220G Tank Setup - Flow/General Advice Needed

[five.five-six]

That's quite a bit of flow if you're running those things at full tilt ~ 3,400 GPH a piece. I ended up ordering two 2120 Sicce powerheads yesterday, and should have them today! I'm going to start by aiming the two at each other from opposite sides of the tank and see what that does.

Thinking about dead-space... I'm going to try aiming a couple of my return pump "heads" down behind the rockwork and see if that does any good at stirring things up.... without creating a sandstorm lol. It's possible I may benefit from another powerhead or two at the back center of the tank, though I doubt they would need to be all that powerful.

I'd be interested to hear more from yourself and others on the Calcium Reactor...Is it really necessary!? Is it still common practice to dose a "part 1, part 2" reef supplement?

Actually, it kinda works out to about 1.5X 3,400 GPH since it’s a peninsula and I have them setup to gyre.

They aren’t full tilt 24X7. I run them like this but offset by an hour each to avoid standing dead spots. It’s a good amount of flow, there is no way to keep sand in the front of the tank. But if you have ever dove a reef, the amount of flow is much stronger than what I am producing.

 

[five.five-six]

I've also known hobbyists who have had evening visits from the police because their neighbors saw "funny" lights coming from their house and thought there was a grow operation.

I wish I could find it but there was a story some 15-20 years ago where an elderly couple got a late night police raid of their apartment. A service guy fixing a sink or toilet or something saw several large ziplock bags of white powder in the house and reported it. IIRC it was a club had split up 50 pound bags of calcium hydroxide, driveway de-icer and Leslie pool supply pH up LOL

 

[The Reef Addict]

I don't mind explaining or sharing, that's what this forum is for.

I don't currently have the 450, I sold it a long time ago when my three kids were in sports and I was helping to coach their teams. I just didn't have time to manage that size tank and be involved with coaching two soccer teams, a football team, a softball team and an inline hockey team. Sheesh was I really that busy back then?

Anyway, I currently have a 40 Breeder. I recently bought a used 120 gallon (empty) system.

Regarding having to explain things, when I bought this 120 system, it came with a RODI/water mixing station that included 2 20-gallon Rubbermaid Brute trashcans on a 2x4 stand with an RODI unit mounted to the stand. We got some interesting looks driving down the road with that in the back of the pickup

I've also known hobbyists who have had evening visits from the police because their neighbors saw "funny" lights coming from their house and thought there was a grow operation.

That sounds like a full time job on top of a full time job! lol. I can see why you weren't able to maintain a 450 on top of all that... damn shame you had to get rid of it though. Pesky kids

I know all about getting funny looks.... I've hauled some pretty wild loads as a truck driver, and a homeowner!

I wish I could find it but there was a story some 15-20 years ago where an elderly couple got a late night police raid of their apartment. A service guy fixing a sink or toilet or something saw several large ziplock bags of white powder in the house and reported it. IIRC it was a club had split up 50 pound bags of calcium hydroxide, driveway de-icer and Leslie pool supply pH up LOL

A classic example of someone who shouldn't have made someone else's business their own... people can be so nosy.

What's nice for the folks with grow operations is it's legal in most states now, us aquarium hobbyists should be safe... although I do have quite the salt collection...

 

[The Reef Addict]

Actually, it kinda works out to about 1.5X 3,400 GPH since it’s a peninsula and I have them setup to gyre.

They aren’t full tilt 24X7. I run them like this but offset by an hour each to avoid standing dead spots. It’s a good amount of flow, there is no way to keep sand in the front of the tank. But if you have ever dove a reef, the amount of flow is much stronger than what I am producing.

View attachment 32397802

I can definitely see why you would have high turbulence... Doesn't sound like a major issue, minus the bare sand spots!

I got the two Scicce powerheads installed, and I'm quite impressed how much flow these little heads make. I think I'm going to need one or two more to create more even flow throughout the rest of the tank though.

I'm hoping to have my nitrates back under control again by the end of the week so I can add some inverts, and finally some fish! I was just getting my 75G under control, and for some reason the tank upgrade seriously spiked up my nitrates.