Lets have this discussion again!!

[Lee_Bay]

Okay flow for my new 75, which is SPS dominant.

I am trying to add as much flow as I can, but I don't like the look of bb, so I am assuming that without a wavebox, just add as many powerheads as you can without stirring up the sand. Right now I have 2 Koralia 4's, 2 Seio 1500's, and am using a mag 9.5 for the return pump. That's about 6200 gph, and the sand knows it. At least it does in that one spot. One spot right up front that I can't keep the sand down. I've aimed the powerheads different directions etc. Can't keep it down.

Without going bb, are there any other suggestions?

 

[firefish2020]

Ok here is my solution to that tank. 2 X 6101's on a multicontroller and get rid of the other powerheads. The pulsing will produce close to the same wave as a wave box on a 4 Ft tank and should jolt detritus loose. Your main returns should be enough to stir things up into suspension after that.
There are many other ways to do the same thing but this is close to what I run on my 120 at home plus the wavebox and it works fine there. Sand is really not an issue in my systems as I only keep under an inch of the stuff in there LOL. If you like the look of sand, look to creating a faux sand bed.

 

[fishmon]

Amen brotha ron! Remember Bryan......its only money, they make it every day!

 

[Lee_Bay]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10914292#post10914292 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by fishmon
Amen brotha ron! Remember Bryan......its only money, they make it every day!

Jim I know you have met my wife and know how much money disgusts her. It's almost like as soon as any gets near her purse she just has to get rid of it before it makes her sick.

I knew Tunze would come up. I guess eventually I'll get the wife near a WHOLE BUNCH of that green money stuff and the Tunze rack at the same time. :mixed: But until then, I guess I'll have to deal with the bare spot. It makes it easier to see into the sump anyway with the light coming through the bottom of the tank.

 

[carb850]

Could you strategically place a piece of rock in the problematic area?

 

[Lee_Bay]

I think that would just divert the flow to where the problem area moves to a different spot. Worth a try though. I'll let you know.

 

[fishmon]

I solved my empty spot at the house finally. It just took moving on thing at a time just a little until I found the sweet spot.

 

[firefish2020]

My suggestion until you get more flow would be to make sure you vacuum that spot on a regular basis. Also try moving or placing some rock in front, behind etc of it to create a current. Think of it like wind traveling through alleyways between buildings, if you place a stone in the right spot (like Jim did), it should divert and possibly amplify enough flow to hit that spot.

 

[fishmon]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10915782#post10915782 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by firefish2020
My suggestion until you get more flow would be to make sure you vacuum that spot on a regular basis. Also try moving or placing some rock in front, behind etc of it to create a current. Think of it like wind traveling through alleyways between buildings, if you place a stone in the right spot (like Jim did), it should divert and possibly amplify enough flow to hit that spot.

I actually didn't use a rock, I tried but it just moved it to a diff spot. I adjusted the pumps just the slightest bit over and over and over........until they were just right.

 

[Lee_Bay]

I just got home from work and that little spot near the front of the tank has turned into the whole front of the tank. There is a giant mountain of sand on the right side. Gonna start re-aiming pumps I guess. I like the flow with all 4 powerheads, but I think the fish like it more. Just hope I can get everything positioned to where my bald spot doesn't show back up.

 

[coralreefer]

With the pumps you've got how about a seio controller or two?
Other than that keep re-aiming
How course/fine is your sand?

 

[MattG]

I say a few streams (say 2 6101s) and maybe the new aquasurf! You can be the guinea pig on it

This way you should be able to get the wave action without a wavebox! I just saved you ~450$. Can't beat that.

If you don't want to blow a downpayment on a house on water flow then I would just try to aim the powerheads in different directions. I have never messed with the koralias. Is there a way to angle them up slightly? When I had streams in my old 90 this is what I did to keep the sand storm down.

Other option depending on the type of sand you have is to use a more coarse sand. I recently reset my 30 cube up and plan on blasting it with MUCHO flow and used about 1/2" of carib sea special reef grade sand which is a fairly coarse sand.

 

[coralreefer]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10917393#post10917393 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by MattG
maybe the new aquasurf! You can be the guinea pig on it

Ummm I missed the memo on this one Matt. Got a linky

 

[MattG]

Neptune made it for use with Tunze equipment. It replaces the multicontroller 7095. They added some features most notably the ability to create a wave without a wavebox. Basically it can turn the pumps on and off at very small increments (much smaller then the 7095). Check the neptune forum for details.

 

[snowstar]

well you could also use an Ocean Motion 4-way device prolly with drum #3 and a monster pump to drive it. There are lots of folks using these with sand beds. The great thing about these are you can definitely measure your flow rates AND if you plumb it correctly you can get the flow so that it is pushing out from behind the reef stack and then getting pushed up into the water column and what is not consumed by fish/corals gets pushed into and over the overflow.... You could easily get monster flow that the sps would love....