Help designing new tank for Stream placement

[mikester]

I am having a new tank built, and would like to incorporate my Streams into the design. Here are a few ideas I had - could you please comment on how each of these layouts would impact the flow from the streams?

In each of these VERY ROUGH drawings, the dark red boxes are Tunze streams, and the dark blue boxes are return nozzles:

Option 1:

With this setup, I would have the overflow in the back right corner of the tank. The side of the overflow would be angled and would contain a concealed Tunze stream aimed at the opposite corner. The other Tunze stream would be contained either in a tunze rock (already have) or otherwise hidden in the aquascaping in the front left corner of the tank, aimed towards the back right corner. I would also have to find a way to conceal the cord from the front stream.

Option 2:

This was the original design we came up with - have the overflow along the center rear of the tank, and a stream mounted angled out at each side. Both streams and their wiring would be completely contained. However, since the overflow will be about 16" long, that's a wide gap between streams. Most of the circulation would come from the streams bouncing off the other tank walls. If I went with this option, I think it would probably be beneficial to upgrade the streams to 6100's (already on the waiting list) so I have more flow, since I will be relying on indirect flow. This would make up for the potential loss in flow - I don't know if I would still get the same nice flow pattern from the streams, though.

Option 3:

This option uses a smaller overflow in each back corner, each with a contained stream aimed at the opposite corner. This is probably the most "traditional" approach, and would work really well for completely concealing the streams and providing good flow. The biggest downside I can see is that the back 4-5" of the viewable left side will be tanken up by an overflow, which I'm not thrilled about.

Well, those are some starting points. Nothing is set in stone yet, and I'm certainly open to consider changes to one of the above plans, or even something completely different.

Thanks.

 

[mikester]

Anyone?

In particular, I would like to know if the streams will lose their effectiveness if the flow is banked off the sides, as in the second drawing above.

Thanks.

 

[rvitko]

Really I think all those options could work very well. It will come down to what mode you use the 1st option would be best suited to interval one, I have some concern the back pump won't work very well with rock in the way. Option 2 is best suited for pulse mode or interval 2 , The 3rd option could go with either of these programs but I suspect Interval 1 would be best.

 

[mikester]

Thanks Roger. I have decided to go with Option 2. I was concerned I would lose flow by banking the streams off the walls, but it doesn't sound like that's the case. And if it is a problem, I can always upgrade to 6100's.

 

[rvitko]

You may lose some flow but the deflection spreads the flow though it diffuses it, the key is to hit the wall at an angle and not dead on.

 

[isotope21]

Roger you mentioned in another thread that streams placed in overflows might able to "overdraw" the capacity of the overflow due to their high water intake requirements. Would it be generally advisable to drill a separate intake hole above the stream, or perhaps make the output hole larger than the actual circumference of the stream so that it can draw water around itself? Obviously this varies with size and input rate of each invidual overflow, but I'd still like to have your opinion. After I get my new tank I'm sure I'll have more specific questions!

Thanks,
Pete

 

[rvitko]

You could do that but what happens if yoou have a power failure- the tank could drain down to this hole could it not? Or through the Stream for that matter.

 

[isotope21]

To protect against that one would have to weld or snugly fit standpipes to the drain bulkheads, and ensure that the standpipe opening was above the hole. Definitely a good point! I also used "overflows" too generally - I meant reef-ready type overflows with the drain bulkhead on the bottom of the tank and a standpipe, if that helps clear it up for anybody.

Thx Roger,
Pete