need advice for 90G system

[cyclgrl]

Hi Roger,

I was hoping you might be able to give me some advice on what Tunze stream system to get for my tank setup.

I have a standard 90G AGA (48"x18"x24") with a 4" southdown sandbed. Currently, my flow is provided by 4xMJ1200 on a Wavemaster + a Viaaqua 4900 return.

I was thinking of replacing all the MJ1200s with 2 6000s on a multicontroller. However, I am a bit worried about having sand fly all over the place. Also, I wonder if instead of the 6000s, I should get the 6100s. That would be better for use in future upgrades, but only if it's reasonable to be able to throttle it back to be useful in my current setup.

Any thoughts you have on this would be most appreciated!

Thanks,
Cindy

 

[cyclgrl]

Oh, and my setup is a mixed reef, with the top half of the tank all SPS. I have LPS, rics and zoos along the sandbed.

 

[LowCel]

cyclgrl, I have a 90 gallon with a ViaAqua4900 and a Tunze 6010 and it is perfect. I just have a 1" sandbed though, the very center of my tank (where the stream is aimed) is barebottom. I wouldn't put any more than one stream in a 90 unless it was a barebottom. I am running mine at 100% - 50% with it changing every 5 seconds.

Once you get the one stream hooked up you will understand why you only need one.

BTW, my tank is an sps tank and all of my corals seem to be very happy.

 

[rvitko]

The 6000 could be later upgraded to 6100's, the 6100 is way to much for a 90. As it is with your LPS and coralimorphs the flow would need to be turned down. The sand isn't an issue after it is established. At first it will be a pain and you need to keep the pumps cleaned but it is a temporary issue.

 

[cyclgrl]

Thanks for your help!

Roger--Ok, the 6000 sounds like the plan then. I will plan to buy just one first (with the multicontroller) and see how it goes before committing to another. Or are you suggestion that only one 6000 may be enough for my tank? I'm already suspecting that I'll need to keep the stream up high to prevent too much sand from being blown around. Are you saying that the sand can get into the pump itself and cause issues?

LowCel--just to clarify, you have just the one Tunze and your return and that's it? Which stream do you have? Btw, does your return seem to provide any significant flow? My return seems fairly weak.

Cindy

 

[LowCel]

Yes, that is all the circulation I have. I am using the 6000 pump. My return doesn't do a whole lot, but thats alright, don't need it to. The stream is amazing, I would have never believed that I wouldn't need anything else before I bought mine. Once I bought it I was convinced. It actually took me a few months to be able to turn it up to alternate between 100% and 50%. I had to get rid of most of my softies to be able to do it. They weren't happy with all of the current.

You could always just move some of your softies to the lower current spots though, my tank has a couple of spots like that.

Here is my tank, you can see the one stream in the back right corner.

 

[cyclgrl]

So the one thing I still have a hard time believing is that flow coming from a single source can be better than coming from multiple sources. In this case, I am comparing it to my 4xMJ1200 which has an aggregate lower gph, but since it is attached to a Wavemaster, it has random patterns where the flows converge. The 6000, otoh, only has one source with a change in %. So the same proportion of flow will be felt by the same area of the tank, right? Can't think that is a good thing.

Also, how are you mounting your pump? I'm thinking of the magnet holders, but I don't know which one.

 

[LowCel]

I'm just using the regular mount.

I can't explain it but the flow does change. Right now I am watching the polyps on my hairy acro and my mill's sway in the current. You just have to get both the stream and your returns positioned correctly.

The best thing about the stream is it's wide current path. With the maxijets you get a real narrow current, with the tunze it does the whole tank. Even with the stream being as strong as it is I have a stag a little over 6" in front of it. I don't think I would want to do that with a normal powerhead.

 

[cyclgrl]

What did you have for flow before?

You only have one return, right? By positioned correctly, what do you mean?

 

[LowCel]

Before I had 3 powerheads, two were maxijets, can't remember what the other one was. There was no comparison.

I only have one return pump but I ran a second return. Here is a picture of how I have the returns run. I didn't like all of the water coming from the ViaAqua out of one return, I wanted to seperate it a little.

(btw, the acro showing isn't actually brown)

 

[cyclgrl]

Ok, thanks! I'm probably going to order the pump by the beginning of next week.