karimwassef
Active member
Scott. So how thick is the acrylic you used so you can sit on it? 1"?
Think a glass tank ever be able to do that?
Think a glass tank ever be able to do that?
Large peninsula mounted reefs - show me yours
- Thread starter karimwassef
- Start date
slief
RC Sponsor
No.. Not two.. A 6305 is rated at 7900GPH. So 2 per side would yield 15,800GPH per side which would be an insane amount of flow. That said, Tunze makes even bigger pumps and there is another similar pump that can power a jet ski.. I forgot the brand but it's insane.
In my 480, I have two 6205's and one 6105 and those 3 pumps create an insane amount of flow in my display. All of them face the same direction and are programmed in profiles I created to maximize the flow and surge effect in my tank. I get a nice constant back and forth motion that keeps my corals moving back and forth. The result is enough flow to completely eliminate any chance of detritus settling. I also run a close loop pump (RD3 230) that exhuasts out under my live rock so there is a constant flow under the rocks insuring that nothing settles there either. When my Tunze flush cycle kicks in, the closed loop pump kicks up to 80% power via my Apex to help insure that everything that could have settled is suspended in the water column and sent over the overflow. Obviously, this is a different flow than you are after but you could certainly create something very similar to what you are after using pumps like the Tunze's or MP60's. It might take a few or more per side but you would have much better control over your flow with less complexity.
karimwassef
Active member
The target is 40K each way and uniform across the tank's cross-section. top to bottom, left to right. It can't pull water from around it, it needs to be a push in one direction.
One of the earlier iterations used propeller pumps like that. The flow is from around the pump and forward. That doesn't allow for a constant flow effect. It creates a local loop where it pulls from around the area it injects. We worked an option to circulate using propeller pumps, but the flow wasn't laminar or uniform.
That eventually morphed into a Gyre like setup with circulation.
That evolved back into propeller pumps but with laminarizing flow boxes. I needed 10 x 4K gph, and I needed to keep things in budget. So I put them in a rotating cylinder. I could just double up again, but that would be 20 pumps.
Then the laminarizing box evolved. It had a lot of backpressure and got redesigned into a stackable plastic structure.
The concept of alternating flow with dual pumps came back in. With the flow needed, It would take a lot of pumps again and require diverters or actuated valves...
But the distance between stages was long and complex. I needed to bring things closer.
That morphed into the current view.
I love peninsula tanks, so the combination was ideal.
The push on one side of the tank lines up with the pull on the other so a constant current is created. The laminarizing boxes guide the smooth uniform flow.
In my current tank, I use 2x WP60s and 2x MP40s, and I use a dual 20 gal surge so I can push 40gals in 5 seconds. I move a lot of water, but the shape of the water is wrong. That was the point of the other thread.
One of the earlier iterations used propeller pumps like that. The flow is from around the pump and forward. That doesn't allow for a constant flow effect. It creates a local loop where it pulls from around the area it injects. We worked an option to circulate using propeller pumps, but the flow wasn't laminar or uniform.
That eventually morphed into a Gyre like setup with circulation.
That evolved back into propeller pumps but with laminarizing flow boxes. I needed 10 x 4K gph, and I needed to keep things in budget. So I put them in a rotating cylinder. I could just double up again, but that would be 20 pumps.
Then the laminarizing box evolved. It had a lot of backpressure and got redesigned into a stackable plastic structure.
The concept of alternating flow with dual pumps came back in. With the flow needed, It would take a lot of pumps again and require diverters or actuated valves...
But the distance between stages was long and complex. I needed to bring things closer.
That morphed into the current view.
I love peninsula tanks, so the combination was ideal.
The push on one side of the tank lines up with the pull on the other so a constant current is created. The laminarizing boxes guide the smooth uniform flow.
In my current tank, I use 2x WP60s and 2x MP40s, and I use a dual 20 gal surge so I can push 40gals in 5 seconds. I move a lot of water, but the shape of the water is wrong. That was the point of the other thread.
karimwassef
Active member
so my concept is only 0.5" glass rimless since it's 24" high. I don't think a 1" acrylic sheet on top would accommodate my weight on the edges, but I really like the idea of being able to walk/sit up over the tank to access all parts of it.
dave.m
Active member
You would get more efficiency if you rounded off the corners instead of square. This could easily be done by bending acrylic sheeting. That would approach more of a physical gyre-shape than two walls of pumps.
Also, see the tanks set up to test growing dendronephthya by Tim Wijgerde.
Dave.M
Also, see the tanks set up to test growing dendronephthya by Tim Wijgerde.
Dave.M
karimwassef
Active member
Good site. I use eggcrate too. It laminarizes the flow a little, but it doesn't make it uniform and one directional.
Since I have a large open section (no middle separator) after the first 5ft or so, I expect that much of the flow will turn well before it gets to the back wall.
I expect the flow to be uniform until it gets to the cross-over region, then it'll be more like traditional non-uniform chaotic flow.
I like the rounded look, but I also prefer Starphire glass... The biggest temptation to acrylic right now is the ability to sit on top of the tank.
Since I have a large open section (no middle separator) after the first 5ft or so, I expect that much of the flow will turn well before it gets to the back wall.
I expect the flow to be uniform until it gets to the cross-over region, then it'll be more like traditional non-uniform chaotic flow.
I like the rounded look, but I also prefer Starphire glass... The biggest temptation to acrylic right now is the ability to sit on top of the tank.
karimwassef
Active member
Scott - your design inspired me. I need to keep all the wet away from the viewing area... even moving rocks and corals. So I made a 36" space above the tank and put a frame made of 2x4s and an acrylic sheet with large 2'x2' openings and acrylic doors (for safety).
This allows me to get on top of the tank from the fish room - only clean drywall on the viewing side.
I can also keep my starphire glass.
<a href="http://s1062.photobucket.com/user/karimwassef/media/0_zpsylcyfbu4.png.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1062.photobucket.com/albums/t496/karimwassef/0_zpsylcyfbu4.png" border="0" alt=" photo 0_zpsylcyfbu4.png"/></a>
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This allows me to get on top of the tank from the fish room - only clean drywall on the viewing side.
I can also keep my starphire glass.
<a href="http://s1062.photobucket.com/user/karimwassef/media/0_zpsylcyfbu4.png.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1062.photobucket.com/albums/t496/karimwassef/0_zpsylcyfbu4.png" border="0" alt=" photo 0_zpsylcyfbu4.png"/></a>
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