flow suggestion

TX26257 · 02/03/2008, 06:20 PM

ok I have a 180g tank with coralife 1200 external pump return plus 2 korlia #4.... Im thinking of adding 3 maxijets 1200 on a red sea wave maker... what do you guyys think
too much
too little
just right

mixed reef

SonyMan03 · 02/03/2008, 06:30 PM

I'd do with 4 maxijets on a RSWM

I'm running 3mj1200's, Nanostream 6025 and a Mag5 on a 29g.

LobsterOfJustice · 02/03/2008, 07:05 PM

Those maxijets wont make a difference on that size tank unless you mod them with a high flow mod.

TX26257 · 02/03/2008, 07:36 PM

by my cal. my return pump is 1200 gph return with a about 3-4ft of hose

and korlia are 1200 gph

and if I add 4 maxi jets at 295gph+ 1180

so around 4780 gph is this still not enough. if not what pumps would you use with a red sea wave maker

walkerbrody · 02/03/2008, 08:13 PM

get a few sureflow mods for those maxijets on the wave timer. They work great.

WarrenG · 02/03/2008, 10:36 PM

I have the sureflow mods and they are very good. I used to use a RedSea Wavemaker but its cycles are too short to really get the water moving. Much better is the Chauvet 4005 timer $30). You can set the cycles for 2-15 minutes each. A couple of modded 1200's going one direction for 5+ minutes, then two more mods going the opposite direction for 5+ minutes will provide very good flow for the corals.

Studies show a flow rate of 10-15cm/s across the corals is ideal. GPH is not nearly as good a guide.

swilcoxen · 02/03/2008, 11:34 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by WarrenG
Studies show a flow rate of 10-15cm/s across the corals is ideal. GPH is not nearly as good a guide.

Just out of curiosity, how would one measure that?

LobsterOfJustice · 02/04/2008, 09:52 AM

Put some stuff like cyclopeeze in the tank, hold a ruler up to the tank, and grab a stopwatch

I agree, I would go for the maximods.

tkeracer619 · 02/04/2008, 09:56 AM

I would mod the koralias using a trimmed dumas 3004 prop and a maxijet 900 or 1200 impeller. You will get more flow for next to nothing.

swilcoxen · 02/04/2008, 09:58 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by LobsterOfJustice
Put some stuff like cyclopeeze in the tank, hold a ruler up to the tank, and grab a stopwatch

I had a feeling someone was going to say that! Fair enough though. Thanks!

WarrenG · 02/04/2008, 12:35 PM

Someone had to say it, but most of us didn't want to appear that geeky. I just watch bubbles or something and estimate.

The studies I read said that 10cm/s was likely best for prey capture, but the higher flow was better for respiration. If light levels are high then the higher levels would be best, especially if you can slow things down during feeding. But beyond 15cm/s there didn't seem to be any benefits.

Aquarist007 · 02/04/2008, 01:02 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by LobsterOfJustice
Those maxijets wont make a difference on that size tank unless you mod them with a high flow mod.

I was going to do that but was told if you mod them they won't work on a variable timer anymore

swilcoxen · 02/04/2008, 01:06 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by WarrenG
Someone had to say it, but most of us didn't want to appear that geeky. I just watch bubbles or something and estimate.

The studies I read said that 10cm/s was likely best for prey capture, but the higher flow was better for respiration. If light levels are high then the higher levels would be best, especially if you can slow things down during feeding. But beyond 15cm/s there didn't seem to be any benefits.

Geeky is good. I'm running a 29G tank and I added a second power head (I use the Koralia Nano's). Depending upon how they're positioned I do one of two things. I either beat certain areas to death or I end up with serious dead spots. In theory I'm pushing almost 500 gallons of water an hour, but, as someone indicated, if there's a dead spot, there's a dead spot. GPH isn't then ultimate answer if it doesn't hit the right places. Areas of my tank are definitely in the 10-15 cm/s range, while others are easily at 5 cm/s or even less. I'm probably obsessing too much at this point....

thi7b · 02/04/2008, 08:50 PM

IMO It depend what you want to keep. SPS need high flow rate. That flow rate is ok for softies. You may see some cyano on the sand. I used to have 5 koralia 4 on a 125gal. It was too much then cut down to 4. But I still have that ugly cyano on my sand bed. Then I try out my first vortech. It gave me the flow and the cyano went alway in 3 days. I end up buying a second vortech and selling all my koralia 4.

