10 is in, got it on reef creast mode at about 50% power

Thing is soooo powerfull.

Hopefully everything adapts correctly!

jservedio · Jul 12, 2013

Yeah as long as you keep it half of the way down the glass, it'll be just fine and won't interrupt your ATO at all. Basically any mode except for Short Pulse and Nutrient export will be perfectly fine for you and not interrupt the ATO. 1/4-1/8" max waves from an MP10 is completely false - on my 20g tall I keep a 1.5" standing wave going back and forth in the tank and that is with the MP10 5" below the surface on 90% power. I can take a video of it, but there are plenty of videos on youtube doing the same thing with very large waves from an MP10 - some bigger much than my 1.5" wave. I could probably get an even bigger wave, but I have the blue box MP10 and have to manually dial in the wave so it is difficult to get it right (and I don't want water splashing out of the tank).

If you have one of the newer ATOs (one that isn't just a float switch connected to a relay) you should be fine even with a wave in the tank since they are made to handle surface agitation without constantly turning. However, if you have an ATO like that there are plenty of other modes that won't effect it and work just as well, if not better than the wave.