Water flow help

[rhorn67]

I need some ideas on better controlling the water flow in my tank. I have a JBJ RL30 that has two Accela ap1-1000 return pumps with two return nozzles. I also added two MP10s which I have set to reefcrest mode and antisync. I love the MP10's but am having challenges with the returns as they can only be directed so much which is all toward the front glass of the tank. The flow at the front 1/3 of the tank is super strong which is ok for corals that are medium to high water flow but terrible for everything else. Anything I put in the sand up front gets hit pretty hard. It seems like many of the corals that are recommended to be in the sand are also low flow corals. Example is a fox coral that no matter where I put it is receiving too much water movement and doesn't fully open up. The obvious is to simply not put low flow corals in my tank but I would like to not limit myself to what goes in the front bottom of my tank. I would also like to somehow use the returns to create more flow behind my rocks for some dead spots that I have.

So I was thinking of removing the returns and adding fittings of some sort that will allow me to use loc-line fittings or something similar to redirect the water flow. Does anyone have any ideas on how to do this or what I could add to the stock tubes that come through the wall that the return nozzles attach to? Or any ideas period.

Thank you

 

[Canadian-reef]

do you have a drilled overflow with return holes also or just a canister filter with return lines over the top of the tank?

 

[Justiful]

Keep moving them, and testing. You will find a flow that works.

Maybe try bottom left corner angled up, and top right angled down. Or both side by side on back of tank. Or one on back right, one on left close to front. you get the idea. I just spent 2 hours getting my fingers pruned finding the flow I liked in my tank. Extremly fine fish food helps determine flow and how effecient it is at removing detrius. (I used a plant based one cause less phosphates, and removed pre-filter after to clean.)

As you can see I ended up with a placement less common. But somehow it worked in my bowfront.

 

[rhorn67]

do you have a drilled overflow with return holes also or just a canister filter with return lines over the top of the tank?

It is an AIO tank. There is an overflow on each side. Water eventually makes its way to the center chamber where the two return pumps are located.

 

[Canadian-reef]

What I did with mine was get a threaded loc-line adapter which screws into the bulkhead for the return where it enters the tank. This way you can add a section of loc-line with or without the flare nozzle you have pictured or even get a loc-line flow increaser fitting for the end. This gives you the ability to twist them down towards the back wall or wherever you wish for flow distribution. You could even move the vortech's so one is top/back on one side and one is bottom/front on the other. Set them for gyre mode and they will circulate clockwise for x amount of time and counter clockwise for x amount of time.

 

[rhorn67]

Keep moving them, and testing. You will find a flow that works.

Maybe try bottom left corner angled up, and top right angled down. Or both side by side on back of tank. Or one on back right, one on left close to front. you get the idea. I just spent 2 hours getting my fingers pruned finding the flow I liked in my tank. Extremly fine fish food helps determine flow and how effecient it is at removing detrius. (I used a plant based one cause less phosphates, and removed pre-filter after to clean.)

As you can see I ended up with a placement less common. But somehow it worked in my bowfront.

I have spent the past month moving the return heads around and the corals as well to no avail. I would really like to figure out how to gain better directional control from the returns keeping the MP10s for up front water movement.

 

[rhorn67]

What I did with mine was get a threaded loc-line adapter which screws into the bulkhead for the return where it enters the tank. This way you can add a section of loc-line with or without the flare nozzle you have pictured or even get a loc-line flow increaser fitting for the end. This gives you the ability to twist them down towards the back wall or wherever you wish for flow distribution. You could even move the vortech's so one is top/back on one side and one is bottom/front on the other. Set them for gyre mode and they will circulate clockwise for x amount of time and counter clockwise for x amount of time.

Do you happen to have a picture of your setup? The holes for the return are 1/2 inch. Currently each hole has a fitting through it that is siliconed in place then a tube from the pump connects to one side and the return nozzle on the tank side. If I remove the fitting I have two empty holes so I would need to build from there.

What you recommend is exactly what I would like to do just not sure how to do it or what fittings to use to put it all together.

 

[Canadian-reef]

 

[Canadian-reef]

Sorry for the terrible picture. I'm in Canada so this is off a canadian website where I purchase some of my supplies. I'm sure most big retailers for aquatic supplies would have one. I have this which threads directly into my bulkhead. My bulkhead was used to close up the hole with a watertight seal which you have when removing your existing return lines. Bulkheads come in a variety of sizes and styles. I have them that are threaded on the water side and slip ( glue joint ) on the outside. They can also be threaded both sides.

 

[Canadian-reef]

 

[saltyfilmfolks]

I pulled the return nozzles entirely from my nano cube. It becomes less directed and wider. the powerhead can then whack the wide flow creating turbulence.
if you move your powerhead forward and up from where it is now youll see that without pulling the nozzle. I doubt it will be very even though.
now pull the nozzles. probably more even now. but one sided. (least flow under the ph)


Nozzles and any smaller opening squeezes the flow from a pump making is a smaller more directed stream. Also the locline does the same thing. I now have a box of it in my basement. Like a finger on a hose or the adjustable sprayer for your hose.
To break up the return flow you can use a larger fitting like a Plumbing t. But go over or onto the return not into.

