Can you help me with water flow

Fishingpcola

New member
My closed loop is not doing the job. So I am ditching it and going with Koralia controllable powerheads. I need your input. The tank is 150g (48Lx25Hx30W). It is an in wall tank and I only want the powerheads in the back. This way they will not be viewed from the living room. Should I go with the 4 way or the 2 way with a couple of pumps on 24/7. I am leaning going with the 2 way with a Koralia 5 and 4 on the controller and a pair of 2's or possible 3's on 24/7. As you can see from the pics I have a lot of pillars and a big arch. The ends of the tank is a foam/rock walls.

Front view
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Rear View
IMG_2842.jpg
 
I have the 4, and love the effects from so many more different water flows. JMO, but I would think the 2 would be good as well.
 
Thanks B-Willz. My thinking with the 2 it would allow to have additional pumps on that are not on the controller make the tank more turbulent.
 
I went to a bunch of reef stores last weekend and noticed pretty much every store had all of their powerheads/return lines on one side of the tank blasting across the top about 5" or so submerged. I asked one of the guys working there and he said that flow mimics the ocean and is much more effective than any other config. You could see micro bubbles in the tank and the flow looked very nicely setup without really blasting any coral yet keeping the sandbed near immaculate. I searched around for hernits and didnt notice an abnormal amout. Interesting concept...seems to work for them.

I would've just taken it with a grain of salt until I noticed 10 out of the 14 stores we went to had their setups that way. My new tank will more than likely have that setup after seeing it for myself.
 
I went to a bunch of reef stores last weekend and noticed pretty much every store had all of their powerheads/return lines on one side of the tank blasting across the top about 5" or so submerged. I asked one of the guys working there and he said that flow mimics the ocean and is much more effective than any other config. You could see micro bubbles in the tank and the flow looked very nicely setup without really blasting any coral yet keeping the sandbed near immaculate. I searched around for hernits and didnt notice an abnormal amout. Interesting concept...seems to work for them.

I would've just taken it with a grain of salt until I noticed 10 out of the 14 stores we went to had their setups that way. My new tank will more than likely have that setup after seeing it for myself.

Let me guess the highest line of pumps they sold were in fact korillia's??? not many retailers distribute vortech/tunze so you wouldnt see them on their tanks... Trust you me you'll change your mind in about a year or two and upgrade to one of the two pumps listed...
Not saying they are complete garbage, just saying they dont come close to producing the width of flow the other two do and consume more power...
If 10 out 14 stores ran table salt through their systems woulod you consider it??? Makes sure these stores arent investing interest in selling what they have only. You can go to LFS and get 20 tangs at once and some will promtoe or encourage this... DO YOUR RESEARCH before buying. If you can only afford korillias then go for it, but id prefer one of the other two over two of these, especially on shorter tanks...
Good luck just my 2 cents
 
Whats behind the wall? I saw a picture of your setup from another thread. If you have access to the wall on the sides you might consider cutting into the sheetrock and making room. Sheetrock is very easy to repair.
 
If I went with the Tunze controller 7096, which pumps would you recommend? I am thinking 6105 and 6055.

depends what application you're going to use it for. if a deco rock will be used i beleive you can only use the 6055 model types. if glass id go with the 6105 model, smaller footprint.
super cool rock layout you got, nice work...
 
Whats behind the wall? I saw a picture of your setup from another thread. If you have access to the wall on the sides you might consider cutting into the sheetrock and making room. Sheetrock is very easy to repair.

It would be tough. I can make access but the ac duct that I have blowing into the sump area would make to tough to get to. I would have to pull the sump out.
 
Let me guess the highest line of pumps they sold were in fact korillia's??? not many retailers distribute vortech/tunze so you wouldnt see them on their tanks... Trust you me you'll change your mind in about a year or two and upgrade to one of the two pumps listed...
Not saying they are complete garbage, just saying they dont come close to producing the width of flow the other two do and consume more power...
If 10 out 14 stores ran table salt through their systems woulod you consider it??? Makes sure these stores arent investing interest in selling what they have only. You can go to LFS and get 20 tangs at once and some will promtoe or encourage this... DO YOUR RESEARCH before buying. If you can only afford korillias then go for it, but id prefer one of the other two over two of these, especially on shorter tanks...
Good luck just my 2 cents

ACTUALLLLLLY, since you don't understand what I was saying.....their setups were plumbed in PVC and pumping 10X what a overpriced mp40 would do. A few stores had various powerheads, but with the same idea. One even had a retro plumbed with PVC. I'm talking high end stores....not PetsMart. They have just about any powerhead on the market in their stores for sale...I wasnt asking the guy which powerhead to buy, I asked him "WHY" they were setup that way.....

