35gal Hex Powerhead placement

[myram]

I have a 35 gal hex FOWLR and I'm looking for tips for best water movement and surface agitation with a HOB and 2 powerheads, this is my first go with a hex tank.

The HOB is an Aquaclear 70(300gph), and I think I'm going to pick up a couple of Koralia Nano 425's. My thought is to put both Koralia's on the back wall pointing to the opposite front panel and upwards. That will agitate the surface, as well as create a lot of flow.

Any ideas or suggestions?

Steve

 

[phyber]

that's a tough shape for typical circulation patterns...

perhaps you could have two pointing across the tank, making a "vortex" or surface agitation? this would transfer good oxygen as well as carry a good current down to the bottom.

But with a narrow top and deep tank, healthy oxygen transfer at the surface will be hindered without additional equipment

 

[spartachris]

I have a 55 gal hex. I used to use an aquaclear 70 and one koralia 750. What you entry to watch out for is getting circulation down low. If I ee you, I would place one low and over high on opposite sides.

As far as o2 exchange, my biggest problem was CO2 in the house, but the tank had good circulation.

Sent from my HTC Evo using Tapatalk

 

[username in use]

With that shape tank you want to shoot for a gyre, which is getting all the water to either circulate clockwise or counter clockwise. I would put the two powerheads on opposite sides of the tank, one near the top and one about halfway down. Point them in the same direction as far to one side as possible and let the water start to flow in that circle. It will be the most efficient way to get flow from the top to the bottom.

 

[myram]

I'm going to try the cross pattern aimed at the surface, that should break up the surface buildup and make some good flow around the tank. Especially with the 420gph flow rates of the powerheads. Right now I just have the HOB and a Rio 50...........LOL

Steve

 

[feh]

A tank like that I'd probably put one in the back and one on the side.

 

[myram]

Now my next question.............240gph or 425gph Koralia's?

I'm getting 2 of them, so I think the 240gph Nano's should be plenty in this tank in addition to the 300gph HOB filter.

Steve

 

[feh]

I'd go with the 240s. Between 2 of those you're at around 13x flow.

 

[myram]

Yeah, that's what I was thinking too.

Time to order them up.......off to Ebay I go.

Steve

 

[username in use]

What kind of corals are you planning on keeping? Ive had the 425's and they really aren't that strong. Even for soft corals/lps I would stick with the 425s, if you are going to try and keep some sps in there, I wouldn't hesitate to use the 750s

 

[myram]

No corals, FOWLR is the way I roll.

30lbs of live sand and 30 lbs of live rock, HOB for flow and filtration, and 2 powerheads for flow.

Steve

 

[myram]

I received my 240 Koralia's today............nice and small and silent.

Do they actually put out their rated output?

They don't seem too strong, but 240gph isn't a lot either.

Steve

 

[Koddie Doo]

I did this
IMG_1638 by kmw504, on Flickr

 

[myram]

That's kinda cool, and all the white pipe will be covered by substrate?

Have you used the BakPak skimmer yet? I had one years ago, and it put way too many bubbles back into the tank.....drove me nuts.

Steve

 

[Koddie Doo]

I had this running for about 2 years... The blue line is where the substrate was. The BAK PAK did have bubbles but there was about 6 mods that I did to make it better. The hardest thing about that tank was PAR in the tank. Tall and narrow makes it tough to grow things..

 

[Koddie Doo]

IMG_1759 by kmw504, on Flickr


IMG_1758 by kmw504, on Flickr


IMG_1757 by kmw504, on Flickr


IMG_1756 by kmw504, on Flickr

 

[myram]

I pulled the 240s and went with a pair of 425s.............much better flow.

I have them mounted on the back glass, one on each side at the top, and aimed down and to the outside glass. They are making good flow combined with the AC70 flowing straight forward.

My FOWLR statement has changed a bit...............I have a BTA, Pom-Pom Xenia, Green-tip Purple Ricordia, and a Lunar Eclipse Paly frag.

My surface needs attention, but it's hard to aim the 425's at the surface without them sucking air. So I'm thinking about picking up a small Rio and mounting it right at the surface to aggitate it...........like a 180.

Any comments?

Steve

 

[username in use]

Try to make a gyre, it will give you the most efficient flow in that shape tank and will increase the turnover of the tank and the surface.

 

[myram]

gyre = ?

Have them pointing at each other so the flow collides and churns the surface?

Steve

 

[username in use]

Gyre would point them so they both point clockwise or counter clockwise. It is basically getting all the water in the aquarium to move in the same direction. Not easy to do on square tanks, really easy to do on hex tanks. It is highly efficient and will get all the water moving from the top to the bottom and minimize dead zones. Your corals will like it.