Thers also the spray bar method. t fitting with a long slit or numerous holes in it. The also sell spray bars. you can diy it too. hard to keep it pretty.
I had to figure this out for sea horses and jellyfish.

A forward barrel roll is pretty normal for a tank and kind of natural for many parts of a reef. Plus it keeps the sand clean in the tank.
If thats the FIRST current.
Add another one like from behind the rocks(Left rear) to slightly spin the flow towards the overflow(cleaning) and clockwise from above.
Now you have a barrel roll that flows from top right. Thats the second current
Find a spot to smash into those two currents for more turb. prob from middle left side. surge the heck outta that one. WInd Waves.

you can have any return or head play the primary current but it needs to be the strongest. then second etc.
adjust the heads accordingly (25% 50% 100%etc) and the return similarly by changing the nozzle/spraybar return choice.

And let a long time pass before you make changes. Water will fall into a pattern. Toss food or something in so you cann "see" the end result.
The randomize modes are amazing ad seems to compliment this method I stole.

 

[Canadian-reef]

Here is the bulkhead fitting. The only thing is the hole you currently have now may have to be enlarged. This is easily done with a Dremel and a diamond abrasive sanding disk or a diamond coated drill bit. I did it for mine. Wasn't that bad, just slow.

 

[rhorn67]

Here is the bulkhead fitting. The only thing is the hole you currently have now may have to be enlarged. This is easily done with a Dremel and a diamond abrasive sanding disk or a diamond coated drill bit. I did it for mine. Wasn't that bad, just slow.

Might be tough to make any mods with a production tank. Would need to find fittings that will work with the existing holes. I like the 1/2 modular fitting. What did you use on the threaded end to attach your tubing to from the pumps?

 

[rhorn67]

I pulled the return nozzles entirely from my nano cube. It becomes less directed and wider. the powerhead can then whack the wide flow creating turbulence.
if you move your powerhead forward and up from where it is now youll see that without pulling the nozzle. I doubt it will be very even though.
now pull the nozzles. probably more even now. but one sided. (least flow under the ph)


Nozzles and any smaller opening squeezes the flow from a pump making is a smaller more directed stream. Also the locline does the same thing. I now have a box of it in my basement. Like a finger on a hose or the adjustable sprayer for your hose.
To break up the return flow you can use a larger fitting like a Plumbing t. But go over or onto the return not into.

Thers also the spray bar method. t fitting with a long slit or numerous holes in it. The also sell spray bars. you can diy it too. hard to keep it pretty.
I had to figure this out for sea horses and jellyfish.

A forward barrel roll is pretty normal for a tank and kind of natural for many parts of a reef. Plus it keeps the sand clean in the tank.
If thats the FIRST current.
Add another one like from behind the rocks(Left rear) to slightly spin the flow towards the overflow(cleaning) and clockwise from above.
Now you have a barrel roll that flows from top right. Thats the second current
Find a spot to smash into those two currents for more turb. prob from middle left side. surge the heck outta that one. WInd Waves.

you can have any return or head play the primary current but it needs to be the strongest. then second etc.
adjust the heads accordingly (25% 50% 100%etc) and the return similarly by changing the nozzle/spraybar return choice.

And let a long time pass before you make changes. Water will fall into a pattern. Toss food or something in so you cann "see" the end result.
The randomize modes are amazing ad seems to compliment this method I stole.

Maybe I have overlooked the KISS way of thinking lol. I will remove the return nozzles and see what that does first. If that gets the front of tank movement under control I can play with the other PHs.

Thanks for all of the ideas really great information.

 

[Canadian-reef]

I have the 1/2" mpt fitting into the bulkhead. On the other side of the bulkhead I have a 1" threaded fitting with a hose barb on one side. This is where I connected 1" hose to my return pump and manifold assembly. I'm sure you can get a better selection of those fittings at BRS that would get you exactly what you needed. We are limited here and shipping from the U.S. Is not worth it with the exchange rate being so bad.

 

[Justiful]

Edit:

Looks like you tried to add more holes. Hope it works.

 

[rhorn67]

I have the 1/2" mpt fitting into the bulkhead. On the other side of the bulkhead I have a 1" threaded fitting with a hose barb on one side. This is where I connected 1" hose to my return pump and manifold assembly. I'm sure you can get a better selection of those fittings at BRS that would get you exactly what you needed. We are limited here and shipping from the U.S. Is not worth it with the exchange rate being so bad.

I work with a fella from Canada and he has told me things tend to be a bit pricier north of the border. I use BRS and MarineDepot. Mostly MarineDepot as they are within 75 miles of me so everything arrives next day. Definitely take things for granted down here.

 

[rhorn67]

Edit:

Looks like you tried to add more holes. Hope it works.

LOL nice!

 

[Canadian-reef]

Things are much pricier here. The selection is also much less than adequate. One example is livestock. I order all my livestock from over 4000 miles away. It takes roughly 12 hrs to get here counting flight transfer time etc.

 

[rhorn67]

So are your purchases mainly online versus lfs? I feel like I'm rubbing it in a bit but being so close to LA I have 3-4 really good lfs that have huge selections of corals.