But anyways....it's a really interesting concept. The flow was consistant, effective, and showed no visual deadspots (and I was watching them for quite awhile because I'm planning my 240 build). The tank I was mainly referring to in my previous post was approx 30ft long 3ft deep and 8ft wide.....with TONS and TONS of liverock and a LOT of $$$ in coral frags for sale, with the mother colonies on the rockwork so you can visualize how the frags would grow out. This tank had thousands of lbs of liverock and no sign of detruis deposits, excessive algea growth in spots, ect. As the water flowed across the tank and hit the wall on the other end it essentially "rolled" downward and back towards the end where the return lines were, sweeping the floor bottom and liverock as it moved, then hit the wall and "rolled" back to the top, bringing particles with it, the surface skimmer had no problem sucking it up. Sweet setup and well thought out.

No matter what type of "powerhead" one can afford, wouldnt 2+ powerheads working together to "roll over" water in a tank (kind of like a whirlpool on its side) work better than 2 powerheads criss-crossing or aimed towards each other? Seems like you'd be losing a lot of flow. Once the powerheads were on for awhile and got an affective "roll" started, it is a lot easier for them to keep it going and thus creating a LOT more flow throughout the whole tank than a Koralia could normally put out. Exactly like a whirlpool....just on its side... LOL :thumbsup:

The "concept" of this works with any powerhead you choose.....I thought this thread was referring to "optimizing flow" and how to create an effective pattern, not buying better equip. and spending $$$. I research every purchase I make thoroughly and 100% agree with you that it is VERY important to research. :thumbsup:
 
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ACTUALLLLLLY, since you don't understand what I was saying.....their setups were plumbed in PVC and pumping 10X what a overpriced mp40 would do. A few stores had various powerheads, but with the same idea. One even had a retro plumbed with PVC. I'm talking high end stores....not PetsMart. They have just about any powerhead on the market in their stores for sale...I wasnt asking the guy which powerhead to buy, I asked him "WHY" they were setup that way.....

But anyways....it's a really interesting concept. The flow was consistant, effective, and showed no visual deadspots (and I was watching them for quite awhile because I'm planning my 240 build). The tank I was mainly referring to in my previous post was approx 30ft long 3ft deep and 8ft wide.....with TONS and TONS of liverock and a LOT of $$$ in coral frags for sale, with the mother colonies on the rockwork so you can visualize how the frags would grow out. This tank had thousands of lbs of liverock and no sign of detruis deposits, excessive algea growth in spots, ect. As the water flowed across the tank and hit the wall on the other end it essentially "rolled" downward and back towards the end where the return lines were, sweeping the floor bottom and liverock as it moved, then hit the wall and "rolled" back to the top, bringing particles with it, the surface skimmer had no problem sucking it up. Sweet setup and well thought out.

No matter what type of "powerhead" one can afford, wouldnt 2+ powerheads working together to "roll over" water in a tank (kind of like a whirlpool on its side) work better than 2 powerheads criss-crossing or aimed towards each other? Seems like you'd be losing a lot of flow. Once the powerheads were on for awhile and got an affective "roll" started, it is a lot easier for them to keep it going and thus creating a LOT more flow throughout the whole tank than a Koralia could normally put out. Exactly like a whirlpool....just on its side... LOL :thumbsup:

The "concept" of this works with any powerhead you choose.....I thought this thread was referring to "optimizing flow" and how to create an effective pattern, not buying better equip. and spending $$$. I research every purchase I make thoroughly and 100% agree with you that it is VERY important to research. :thumbsup:

i guess maybe next time i should check me peepers lol.. yeah i agree it should work for sure, on longer tanks such as the one your describing it would benefit them greatly...
 
I have maxi jets as well. I have to replace one as it has gotten loud and I'll probably add a forth into the mix (180gallon tank)
 
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