What Creates Your Flow?

[NaH2O]

Since our current Workshop is on Plumbing and Water Flow, I'm curious to see what everyone uses to create flow in their tanks.

On the poll, choose your main source of water flow.

I use a closed loop on a motorized ball valve, and am adding a 3/4" sea swirl onto the return, but my main flow and circulation come from the closed loop with MBV.

 

[reedman]

I'll vote other because I have a return and a closed loop. The one of the closed loop outputs feeds a seaswirl.

 

[NaH2O]

Reed - which one do you count on the most? For me, once I add the sea swirl, I will still be counting on the closed loop for the majority of flow. The return is really just to bring the water back to the tank, however, I'm adding the sea swirl for a little more movement. Oh....and what size sea swirl, and how do you like it? I'm excited to see how mine does when the ball valve turns on that side of the tank.

 

[Macbeth417]

Im an other with Reed.

Closed loop powers 4 outlets up top as well as 4 on the bottom of the tank. The return pump powers 4 more outlets on the top of the tank. I also have an extra powerhead in there. I'm a flow junky.

-Erik

 

[reedman]

I'm running the seaswirl on the closed loop and love it. It does exactly what I got it for, random flow. I'm running a 3/4" model on my tank on one of the 4 outlets from my AM3K. My return is there for the same reason you stated, water has to go back to the tank. I didn't have a sump on the tank for 3 years and it worked fine.

 

[wrightme43]

I have a 1" seaswirl on my return pump. I also have a Hagen 802 (400gph) with a flo rotator. Its only a 75. I have 1506 gph at zero head on my return pump. I will be adding a tunze with the singletroller and removing the 802 next. I know my tank volume of water is only about 70 gallons including what is in the sump. I figure with the return and powerhead I have about 1200-1300 gph flowrate, and every thing seems happy so far. Even if I am way off, I still and its only 1000gph, I still have over 14x total water volume flow in the tank per hour, and if I am right I have closer to 17x.
I would provide a picture but my SONY Cybershot DSC-P93 is broken for the 3rd time in less than on year, and I have spent almost 2 hours just today on the phone with them, no satisfaction yet. I just want to share that for anyone considering a camera purchase in the future.
Steve

 

[Kensn]

I picked SeaSwirls,(2 half inch), but they are from return, no closed loop. I wish I would of done a closed loop. I will next time on the big tank .

Ken

 

[Wayupnorth]

I have a return and a closed loop as well as 2 tunzes 6000 (sp) on my 230. The closed loop only has 2 returns and I wish that I had gone with 4.

 

[Elmo18]

Voted OTHER.

Return AND Closed Loop.

- Elmo

 

[CarlaW]

I voted other also. My flow comes from my returns (2), sea swirls on a closed loop (4-3/4"), and another closed loop with 3 returns.

 

[wrightme43]

And Willis says rrowther.

 

[CarlaW]

And Willis says rrowther.

You are probably right, he's got one of his $4000 worth of doggie toys in his mouth right now.

 

[fishermann]

I run 3- 1" seaswirls on a dart pump for the return, 2- 6100 Tunzes, also a nother dart pump for a closed loop 1 1/2" dia spray bar. The seaswirls are nice because the nozzles are on lock line pointed down at about 45 deg. so the current sweeps across the reef so I hardly have any detritus ever on the LR.

 

[BlackRed+Yellow]

I vote other because my main source of flow is a dump/surge. I use an ATScrubber as my main filter for the tank. I believe that a good dumping surge creates the best water movement. It is more natural and provides more oxygen. The only drawback is that it cause more evaporation.

 

[Maxx]

I've got a 4 way Oceans Motions unit on my little 58 gallon tank. Works good for my system, but I most likely would have gone with MBV if my tank was larger.

Nick

 

[les]

I run three closed loop pumps, one of which is on a motor operated three way valve, the other two are on a timer,( X-10) sorta to simulate the tides. As for the sump return, I just let it spew out into the tank.

 

[spongebob lover]

I chose powerheads
I only got 2 powerheads in my 37 gal tank that's all.
May be after i get my canopy i will get another powerhead

 

[snowstar]

Primary circulation is a Sequence Hammerhead pushing a 12 nozzle manifold - I need to add a second Sequence Hammerhead to push a second 12 nozzle manifold. The manifold itself is 1"pvc reducing to a combination of 3/4" and 1/2" loc-line. Feeds for the Sequence pumps are 4 1" bulkheads on the upper portion of the back glass... this is for a 180.

 

[Brucey]

Hi Nik . . . Hi Max
Just dropped by for a quick look . . . .

Recently upgraded my 4xMaxijet1200's for a Tunze7095 multicontroller and 2xTunze6100 streams. Moved my Maxijets behind the LR and now have the 6100's sweeping the BB and lifting the detritus into suspension along with a OR6500 return. The fish looked a bit shocked when the turnover went from 11,300LPH to 35,300LPH . . . . . but the corals seem to like it

Brucey

PS, just uploaded my latest tank pic to my gallery

 

[reedman]

Wow! Nice tank Brucey. Welcome to Reef Frontiers.