Surrender to the Flow!!

[sweatervest13]

Hi all,
I need a little help. I want to commit some more time to figuring out the best way to get good flow going in my tank. Acrylic has been talking up the importance of good flow and I am starting to take notice. I know that there are many ways to get proper flow in a tank, and many products to get this. BUT I am trying to stay in the confines of what I have to work with (limited budget, lol). So here goes
Current set up:
125g tank 72"x18"x22"
67g sump 48"x18"x18"
approx 150lbs LR (Started with about 120 lbs of base rock)
approx 120lbs LS (Started with dry sugar fine sized, then seeded with LS from my other tank)
1400gph overflow (I think)
Mag18 return pump
Reef Octopus skimmer
Scrubber
2 x 1400 Koralia evo's
1 x 750 koralia evo's
1 maxijet 1200 (295gph??)
On order
2 x 1400 koralia evo's
Koriala Smart wave controller
So, I am asking what is the best way to set up the power heads and the return loc lines??
I am at work right now but I want to get some pics up when i get home so you can see what the rock work looks like, and what I have to deal with.
Any help and input is appreciated!!!
Ryan

 

[snakeblitz33]

Pics definitely needed. Im starting to realize the importance of designing a proper aquascape combined with flow. Nowadays, it's just not as easy as building a rock wall and adding flow to have a successful tank long term.

 

[spanko]

IMO with the wave making capability of the controller you would be best to set the powerheads on one end of the tank and create a wave action from side to side.

 

[snakeblitz33]

I really like wave actions too, the back and forth surges is very natural. That's why I'm going with an mp20 for my powerhead.
With all those powerheads you have bought so far, you probably could have already gotten an mp40. Just saying'. But we will help you with powerhead placement once we can get some pics.

 

[1guydude]

no worries....i cant get myself to spend the $300 on those Mp things. I recently purchased two aquatop brand powerheads for $50. One is 3200gph and the other is 1300gph.
Ive also got the smart wave and its really kool! Super easy to set up and user friendly. The idea in my tanks, is that one powerhead is left running well the other two i run on the wave maker. So the one larger powerhead pushes the water all the way around the tank and the other two make random flow!
HTHs

 

[acrylic51]

There's a lot of info out there, but as I had mentioned in my build thread there are way to many areas we over look when it comes to flow, be it from how we return the water to our systems to using the returns efficiently.......Some very good points made, but as with any equipment at times you do get what you pay for, but in the same token if a piece of equipment is taken care of it possibly could last a lifetime, but a big think with a lot of PH's is they don't like the standard controllers with the constant on & off. Just way to hard on the PH's, but Henry is correct with a controller is very nice....
If you go to my build thread the 1 video I shot, just shows even on my size tank, what 2 modest PH's can create.....Again those PH's used are above average, but in the same token undersized for the tank, but with proper positioning anything is possible. The only thing it was lacking on my video was more movement on the very bottom of the tank. This isn't desireable for someone who is using a sugar fine sand....It would create a sand storm, so that is another consideration to consider as well when it comes to flow. Probably with a little more tweaking downward of the PH's I probably could have achieved what I was looking for with those PH's.

 

[sweatervest13]

Quote:
Originally Posted by SnakeBlitz33 http:///t/389573/surrender-to-the-flow#post_3444098
I really like wave actions too, the back and forth surges is very natural. That's why I'm going with an mp20 for my powerhead.
With all those powerheads you have bought so far, you probably could have already gotten an mp40. Just saying'. But we will help you with powerhead placement once we can get some pics.
LOL. Who said I paid for all of them. Well, I did just not all at the same time. LOL I do have some MP40's on the wish list but they will have to wait for a while.

 

[sweatervest13]

Okay here are some pics of the set up. I tried to get pics to show how the rock work is positioned. The idea I had when setting up the rock was to have some room on each side of the rocks (at least enough room to have a mag float pass all around). Also, I thought that this would allow room for flow to get around the rocks. It is kinda a two island look.









As you can see I did not paint the back of the tank. I like being able to view the tank from all sides, and I have about a foot and a half behind the tank to walk. Please excuse the dirty sand. I have some brown hair like algae that I am trying to get rid of. I think it was because I started off with too much base rock and not enough live rock.
Quote:
IMO with the wave making capability of the controller you would be best to set the powerheads on one end of the tank and create a wave action from side to side.
I think that is going to be the way to set it up. Now do you mean put all the PH's on one side of the tank? Or split them up on both ends?
Thanks for everyones feed back so far.

 

[flower]

Ryan,
I'm just asking because pictures can be hard to see.....Is your rocks on the bare bottom of the tank, or on the top of the sand? Your rocks need to be solid on the bottom, sand shifts and could kill critters or break the tank. If you do have the sand on the bottom...move it to the side, fix the rocks and push the sand back over the rock. Just trying to help.

 

[sweatervest13]

Ryan,
I'm just asking because pictures can be hard to see.....Is your rocks on the bare bottom of the tank, or on the top of the sand? Your rocks need to be solid on the bottom, sand shifts and could kill critters or break the tank. If you do have the sand on the bottom...move it to the side, fix the rocks and push the sand back over the rock. Just trying to help.
Lol good looking out flower. My intention was to have the rock work look that way. But each structure is on a PVC and eggcrate base that puts it at sand level. Idk if any of the pics show it but it is exposed in a couple of areas that the sand has blown.

 

[deton8it]

Ok, before you buy anything else tie a piece of ribbon or string on a feeding stick, coat hanger, net handle, or what ever you have that is long and thin and lower it in the tank. Hold it in various parts of the tank and watch your flow for about 20-30 seconds at each spot. Dont forget your corners and check at various depths. If you find dead spots then adjust your PH's and check the whole tank again. This is time consuming but it may save you some money in the long run.
John

 

[sweatervest13]

Ok, before you buy anything else tie a piece of ribbon or string on a feeding stick, coat hanger, net handle, or what ever you have that is long and thin and lower it in the tank.  Hold it in various parts of the tank and watch your flow for about 20-30 seconds at each spot.  Dont forget your corners and check at various depths.  If you find dead spots then adjust your PH's and check the whole tank again.  This is time consuming but it may save you some money in the long run. 
John
Thanks for the suggestion John. I will give that a try.
Merry Christmas everyone!!!