Critique my Flow

[saltyseaman]

I just invested in two Tunze Stream 6000's and a Multicontroller. I won't be getting them untill early next week, but I have been thinking about how I will set these up and I wanted to get a little feedback on what I plan to do.

First my setup:

The tank a 125 gallon with a 6ft x 18in footprint. It is 3 side viewable with the rock being only in the center of the tank. I have over 50 species of SPS and 10 clams. I also have 10 fish, 8 species of LPS, and a Rose Bubble tip anemone, but those are just so I have something to looks at that moves . Right now I am running about 1000 GPH through my return through 1" PVC and 4 - 300 GPH Maxi Jet 1200's on a wavemaster pro. This provides good current, but I have a couple of dead spots and a little cyano that I think these Tunze Streams should cure.

Here's what I plan to do:

<img src=http://reefcentral.com/forums/attachment.php?s=&postid=2056258>

The Tunze's will be set on a 30%-100% alternating pulse. I will have two Maxi jet 1200's on the wavemaster. The Maxijet that is right under the return will be aimed up at the flow the return puts out. This should knock the flow into a funky pattern everytime the Maxi Jet turns on. There is about 6" from the top of my rock structure to the surface of the water. I want to put the tunze as close to the top of the water as possible so that they create a little surface current and they aren't blowing directly on any SPS. I think with the colliding stream from the Tunze's, Maxi Jets, and return I should have some pretty random and chaotic water movement. Since my setup has the rocks in the center then I should also get a nice circular flow pattern that will help eliminate the dead spots under the streams themselves.

My concern is that I will have so much current everywhere that my clams will close up and my LPS will be putting out 12" sweepers. I have a DSB, but I don't think I will have any areas of such extreme current that the sand will be blown everywhere. I also have a pretty open rock structure so water should be able to flow pretty freely without any major obstacles.

What do you think about all this?

TIA

 

[mojodeli]

I would get rid of the MJs. You won't need them. I would also move the pumps to the back and an angle them towards opposite corners.

 

[saltyseaman]

Thanx for the feedback mojo.

I considered getting rid of the Maxi Jet's, but then I figured I would have too much flow in one direction if I left the Stream's where I have them now. The Maxi Jet's should alter that one directional current just enough to keep those polyps flapping back and forth instead fo just back and half-way forth.

As for the second bit of information, I'm not sure I understand. I really don't have a "back" because it's 3 side viewable. I assume you are talking about the top of the diagram, right? Well, my concern with that setup is that I will then have the Tunze Streams blowing directly on SPS. I mean, the ouput will be ~7" from some frags on both ends of the tank. I understand how the streams push a larger volume of water, but I still think 1800 GPH 6" away from a coral all throughout the day won't be very good. What do you think?

I would also then get that high velocity flow action that throws sand everywhere in the "front" center of the tank like I see in so many others tanks. That is something that I DEFINATELY don't want, because that spot is the exact spot of my "clam lagoon".

Yet another one of my concerns would be getting flow to the areas that need them the most. Since it is 3 side viewable I have corals on all sides of the tank. I know the "front" would get PLENTY of flow, but what about beetween the Tunze's? Would there still be a lot of water movement there?

Do these seem like valid concerns or am I missing something? Is there some sort of added benefit to having the streams on the same wall pointed at opposite corners?

 

[mojodeli]

sorry, I missed the 3-side viewable. This changes things. You still won't need the MJs but I would hide the Tunzes in the middle of the rock work and have them blow away from each other. There will be enough bouce back to aleviate any dead spots.

This will be really cool becuase you'll have a ton of flow but now pumps or powerheads to be seen.

 

[saltyseaman]

I like that Idea Mojo. If I were just setting up a tank then I would probable follow that Idea and build my rock structure around a couple of Tunze Rocks. However, I have an established system and more than 60 corals. I have SPS encrusting on almost every rock in my system. In order to do this now I would have to remove some rocks and break the SPS off of those rocks. This really isn't something I want to do. I would also be concerned with pump maintenance. In order to clean the pumps I would have to take my structure apart. Also, this would make two pretty large spots in my structure that I couldn't put any corals because the current would be blowing DIRECTLY on them. I like the idea, but this just isn't applicable in my situation.

 

[rvitko]

When you get your pumps I think you will see that your Maxi Jets at 1ft from the coral have a far greater force than the Streams do at 6". Once acclimated the Streams would not hurt an Acropora that distance. I think your set up is fine but instead of the Maxi Jets I might consider a Sea Swirl for your return if that is an option. Less force and greater randomness.

 

[saltyseaman]

Thanx for the input Roger

I did consider a Seaswirl, but these Tunze's broke me. I'll be using two of the MJ 1200's in my prop tank, so using these for the randomness issue is just convenient. I guess my main concern is having too much one directional current on too many corals.

I should be getting them tomorrow. I guess I'll just have to experiment with them and see what happens.

Thanx agin for the input guys :thumbsup: