SunDevil95
New member
Hello, I'm setting up a 63g acrylic REEF tank and I was looking for diagrams/information on a flow pattern to use. People have been telling me to get the general idea for flow, but I have no idea what they're talking about or where to start... a circle tornado effect?... all in?... all out?... a figure 8? The goal is to HIDE all of the plumbing and drill from the BOTTOM. I'm trying to do this without bulky powerheads. Since I have NOT drilled yet, I was wondering if anyone can lend some advice?
Goals:
- maximize water flow, but do not blow out planned corals
- reduce algae harvesting areas
There will be 2 pump systems, a closed loop generating about 1000gph flow and a sump returning about 400gph flow.
The closed loop intake drain bulkhead will be in the bottom (exact center) middle of the tank camoflauged by a LR bridge. The returns are planned to be directly at the 3 & 9 o'clock positions about 1.5' away (meaning that they are in the middle widthwise of the tank as well). I was thinking that these would split into 2 outputs each.
Q's:
- Only 2 outputs each or should I split these 2 returns to 3?
- What's the name of the bendable ball-n-cone like tubing that directs water from these things (so I don't sound utterly stupid any more)?
- This was planned to have a SCWD on it, but some have advised against using one?
- I can drill the returns other places in the tank, but I was going to hide it under LR with only the heads of the whatchmacallits returning the water. Advisement?
The sump drain and return will be housed behind an INSIDE overflow box in the back with the 400gph return. I really only want 2 holes in the bottom of the tank here.
Q's:
- Should I split the return flow back into 2?
- Since I only want to drill 2 holes (drain / return) if I were to put the SCWD here it would have to fit after the return makes it back into the tank splitting into 2. Has this been done before? Is this okay?
Goals:
- maximize water flow, but do not blow out planned corals
- reduce algae harvesting areas
There will be 2 pump systems, a closed loop generating about 1000gph flow and a sump returning about 400gph flow.
The closed loop intake drain bulkhead will be in the bottom (exact center) middle of the tank camoflauged by a LR bridge. The returns are planned to be directly at the 3 & 9 o'clock positions about 1.5' away (meaning that they are in the middle widthwise of the tank as well). I was thinking that these would split into 2 outputs each.
Q's:
- Only 2 outputs each or should I split these 2 returns to 3?
- What's the name of the bendable ball-n-cone like tubing that directs water from these things (so I don't sound utterly stupid any more)?
- This was planned to have a SCWD on it, but some have advised against using one?
- I can drill the returns other places in the tank, but I was going to hide it under LR with only the heads of the whatchmacallits returning the water. Advisement?
The sump drain and return will be housed behind an INSIDE overflow box in the back with the 400gph return. I really only want 2 holes in the bottom of the tank here.
Q's:
- Should I split the return flow back into 2?
- Since I only want to drill 2 holes (drain / return) if I were to put the SCWD here it would have to fit after the return makes it back into the tank splitting into 2. Has this been done before? Is this okay?