stream 6060's

[mattsilvester]

I would love to get a proper stream kit, with two pumps and a multi controller, but to be honest, I do not have the cash !!!

I note that the 6060 is about half the price of the 6000 - and puts out approx 6000l/hr. At that rate, two of them would put out 12000 combined, which is enough to turn over my tank volume nearly 18 times an hour - which to me seems like good flow, and good value for money.

In conjunction with my return pump from the sump, this adds up to a total of 20 tank volumes per hour.

My tank has two corner overflow boxes - 6"x6", in each back corner. I was going to position the stream units against the end panel of the tank, in front of the overflows (i.e. the corner between the end panel and the overflow) - and point each unit toward the centre of the tank.

In your opinion, is this enough flow for my tank?

Presently the tank only contains softies (sacrophyton, finger leather, shrooms) - later it amy contain some hard corals.

Thanks for your help,
Matt

 

[rvitko]

It should work, I would probably run them on timers with a 1hr interval and a 30minute overlap.

 

[mattsilvester]

rvitko,
It has been put to me that the 6060's are not really for 6' tanks, and that the 6080's are a better choice. Would you agree with this?
In your view, are the 6000 / 6100 units an infinitely better choice? As I say, cost for me at the moment is the major issue.
regards,
Matt

 

[rvitko]

'

 

[rvitko]

This is true, but you are keeping soft corals and mushrooms which need a more gentle flow. The 6060's cover an area of 4ft by 2ft so I think 2 will be fine. The 6000's would be better though and if it was me that is what I would use.

 

[mattsilvester]

Roger,
Thanks for the info. Due to my budget, I will have to make do with two 6060's.
These will be the only circulation pumps in the system, aside from my eheim 1060 return pump. Is that going to be enough flow to keep waste suspended in the water column etc.?
Finally, can I expect these pumps to be noisy? Medium? Quiet? Or near silent?

Thanks again for your help,
Matt

 

[rvitko]

They are between quiet and near silent when worn in, At first you will hear some droning noise and that goes away over a couple weeks. I think it is fine for what you will be keeping. Dead spots are still possible but short of overdoing flow for some of your animals I think that is just something you will have to live with. You might try a 6080 and a 6060. In this case if the 6080 is too much you could downsize the prop to the 6060 prop- you are an engineer so you could just turn it down on a lathe or by hand but being careful to keep symmetry. Such a pump will use more power- probably 18-20W but it will not harm it. You cannot upsize a 6060 though because the coil can only handle a long term draw of less than 18W and the 45mm prop of a 50Hz 6080 is going to overdraw that. A 6060 50Hz model is 40mm I believe. Your sizes are different from our 60Hz models.