Flow for LPS + SPS

[moonyguy]

Hello Everyone

I am finding it very hard to find a balance between flow for my 75 gallon LPS dominated tank. Its a regular AGA 75 gal Reef ready tank with two maxijet 1200 on either sides of the over flow low in the back. I have the a HK3 and HK 4 that I want to use to get the flow going for the SPS that are high up but the flow is simply too much. I tried many position for the last 2 months and I always end up upsetting some corals or the other. I am starting to think HK 3 and 4 might be too much for an LPS dominated tank and I should get HK2 or even a HK 1 just for the SPS and keep it in that area. Comments and suggestions welcome.

Here are some shots of my tank and the aquascape...I have more corals in there now...the rough locations are marked on the image below

Thanks for the help

 

[surfy]

Have you tried bouncing the flow off the glass instead of directly across the aquarium like you have them set/pictured above?

 

[moonyguy]

Yes tried a couple of times but it blows the sand away like crazy. The HK3 essentially hits the far right wall and drops the flow down to the bottom and is still too powerful....the corals that sit right below the HK3 are getting hit by the flow thats getting bounced off the far right wall and come from the right...The hammers are not too happy either...if you can suggest the location I can try.

 

[dismalorb]

I have an AGA 75 gallon and three Koralia 3s running on it and haven't had any problems. Mine are in the top back corners, and then one in the middle. The two corner ones are positioned higher than the middle one.

Have you tried a different positioning?

 

[moonyguy]

Sweet. I have not thought about that. I am going to try it in the back ends and see how it works. The best part is with just the maxijets running the LPS seem to be just happy...I am also getting great PE in the SPS but I wont hold my breath on that for too long. I am out of town for the next week...going to try the new positions once I get back so I know to change things if some coral doesnt like it. Thanks for the help.
Vishnu

 

[dismalorb]

I think it works really well. All my LPS seem to love it in all the areas they're in.

I recently bought a wavemaker for them though... BAD idea. heheh. The impellors jump every time the pumps restart. ;(

Do you have one running on yours? Do they do the same thing?

 

[moonyguy]

I heard that HK pumps dont like the start/stop wavemakers for the same reason you mentioned. I am thinking of putting a wavemaker for the maxijets as they can take the load better than the HKs. Few people here have been using Seio controllers for the HKs since they reduce the voltage to 50% and back up to 100% rather than complete stop. I also read here that HK itself is coming up with their own wavemaker soon.

 

[futuramafrk]

I use my HK's on a wave maker, I have 3 HK1 and 1 HK2 and it took them a few weeks of breaking in but the bouncing subsides to very little. at least mine did.

About the flow issue, at any 1 time i have 1500-1800 gph, its mixed sps/lps and my frogspawn haven't looked better same with my calaustrea. Try putting the hk's on the sides, lower aiming up against the glass. Maybe offset them an inch or 2 but have them both aim at the front. I think the wavemaker makes a diff in the fact that there not just being blown in 1 direction. I have my return and 1 HK on all the time the other 3 rotate overlapping each other.

Something will work for you, just gotta tweak with it to find its G-spot gluck

 

[moonyguy]

heh. Totally agree. Is that Sieo Wavemaker? Or is it like a regular Tsunami on/off type. I will get home on Friday and the first thing I am going to work on is the flow issue. The PE on the SPS is pretty good with the Maxijets but I know I want more flow. Thanks for the help.