Powerhead Opinions

[Dunc]

I would like your opinion regarding water flow in my 72” x 24” x 25” tank. Currently, I have a Maxspect XF350 Gyre pump pushing water across the surface of the tank, mounted on one end. It creates a good gyre across the tank, in fact I have to dial it down or it displaces too much of the sand bed. My question is do you think I need another powerhead mounted opposite of the Maxspect? The reason I ask is I don’t know that I’ve ever seen a tank with only one powerhead.

 

[Jekyl]

I would have another gyre on the opposite end

 

[iemsparticus]

I've got two IceCap 4k on my standard 120 (one on either end)... not because one doesn't produce enough flow to keep detritus off the ground or give enough flow for the corals, but because I use the combination to vary the point of turbulence across the tank throughout the day.

The GPH, per se, doesn't ever go over what one pump in capable of (that would kill my LPS... sure the SPS would like it), but that moving point of turbulence really helps hit the corals in a multitude of ways throughout the day.

 

[Dunc]

I've got two IceCap 4k on my standard 120 (one on either end)... not because one doesn't produce enough flow to keep detritus off the ground or give enough flow for the corals, but because I use the combination to vary the point of turbulence across the tank throughout the day.

The GPH, per se, doesn't ever go over what one pump in capable of (that would kill my LPS... sure the SPS would like it), but that moving point of turbulence really helps hit the corals in a multitude of ways throughout the day.

Do you set them up like a lead and lag system where one runs at a certain time and frequency different than the other one?

 

[iemsparticus]

Do you set them up like a lead and lag system where one runs at a certain time and frequency different than the other one?

More like slowly go from 100% left 0% right to 80/20, 60/40, 40/60, 20/80, 0/100 and back again through the day.