does this flow setup make sense?

[michelangelo620]

JBJ 28 LED, new setup, mostly base rock and some live, no coral yet but looking to go reef with a few fish

-stock 266gph pumps with stock flat return heads aimed in an X pattern in the top few inches of water to keep the upper column/surface stirred up

-two Koralia Nano 425, both mounted directly under the stock return heads, aimed downward along the side glass on each side, set to 30 seconds alternating on wave maker

Any suggestions how I should set these all up? Is this too much flow? How do you set your wave maker?

Most of my rock is in the middle of the tank. Trying to make sure I have good circulating flow that basically "circles" around the tank back and forth, so you have a period of turbulence when changing pumps and the different flows "collide", but once flow settles it will hit areas the other pump didn't hit.

Any thoughts are appreciated.

 

[michelangelo620]

Also, any thoughts or experience with Hydor Flo? Good concept, but not sure how well they work, and with the return heads so close to the surface on these tanks, wouldn't it push the water into the hood, or possibly splash?

 

[michelangelo620]

Anyone have input in this?

Now have 2x 565 on the way to replace the single 425.

 

[NS Mike D]

I have 2 x 240s on 15 minute intervals in a standard 29 tank along with flow from a CPR large HOB fuge and a media reactor. THE 240s face each other, places at the top of the tank with a slight downward angle

You have a lot of flow, but you are mixing it up. I used to do shorter burst, but ac pumps take more beating turning on and off than do dc pumps and the 240s take a a little time to effect the flow directional change.

I may go back to 6 hours alternating cycles to mimic tidal flow and extend the life of the pumps.


I don't like when my softies & LPS are in constant leaning due to high flow. I like when they are gently rocking and fill out geometrically, so the 240s give the SPS at the top decent flow while letting the softies and LPS fill out.

In any case. I moved the pumps around and changed patterns almost weekly for 2 years before finding a basic configuration that didn't urge to tinker with it.