Variable flow really necessary? Laminar OK? -- tank Anemone-only

[Newreeflady]

I have an OR squirt, but was considering not running it at all and just having the CL and return from sump clashing with each other to create turbulence. Seems to me I lose a lot of umph by parting the line, and I don't want to upgrade to larger pumps.

I feel like some people are plenty successful with this, can someone confirm?

Thx!
Angela

 

[Gary Majchrzak]

gyre is most important.

 

[Newreeflady]

Gosh, this seems so hard to plan. I figure I have a 30" long and after sand bed 20" high tank. I have two outlets, both from a similar pump, although one with less head.

Can I make a gyre with both outlets at the top of the tank on alternate sides, or do I need to have one high and one low on alternate sides? Is a side-ways gyre effective (say I have them at the top, on opposite sides, but one pointing diagonal toward the back wall, the other diagonal toward the front panel?)

(if this makes no sense in words and I def need to sketch it, lmk.)

Thanks for replying! Planning is hard:/

-A

 

[reefscape15]

In my 20g I had very good luck with the flow always going in the same direction. I had a HOB skimmer and HOB powerfilter on the back of the tank with the outlets pouring towards the front glass, and had a Korallia 1 high in the back corner pointing towards the center of the front glass. Flow was always kind of rolling from the rear top edge down to the front bottom corner and then back up the rock work to the rear top. I never had anything running to mix up the flow at all, but things were very healthy and happy!

 

[Newreeflady]

Hmmm, so maybe outlets from both pumps should be on the same side of the tank, then.... gosh, that is so counter-intuitive from what I had initially thought, and have always done. Maybe I can have one in the corner pointing downish toward the front center, and one on the side center about 6" out from the first outlet that points sort of the same way? Does that sound gyre-like? Problem is that I'm hard-plumbing all of this- so am concerned about angling properly from the get-go. Perhaps this is a bad idea?
Also, Since on one of the outlets I'm going to use a penductor, maybe the diffused one can be the back one pointing front center, and the one on the side will be stronger/ less diffuse, but both go same direction. Thoughts?


-a

 

[reefscape15]

It's hard to picture i guess. Maybe you could hard plumb everything but then leave the outlets using loc-line? At least if you had 2 small sections of it, you'd be able to tweak the direction of the flow. I'll be doing this when I set up my 20g. I'm going to run a 10 or 15g sump with a 400ish gph return, mag 7 at 5' head will give 420gph. I'll be doing a single 1/2" return line with a "Y" fitting, then loc-line with eductors on both outlets. I don't really know what I'll be doing as far as livestock, but most likely shrooms, zoas, and softies. I'd like to keep a few smaller gobies and I'll only have a 96watt T-5 fixture on there, so SPS are going to be kind of iffy.

 

[Newreeflady]

It's hard to picture i guess. Maybe you could hard plumb everything but then leave the outlets using loc-line? At least if you had 2 small sections of it, you'd be able to tweak the direction of the flow. I'll be doing this when I set up my 20g. I'm going to run a 10 or 15g sump with a 400ish gph return, mag 7 at 5' head will give 420gph. I'll be doing a single 1/2" return line with a "Y" fitting, then loc-line with eductors on both outlets. I don't really know what I'll be doing as far as livestock, but most likely shrooms, zoas, and softies. I'd like to keep a few smaller gobies and I'll only have a 96watt T-5 fixture on there, so SPS are going to be kind of iffy.

I had thought about it, but loc-line is not very good for pressure applications (you'll notice if out of water, even under no pressure, water will slowly leak causing salt creep at the joints. I do have the loc-line, maybe I'll use it on the non-eductor pump, which is probably more directionally critical anyhow, yeah?


-A

 

[reefscape15]

Yea they do have a little leakage, but if you can get the flow where you need it, it's worth the small amount that you loose. You can buy a solid "U" tube to come up and over the tank, or just use 2 90's, and then just run the loc-line under the surface of the water so that you don't get that salt buildup. I have access to a PVC Hotbox (bender) at work so I'll be making all of my plumbing with no joints except for the bulkhead and a union ball valve. No 90 fittings or couplings. I'm planning on just doing a small offset in the pipe to tuck it from the overflow into the sump. For the return I will come out of the pump with a 90, but then a small offset and a "U" bend up and over the tank. I may drill in the returns too..........I'm only in planning stages as of now, but I'll get there someday.

Say, that reminds me. Do you still have your old 20g?

 

[Newreeflady]

Hi Jim,

Wow, must be nice with the pvc bender! I am actually using a butt load of 45s so as not to lose too much flow. I'm going 1" up to the tank for the return and then switching over to 3/4" at the outlet. For the CL I'm plumbing it literally at the top of the tank right outside, so it's 3/4 the whole way with flex pvc incorporated for vibration buffer. Since it's right at the tank I can literally just yank it off, no TUVB required And, I'm just using unions for the return as it drains out into the sump when unplugged so no leak worries. This is my 3rd plumbing project, so I'm hoping for less mishaps! I've actually decided not to drill on this one- have the space for the overflow and we all know that bulkheads can leak. And, that what can happen will, eventually, happen.

Yep, got the 20g still. Will rip it down once all fish additions have been made to the new one (I'll use the 20 for quarantines.)

I've decided to make the new tank an anemone + sea grass lagoon with dsb. I'll probably throw a other things in, but am going sans calcium demanding organisms this time as I only plan to add calcium via water changes and kalk in the top off.

Can't wait to see your plumbing! But, you're idea will have me use locline again for the non penductor outlet. I'm hoping having the one outlet mobile will help get the flow where it needs to be. We shall see, cross your fingers for me. I'm still a little undecided on the both on one side or on opposite sides thing. Was kind of hoping Gary would chime back in, but probably I'll just post it up in the discussion forum where I'll be forced to bump it up 50 times to get an answer:/ Anywho... :O)

-A

 

[reefscape15]

Hahaha good luck. The more I've been thinking, I might just make some swiss cheese out of the back of my 54g and run a CL also. I like the cleaner look, and drilling in a CL and the sump overflow and returns will keep powerheads out of the tank

 

[Newreeflady]

This is true... I'm not doing powerheads, either, but drilling is for sure a cleaner look than over the top of the rim.

I'm so slow, I'm sure my tank will still be in planning stages when yours is already up and running, hehe.

-A

 

[Gary Majchrzak]

it's possible to over-think things. Keep it simple. For an anemone only tank avoid powerheads if possible. Use the water returns to push water at the surface towards the overflow(s). Alternating flow isn't necessary. A powerful gyre will can sweep the bottom of the aquarium. Research the anemone species you want to keep because not all of them appreciate a lot of water movement.

 

[Newreeflady]

Will not use powerheads for sure. I will put them both on the side opposite the overflow, then. I don't feel like 2 x 1262's is really considered a lot of flow, is it? I was thinking either sebae or lta, and perhaps also btas, both green and red. I would like to have more than one type of anemone- preferably one that stays smaller, and one that will grow more medium sized. I love the carpets, too, but would like some pj cardinals and fear for their lives (lost 3 bangaiis to my haddoni.)

Thanks guys!

Angela