Flow question (waves)

[JustinReef]

How well do powerheads set to a pulse mode (making waves) actually move water around compared to when set to a stream mode?

I have always had a combination of powerheads creating wave action along with powerheads blowing water from one side of the tank to the other. My current tank has been a struggle to get good flow...either its just too strong or I find dead spots. I am however able to get a nice wave going but then it just doesn't seem like a lot of flow. Corals are swaying around like crazy but... yeah just seems like that's about it...

I know this is a very general question without enough info but I couldn't find much on this subject...

:deadhorse1:

 

[homer1475]

How big of a tank, and what PH's are you using?

 

[JustinReef]

How big of a tank, and what PH's are you using?

IM nuvo 25 (24 x 18 I think), Tunze Nanostream 6040, turned WAY down since I don't want water on the floor. I believe it's only running at about 30%.

There are two returns from the back chamber (it's an all in one) and they may put out about 200 gph between them.

 

[homer1475]

A single 6040? OR how many do you have?


The basic rule of the thumb is 10X your display. So for your 25G your looking at about 250G/h One of those 6040 at max is pushing 1190G/h. With 2 your should have plenty of flow. You might just have to move the aquascape around so you don't have deadspots.



In my 80G cube I have 2 mp10's on the sides, and 2 jebao PP8's on the back. While I have plenty of flow, I did have to move the rocks around so I didn't have dead spots.

 

[homer1475]

Forgot to mention, the Mp10's I have on reefcrest mode(basically always on with random up and downs up to my max setting of 60%), and my Jebao PP8's I have firing off at random times for 3 second bursts @ 80%.

 

[JustinReef]

A single 6040? OR how many do you have?


The basic rule of the thumb is 10X your display. So for your 25G your looking at about 250G/h One of those 6040 at max is pushing 1190G/h. With 2 your should have plenty of flow. You might just have to move the aquascape around so you don't have deadspots.



In my 80G cube I have 2 mp10's on the sides, and 2 jebao PP8's on the back. While I have plenty of flow, I did have to move the rocks around so I didn't have dead spots.

Yes, just one.

Actually if I turn it up to full power and point it across the tank on one of the stream modes, water literally crashes out of the tank haha. Not to mention it causes sandstorms and corals to blow over. It's very strong for the tank. At about 50% on stream setting, it works well but it's really hard to position it in a way that isn't blowing hard into some corals. When I have it at 50% my sps look happy but my lps will not extend polyps much.

But when I have it on pulse and it's creating a wave, I find all the corals look great but it's so hard to judge the flow. I can't really figure out if there are dead spots or not.

I guess I am just unsure about the power of a wave action when there is not much else to supplement it. I have had a large tanks with Vortechs creating nice waves but always had other powerheads blowing water across the tank at the same time.