Upgrading to 65 gallon tank, don't want to $pend for new powerhead

[Molter]

Hey guys,
I know this is similar to the other post about the MP40 on a 65 gallon tank that is up right now, but I need a little more specific advise, so I apologize for a somewhat redundant post.

Essentially, I have a 46 gallon bowfront reef tank that I'll be upgrading to a 65 gallon tank within the next month or two.
Everything is currently thriving, with my MP10 on about 60% on average using the Reef Crest mode.
Frankly, budget is an issue and I don't know that I can afford to upgrade tank and purchase another MP10 or upgrade to the MP40 within several months of each other. (Might be closer to 6 months before I can drop the type of coin it would take to spring for one of those. Budget has gotten tight.) :-(

That said, with my goal of continuing to grow zoas, softies as well as chalices, montis and acroporias, am I going to have issues sticking with my MP10, even if I keep it at 100%, or do I put my ecosystem at risk by not having enough flow with just the one powerhead?

[bendavis]

if money is an issue, why are you looking at an MP40? I mean, obviously its an amazing pump but you can get a couple nice powerheads that your corals will love for a fraction of the cost of a single MP40

[scooter31707]

Get a RW-8. You can get them off of ebay as low as $47. IMO, upgrading to that tank, you will need another powerhead. The RW-8 should hold you until you get what you need, plus you can adjust the flow to your liking.

[alton]

http://www.bulkreefsupply.com/tunze-...ream-6040.html
I hide mine on the side of the overflow on my 65, it does a great job.

[alton]

I just saw this
http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/sh....php?t=2613102

[Molter]

Thanks for all the help guys.
Alton, do you think that one Tunze 6105 would work well with my existing MP10, or would the different modes that they use clash and create a current that's not optimal?

[sde1500]

Originally Posted by bendavis

if money is an issue, why are you looking at an MP40? I mean, obviously its an amazing pump but you can get a couple nice powerheads that your corals will love for a fraction of the cost of a single MP40

I mean really, if money is an issue why upgrade at all?? I get we all have a goal of upgrading multiple times to monster tanks, but that should be done when it can be afforded.

That being said I don't see why adding a different pump like the tunze would cause an issue with the Vortech. Flow is flow, just play with how they are pointing to find what works for you.

[Molter]

Originally Posted by sde1500

I mean really, if money is an issue why upgrade at all?? I get we all have a goal of upgrading multiple times to monster tanks, but that should be done when it can be afforded.

That being said I don't see why adding a different pump like the tunze would cause an issue with the Vortech. Flow is flow, just play with how they are pointing to find what works for you.

That's a fair question.
I'm moving in two months, and my tank has a crack in it. Due to duct tape, it is not currently leaking but I have zero confidence in its ability to survive a move.
Hence the upgrade.

[jayball]

Originally Posted by Molter

Due to duct tape, it is not currently leaking

LOL, that is a scary statement.

I would add another power head rather than relying on a single mp10. Just get whatever you can afford right now (jebao, korilla, etc.) and worry about the fancy powerheads later when you can swing it.

[sde1500]

Originally Posted by Molter

That's a fair question.

I'm moving in two months, and my tank has a crack in it. Due to duct tape, it is not currently leaking but I have zero confidence in its ability to survive a move.

Hence the upgrade.

Yikes. Good reason for an upgrade. Go cheap on a powerhead then. Flow is flow really, you'll be fine.

[burton14e7]

I honestly doubt you will need to upgrade your powerhead on your 19g volume increase. That's a 30% increase in display volume and you have 40% of your powerheads power unused. I would just upgrade and wait and see if you even need another powerhead.

[Molter]

Originally Posted by sde1500

Yikes. Good reason for an upgrade. Go cheap on a powerhead then. Flow is flow really, you'll be fine.

Yeah, pretty shitty.
I bought my tank off CL when I got into the hobby in February.
I drove a couple of hours to get it, and the guy insisted that we could fit it in the car with the PVC pluming attached, and when trying to fit it in the PVC snapped. It was annoying, but all I had to do was get some more PVC and redo it when I got home.
So after driving a few hours home with the tank, stand, sump, lights and eight 5 gallon buckets full of rocks, water and fish, I was setting things up at my house when I noticed that there were four cracks coming from the drilled hole that the PVC was attached to that spread the top and side of tank.
At this point, it was too late to do anything about it, so I've just duct taped it every other week or so and cleaned off the salt residue that slowly builds up underneath it.

Now that I'm moving, I really doubt that it'll be able to survive the trip, and since I've grown to really not like the bowfront it seems like a perfect opportunity to get a better tank. Unfortunately, my lights are 24", so a 55 gallon is out of the question, so I need to get a 65 gallon so that I can still use my lights.

It's a real pain, and I wish to GOD that I'd gotten any other tank because I inherited enough issues from this guy that I spent a couple of thousand of dollars within the first 4 months trying to fix everything.

[alton]

Originally Posted by Molter

Thanks for all the help guys.
Alton, do you think that one Tunze 6105 would work well with my existing MP10, or would the different modes that they use clash and create a current that's not optimal?

The post has 6105's at $100 each, plus controller $100. Total for two and controller is $300, sell the mp10 and you are not out that much money?

[minus9]

I would sell the mp10 and get two Tunze's as well. I believe someone here is selling two 6040's with apex controller cable.