How far can these push water?

[sfsuphysics]

I got 2 vortechs on a 6 foot long 100g tank (so very small cross section), not much in the way of rock, but by no means minimal.

So today while cleaning the coraline I decide to stick them both on one side having ZERO luck with getting any sort of wave going in the tank with them on opposite sides, figured having a stronger push would help get a little rocking action. One pump was low to the ground, the other one somewhat higher.

So I flipped both on in regular mode at 100% and one interesting thing I noticed is that while the under current was amazing (simply by all the crap that was being sucked towards the pumps, about halfway through the tank the particular matter floating in the column (from this undercurrent of crap) seemed to come to an almost dead stop.

Now I realize these pumps give a really dispersed flow, but I didn't think that it would disperse this quickly. Any ideas why it would do this? Is the undercurrent stopping the flow at that 3 foot mark? It's not like there's a mount of rocks in the way (in both pumps pretty much have a clear line of sight to the other side of the tank).

Anyways I really liked that undercurrent and might go back to alternating sides just low in the tank if my wave doesn't pan out.

 

[EcoTech Marine]

Hi Mike-

Typically the output of a VorTech will push 3-4' into an aquarium and span roughly 36" in diameter. For a six foot tank two pumps is recommended for anything other than softies and LPS.

If you would like to see a surface wave, the best placement for the pumps is closer to the top of the aquarium.

-Tim

 

[sfsuphysics]

Well I don't care what's happening on the surface so much as inside the water column.. I would like to see stuff swaying, and I don't even see the *blush* algae swaying when I try.

I do however run 2 pump though.

 

[EcoTech Marine]

Try moving the pumps higher to see if it works for you, maybe about 4" below the surface.

-Tim