WarrenG · 02/05/2008, 12:57 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by thi7b
IMO It depend what you want to keep. SPS need high flow rate. That flow rate is ok for softies.

The study I read (advanced aquarist.com) said that 10-15cm/s was optimal in a reef tank for SPS. At the low end the prey capture was good and at the high end the respiration was better. If the corals show signs of photoinhibition then the upper end of that range would be helpful, but beyond that range there wasn't significant benefit to the corals.

02/03/2008, 06:20 PM	#1
TX26257 Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: Littlefield, Tx Posts: 212	flow suggestion ok I have a 180g tank with coralife 1200 external pump return plus 2 korlia #4.... Im thinking of adding 3 maxijets 1200 on a red sea wave maker... what do you guyys think too much too little just right mixed reef

02/03/2008, 07:05 PM	#3
LobsterOfJustice Recovering Detritophobe Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Cary, NC Posts: 7,443	Those maxijets wont make a difference on that size tank unless you mod them with a high flow mod. __________________ If it's worth doing, it's worth doing right. I remember when zoanthids were called things like "green" and "orange" and not "reverse gorilla nipple." Current Tank Info: 180g reef with all the bells and whistles

02/03/2008, 08:13 PM	#5
walkerbrody lost ball in high weeds Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Gadsden, Al Posts: 504	get a few sureflow mods for those maxijets on the wave timer. They work great. __________________ "Whether you think you can, or you think you can't--you're right." — Henry Ford Current Tank Info: 265 mixed reef, 110 fowlr, 40g fuge, 75g sump.

02/04/2008, 09:52 AM	#8
LobsterOfJustice Recovering Detritophobe Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Cary, NC Posts: 7,443	Put some stuff like cyclopeeze in the tank, hold a ruler up to the tank, and grab a stopwatch I agree, I would go for the maximods. __________________ If it's worth doing, it's worth doing right. I remember when zoanthids were called things like "green" and "orange" and not "reverse gorilla nipple." Current Tank Info: 180g reef with all the bells and whistles

02/04/2008, 09:56 AM	#9
tkeracer619 Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Westminster, CO Posts: 17,289	I would mod the koralias using a trimmed dumas 3004 prop and a maxijet 900 or 1200 impeller. You will get more flow for next to nothing. __________________ Hobby Experience: 9200ish gallons, 26 skimmers, and a handful of Kent Scrapers. Current Tank: Vortech Powered 600G SPS Tank w/ 100gal frag tank & 100g Sump. RK2-RK10 Skimmer. ReefAngel. Radium 20k.

02/03/2008, 06:30 PM	#2
SonyMan03 Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Mission Tx Posts: 15	I'd do with 4 maxijets on a RSWM I'm running 3mj1200's, Nanostream 6025 and a Mag5 on a 29g.

02/03/2008, 07:36 PM	#4
TX26257 Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: Littlefield, Tx Posts: 212	by my cal. my return pump is 1200 gph return with a about 3-4ft of hose and korlia are 1200 gph and if I add 4 maxi jets at 295gph+ 1180 so around 4780 gph is this still not enough. if not what pumps would you use with a red sea wave maker

02/03/2008, 10:36 PM	#6
WarrenG Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Sunnyvale, CA Posts: 738	I have the sureflow mods and they are very good. I used to use a RedSea Wavemaker but its cycles are too short to really get the water moving. Much better is the Chauvet 4005 timer $30). You can set the cycles for 2-15 minutes each. A couple of modded 1200's going one direction for 5+ minutes, then two more mods going the opposite direction for 5+ minutes will provide very good flow for the corals. Studies show a flow rate of 10-15cm/s across the corals is ideal. GPH is not nearly as good a guide.

02/04/2008, 12:35 PM	#11
WarrenG Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Sunnyvale, CA Posts: 738	Someone had to say it, but most of us didn't want to appear that geeky. I just watch bubbles or something and estimate. The studies I read said that 10cm/s was likely best for prey capture, but the higher flow was better for respiration. If light levels are high then the higher levels would be best, especially if you can slow things down during feeding. But beyond 15cm/s there didn't seem to be any benefits.

02/04/2008, 08:50 PM	#14
thi7b Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Posts: 274	IMO It depend what you want to keep. SPS need high flow rate. That flow rate is ok for softies. You may see some cyano on the sand. I used to have 5 koralia 4 on a 125gal. It was too much then cut down to 4. But I still have that ugly cyano on my sand bed. Then I try out my first vortech. It gave me the flow and the cyano went alway in 3 days. I end up buying a second vortech and selling all my koralia 4.