MP40 for LPS tanks

[bdreptiles]

I seen this brought up in the SPS forum and thought I'd ask here, my tank is a 65 acrylic with the same footprint as a 75 just shallower. What would be the best settings for LPS dominated tank? I have it set on reefcrest at about 75%. Its the first one I've owned and its still new and confusing!

 

[MondoBongo]

totally depends on the layout of your rocks.

i have a lot of LPS in my 75G and i run my mp40 on the constant setting mode at about 70% power.

where i have it placed, and where i have my LPS placed work pretty well. i have been slowly turning it up a notch at a time over the last few weeks, looking for signs that anyone in particular is getting too much flow. so far everybody seems happy.

so i guess all that to say that in my opinion the "best setting" is going to be very tank relative. it will be contingent on what LPS you have, where they are placed, and what the rest of the structure of your tank is like. the optimal configuration is going to take some experimentation, and will likely be where you have the maximum flow from the pump that doesn't bother any of your residents.

-edit-

in addition to the mp40 i also have a pretty hefty return pump from my sump and two Koralia ph's. one a 1050GPH and a 420GPH shooting in different directions.

 

[bdreptiles]

I'll try and get a pic of the tank yup tonight. I have a few koralias but I'm waiting to see how the tank acts with just this one pump running though. There is a rock with a good amount of zoa's on it in front of the MP but they area all open and happy, only a few closing up when it ramps up the speed. What you say makes since and I'm going to play with it on different settings to see what they all like, but I'll see if I can get a pic of it up to show you what I'm working with. Thanks a lot for the input.

 

[bdreptiles]

Ok here's a picture of my tank as is.

 

[footballdude2k3]

I would not add in a Koralia, at least not yet. I would go a few days, see if everything is happy, and int this picture it all seems to be, if things start being not happy, try to turn it up, see what happens, if you like that, turn it up more, if you do not, turn it down, a lot of this is going to be trial and error. It looks great so far.

 

[bdreptiles]

Right now it will blow about 2/3s of the tank and the far right side with leather and galaxia doesn't get a whole lot of current but they seem happy. I need to move it up a little because if I turn the power up it starts blowing sand there on the left where you see the hill forming lol. Thanks for the complement, I like it much better this way. Before I think I had to much rock but I think this is about perfect.

 

[footballdude2k3]

If you are getting some sand movement, you really have two options, either a second powerhead, but before that, I would raise the powerhead on the glass first.

 

[bdreptiles]

I moved it up and there isn't nearly as much movement now, and everythings doing pretty good. Next step is Radions if I can con the wife into it lol.

 

[footballdude2k3]

Just tell her they were on sale...you know...because EcoTech products go on sale alllll the time....

 

[ca1ore]

I run MP40 in a 90 gallon at 75% reefcrest for long-dimension flow and MP10 at the same setting for short-dimension flow. The latter is principally to keep a Ritteri happy. Am thinking perhaps this is too much for the LPS corals (though they seem happy enough) but since I have SPS coral also, will have to do.

 

[moppy]

Good luck at getting the Radions. I'm trying to decide if I should get one or 2 for a reg tank by the wife is always an obstacle!

 

[bdreptiles]

Unfortunately she knows the price and does the bills so she'd see what I paid lol. I kinda have her talked into it but have some more work, and chores to do lol.

 

[chrisfont23]

I run two MP10s on a 90 at about 50% each. All LPS. Does the trick.