I need your suggestion on where to place my powerhead since the shape of my tank is triangular. Im starting to think the reason why i lost my birds nest is because the flow. In this photo i circled where my power head is. What do you think?
Powerhead Placement?
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revhtree
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My buddy had a tank like yours and he kept two Tunze pumps in about the same spot on each side. He had a very successful SPS tank. Big bright colonies.
jesterisdead
Community Member
I'd put one on left and one on right more towards center and if you don't have a wavemaker controller use one of the alternating power strips. This would give you plenty of flow and also create a back and forth motion to allow corals to get wave action on either side. Especially cool for long tenticals items like BTA. I think it would also help prevent dex build up in your rocks.
@jesterisdead Thanks. This Has a wavemaker control and the powethead is actually really strong. Do you think this one pump can do its job or do you suggest getting another one? Place it toward the center facing the glass? and do i point it a little upward or downward facing the sb?
jesterisdead
Community Member
Nah go ahead just stick with the one and you should get plenty of flow sensor glasses of bow front. You can alternate it should be fine. I don't personally have one so again this is just my opinion based on the look of the tank. You just need to be able to dial the strength of the wave action power head up and down based on your needs
jesterisdead
Community Member
I actually cheated when placing.y powerheads and used purple up and calcium reactor from Kent. Both are chalky white and I would place it in my tank and see where the power heads blew it. It was like smoke and wind tunnel testing a car or plane. Worked well for me to see where heavy flow and low flow areas where as well as dead spots. Plus I was treating my tank at the same time. I don't use either product now as I have a three-part Doser I use for calcium, all, and mag.
jesterisdead
Community Member
For a small tank a doser is fine. Unless you do all sps and fill it a calcium reactor is over kill. I use a three part doser from SWC but there are several outh there that work fine and dose calcium and alkalinity which is a two part system from ESV (b-conic) and the third I dose magnesium or strontium depending on what my levels are. I'm in a 220 but very light on corals right now but plan on going to a calcium reactor once my sps take off and I keep filling it with frags. Right now the doser handles my consumption fine.
Okk. So a 3 part doser can also dose calcium and i wouldnt need to get a calcium reactor? Unless, I fill the tank with sps? Can you tell me a little bit more of what a calcium reactor does? the functionality. I debating if its better to have it then to not.
jesterisdead
Community Member
Its called Bionic or sometimes its listed as B-Ionic. Its made by ESV.
Dosers come in single, three, or four pump configurations. They are expandable with easy to do Ethernet connections so you can place them in series. Bubble Magnus is a firm that makes them as so does BRS. I got mine from a local that markets them as SWC. Its the same as the Bubble (litterly same Chinese firm) but cheaper. I dose the esv two part which comes in gallon jugs. After adding rodi water and shaking the heck out of it to ensure its properly mixed, I let it set for a day or two then do it again just to ensure its mixed. Some have said they place the jugs in warm water to help the chunks dissolve and you get a proper mix.
I installed the doser on a shelf that I also purchased and ran tubing to a holder mounted on my sump (sold separately). I then ran hoses to the jugs of esv. I previously drilled small holes in the lid and just inserted the tubes.
I currently dose calcium and alkalinity as part of the two part system and depending on what my test levels say, I will use the third position to dose either magnesium or strontium. Before switching I just flush the hose and wipe it clean and then insert it into one jug or the other.
Before you start dosing, teat what your calcium and alkalinity levels are. Then next day/night same time test again. This will give you an idea of how much your tank uses in a 24 hr period. Then just set each of the pumps to the appropriate ml level to maintain the levels you want.
As for finding it good luck. I was told ESV shut down for the holidays and has caused a worldwide shortage. People bought up the five gallon buckets as well so all I have is the 16oz bottles which suck.
I've tried BRS, Premium, and even my lfs and batting zero.
Dosers come in single, three, or four pump configurations. They are expandable with easy to do Ethernet connections so you can place them in series. Bubble Magnus is a firm that makes them as so does BRS. I got mine from a local that markets them as SWC. Its the same as the Bubble (litterly same Chinese firm) but cheaper. I dose the esv two part which comes in gallon jugs. After adding rodi water and shaking the heck out of it to ensure its properly mixed, I let it set for a day or two then do it again just to ensure its mixed. Some have said they place the jugs in warm water to help the chunks dissolve and you get a proper mix.
I installed the doser on a shelf that I also purchased and ran tubing to a holder mounted on my sump (sold separately). I then ran hoses to the jugs of esv. I previously drilled small holes in the lid and just inserted the tubes.
I currently dose calcium and alkalinity as part of the two part system and depending on what my test levels say, I will use the third position to dose either magnesium or strontium. Before switching I just flush the hose and wipe it clean and then insert it into one jug or the other.
Before you start dosing, teat what your calcium and alkalinity levels are. Then next day/night same time test again. This will give you an idea of how much your tank uses in a 24 hr period. Then just set each of the pumps to the appropriate ml level to maintain the levels you want.
As for finding it good luck. I was told ESV shut down for the holidays and has caused a worldwide shortage. People bought up the five gallon buckets as well so all I have is the 16oz bottles which suck.
I've tried BRS, Premium, and even my lfs and batting zero.
Last edited:
jesterisdead
Community Member
Its not pretty but I can try to get a shot tonight. It meets the need of fit and function but my stand is about 6" too short and it shows.
