optimizing Vortech flow?

[jeremy K]

I recently purchased 2 MP40w ES pumps for my 90g tank (4'), and am having trouble getting the right flow. What I would love is a nice back and forth motion of my LPS corals and anemones. I tried the short pulse modes (both on sync and antisync - the pumps are on opposite ends of the tank), and am able to generate a nice wave. But the problem is that all the corals in the middle of the tank (where the crest of the wave is) experience a constant high flow. Only the corals on the sides of the tank experience the back and forth sway I am looking for. Any ideas on how to generate a back and forth motion that will affect the corals throughout the tank, including the middle?

[JonnyD91]

Try long pulse instead

[joeyvu]

I placed mine not directly opposite one another, but rather one more toward front of the tank and the other more to the back. in this way, you can get wave back and forth and circular flow pattern...

[jeremy K]

Originally Posted by joeyvu

I placed mine not directly opposite one another, but rather one more toward front of the tank and the other more to the back. in this way, you can get wave back and forth and circular flow pattern...

Hmm, would be nice to do that, but my rockwork won't permit it. I guess the obvious solution is to move the LPS to the corners and just have SPS in the center, but there must be some way to generate a wave and have the corals in the middle sway. I tried the long pulse mode, but it doesn't generate waves, just opposing currents..

[daveonbass]

reminds me a little of when I got my two mp10s. I never could get a quality wave...and my rocks prevented many options as far as pump placement. But I settled on reef crest mode...(orange on the 10s) and now all my stuff sways with the ever changing current. My nem loves it and it's nice cause it's not a predictable swaying pattern, it gently changes every minute.

[jeremy K]

Originally Posted by daveonbass

reminds me a little of when I got my two mp10s. I never could get a quality wave...and my rocks prevented many options as far as pump placement. But I settled on reef crest mode...(orange on the 10s) and now all my stuff sways with the ever changing current. My nem loves it and it's nice cause it's not a predictable swaying pattern, it gently changes every minute.

I guess that would be my fall-back option. I would prefer watching them sway gently every few seconds rather than every few minutes. My corals seem to like the reefcrest mode, but not as much as they like the short pulse.

[Mike31154]

I used to run my two MP40Ws in long pulse, anti-synch mode to get an alternating flow pattern. Since upgrading to the ES drivers, I've switched to the EcoSmart TSM (Tidal Swell) Mode. Although it doesn't produce the predictable back and forth sway you appear to be after, I find it to be a good mode for my system. Everything moves rather randomly with the everchanging interaction between the two pumps. I have a canister filter providing a small amount of flow from the back center of the tank which helps randomize things even more in that area. I figure I spent the money on the ES drivers with the new modes, so might as well use one of them. Another slight benefit is that I don't notice the sound of the pumps as much as when they were ramping up and down in the more 'regular' pulse mode.

[ctxmonitor]

I am exactly in the same situation as you. I have a 90g tank and have two MP40w powerhead. Can't quite get the flow i want. The left side where the overflow is seems to getting alot of clashing flow for some reason, and the right side near the corner get some flow but not anything close to the left side.. Tried all the mode, like you did, but still not thinking that this is the best flow i could get from these pumps..

[Mike31154]

Looks like you chaps with the 90s might need to invest in a 3rd VorTech for the back glass. An MP10W ES might do it, or if money is no object, another MP40W ES.

[Tigé21v]

Can you get the action you are looking for if you just run one in short pulse? It took a few minutes playing with the speed on mine, but i was able to get a nice wave going in my 90. Everything in all parts of the tank was swaying nicely. If you can with the one, then mount the other on the same side and sync together.

[jeremy K]

Just as an update on this, I did manage to find a flow that causes everything in the tank to sway (after much tinkering). I think my problem was that I assumed I needed to establish a standing wave, like that in the Vortech website. Whenever I made a standing wave (as seen by looking at the surface of the water), the corals on the sides of the tank pulsed, but those in the middle moved chaotically - and of course they did, being at the crest of the wave.

Eventually I discovered that if I set the intensity at about 3/4 maximum, set the 2 MP40s on opposite sides of the tank in anti-sync mode, with the pulse frequency on the 5th bar from the left, I get great pulsing. But there is no standing wave in the tank at that frequency.

Hopefully this will help anyone with a similar sized tank who wants to achieve the same result.

[cham]

Originally Posted by jeremy K

Just as an update on this, I did manage to find a flow that causes everything in the tank to sway (after much tinkering). I think my problem was that I assumed I needed to establish a standing wave, like that in the Vortech website. Whenever I made a standing wave (as seen by looking at the surface of the water), the corals on the sides of the tank pulsed, but those in the middle moved chaotically - and of course they did, being at the crest of the wave.

Eventually I discovered that if I set the intensity at about 3/4 maximum, set the 2 MP40s on opposite sides of the tank in anti-sync mode, with the pulse frequency on the 5th bar from the left, I get great pulsing. But there is no standing wave in the tank at that frequency.

Hopefully this will help anyone with a similar sized tank who wants to achieve the same result.

In my experience the "wave" looks really neat but is almost worthless when it comes to flow. But it sure does look neat.

Originally Posted by Mike31154

Looks like you chaps with the 90s might need to invest in a 3rd VorTech for the back glass. An MP10W ES might do it, or if money is no object, another MP40W ES.

If you can't get enough flow using two vortechs pushing 6,000 gph in a 90g tank I don't know what to tell you.

Maybe upgrade to a Mercury?