Struggling to get the right flow, please help!

gobble · Mar 9, 2019

I have a Reefer 450, 59" wide and moving towards an SPS only tank. I've had two MP40's on the tank since it started and thinking I need more flow. I'd like to be fully Apex controllable. I recently added a pair of Reef Octopus Octo Pulse 4 pumps thinking I needed more flow from the back, but even at low settings like 15% these pumps have so much flow that they blow that sand all over or push water over the edge of the tank.

What should I do for ideal flow? My first thought was to add a MP40 or two on the back wall but the dry side is too deep to fit. Should I switch to the Octo Pulse 2? Two more MP40's? Tunze?

I'm looking for thoughts on what gives me the best shot at an awesome SPS tank. I'd like to lose some of the boring corals in this tank and go more high end.

Graffiti Spot · Mar 10, 2019

Try one of the pumps like the wave puck that has a wide flow pattern. The wave puck fits on large tank glass but not sure if it’s still available to buy. The ai pump pushed it out but the ai doesn’t fit on thick glass I believe.

Reefltx · Mar 10, 2019

On my 350, I have 2x mp40 (sides) and 2x gyre (back). I don’t have any dead spots.

jda · Mar 10, 2019

Put the Pulse 2 on the ends. Raise them up until the sand starts to blow and then back them off a bit. This will be fine.

gobble · Mar 10, 2019

I thought about the wave puck but it's huge.

I've had gyres but they're such a pain to clean. How do you have them mounted on the back? I would think if they're on the top pushing water forward they can't be on that strong or they'd push water over the front of the tank?

Downsizing to the Pulse 2's may be the way to go...

What about two more MP40's towards the back but facing across the long side of the tank? So two MP40's on each side? I like the thought of having some directional flow from the back towards the front which the MP40's won't do.

BestMomEver · Mar 10, 2019

I use gyre, mp40s and Tunze. Mix it up. Tons of flow. Whatever you get will be good. Use size, shape, and gph to decide. I like the Tunze cause it’s multidirectional. The mp40 just puts out tons of water. I have the gyre in the back pointed into the rock work.. any can work used in the right place.

Reefltx · Mar 10, 2019

gobble said:
I thought about the wave puck but it's huge.

I've had gyres but they're such a pain to clean. How do you have them mounted on the back? I would think if they're on the top pushing water forward they can't be on that strong or they'd push water over the front of the tank?

Downsizing to the Pulse 2's may be the way to go...

What about two more MP40's towards the back but facing across the long side of the tank? So two MP40's on each side? I like the thought of having some directional flow from the back towards the front which the MP40's won't do.

You can adjust the gyre flow rate, I have mine set to 30% and that’s plenty. Cleaning isn’t so bad, the pumps come with extra heads, so I just swap them out when it’s dirty. I’ve tried vortechs in the back, but honestly you Wouldnt like it, they have such a narrow flow best placed on the side of the tank.

gobble · Mar 10, 2019

Thanks, that might be the answer. Do you have them mounted horizontal or vertical? If horizontal how far from the surface?

Reefltx · Mar 10, 2019

gobble said:
Thanks, that might be the answer. Do you have them mounted horizontal or vertical? If horizontal how far from the surface?

I have them horizontally. Best part is, you only need to buy one with the controller, as one controller can run both pumps.

jda · Mar 10, 2019

Don't overthink this too much. Just the mp40s are full blast are probably enough with a return pump, so any extra is fine. You need flow, but once you have "enough" then any more does not really do much but keep your fish skinny. Sometimes people think that flow is like measuring their Johnsons and that more wins, but if you have plenty, then nobody cares if you have more.

I have a 8' 240g with a Tunze Wavebox and a pair of 6100s. That is all, but don't underestimate a wavebox that moves 100% of the tank water all the time. This is enough and my corals do very well. I could probably have more, but no need. In a 6' 225g, all that I have is a Max Gyre 280 on about 40-60% (front and back) and a return... plenty here too. New 60g cube being set up is only going to use one of those Random Flow Generators on a 600-800 gph return.

Although others will disagree, of the top-10 most important things to have, 1-7 are the best lighting, 8 competent parameters, 9 stability and 10 competent flow.

Here is a top-down of the 240. The stags and growing nice, bushy are bushy, tables are tabling, etc:

gobble · Mar 10, 2019

Wow some of that SPS looks amazing. That's exactly what I'm trying to accomplish in my tank. How long did the three larger colonies take to reach that size?

I think what I'm going to do is mount a pair of XF330's on the back to supplement the MP40's and just put them on gentle random pattern to supplement what I have now.

jda · Mar 10, 2019

Most of the stuff is going on 24 months, but the tank has been set up much longer. I kalk'd all of my zoas and went acropora - I tried to fool myself, but ended up going right back to my roots. With great lighting, good parameters and competent flow, you can fill a tank wall-to-wall with colonies in about 3 years - they can grow as much in that last year as the did in the first two.

gobble · Mar 10, 2019

Can I ask what PAR range and photoperiod you're using? I'm 250-350 PAR and only running 7.5 hours because of the Coral Lab report. I've been doing some reading and seeing people use a much longer photo period however.

jda · Mar 10, 2019

I run metal halide... 600+ near the top and 250ish at the bottom. I run then on/off on a light timer for 10 hours. I do not have anything in the tank but acropora and clams... and a few Z&P that are hitchhikers.

The red tabling acropora on the left side of the photo is at about 550-600 PAR.

jda · Mar 10, 2019

This is off topic, but since you asked about lights... that CoralLab report is more propaganda for EcoTech than it is science. Be careful what you believe from a manufacturer. Most of the best SPS lit tanks with Radions run all channels at 100% all of the time. These are hobbyists who are just looking for the best results. Most of the rest have had to add T5s to help with spectrum and shadowing.

gobble · Mar 10, 2019

Wow that's really high par when I've been reading 250-350. Is it because of the halides?

I did read recently about someone that's had huge success with the radion's running 100% all channels. There was some comment about the white channels increasing the risk of bad algae, but his results were very impressive. I think it was some professor or something.

Lot's of people running AB+, but hard to say if those are pros or novices. What would be their reason for pushing AB+ vs all 100%? I'd really like to get this right and have a stunning tank.

jda · Mar 10, 2019

Dr. Sanjay Joshi is whom you are thinking of. He would also probably use 6 xr30s over your tank. He keeps them a fair bit off of the water too.

Corals can take more light from T5 and MH.