Flow suggestions for 125 gallon

[Freds]

I'm looking for flow suggestions for a 125 (72" x 18" x 24") tank. It's going to be softies only so a tremendous amount of flow isn't necessary. I'm considering a nanowavemaker and saw that the 6055 is the more recommended pump than the 6095 due to the 18" wide flow of the 6055. With a return pushing about 450 gph I'm wondering what my best options for pumps are. I really am looking for a resonant wave look in the corals and swimming behavior in the fish which is why the nanowavebox is on the list.

I'm considering:
nano wavebox alone with return
nano wavebox and a single 6045
nanowavebox and two 6045s
two 6055s
two 6045s
or is there another option that might be better suited to what I'm looking for?

Thanks

Fred

 

[Freds]

perhaps I should add that this will be kind of a minimalist setup with a few rock towers but the back , front and sides will be open. The tank will be drilled along the back for overflow so there won't be anything in the way along the back and I hate having rock touching the sides.

 

[rvitko]

The 6045 is definitely too weak, the 6055 is marginal, I generally wouldn't recommend it for a tank bigger than 4ft across, a 4 ft 120 is really the practical limit. The Nano Wavebox would be fine for generating a wave, and to this you could add 2 6055 and probably be OK for soft corals in a fairly open aquascape. The 6055's won't generate a considerable wave in a tank this size, but waveflow alone is not sufficient flow and the 450 gph of return flow is practically inconsequential. I would have the nano wavebox and either 2 6055, 2 6095 or 2 6065 (non controllable) for directional flow. While the 6095 has less reach, it would be more flow in the area and with 2 and the nanowavebox that would be the ideal.

 

[Freds]

Thank you Roger for your experience and insight on this!