Water current in tank

[kevdogg]

I would place one pointing at the surface to break the surface tension, or you will get a film building up on the top. The other one I would point down. The key is to avoid dead spots in the tank. As far as the wave maker goes, since you are only FOWLER I dont think that you are going to need one. On my tank the water flow goes from the right top rear corner to the left bottom front corner and back to the right corner. Kind of a circular pattern.

 

[leon1972]

I've got surface tension covered and I'm getting ready for corals and such. I'm just not getting them right away. May as well get the equip for em

 

[Northstar24]

there has to be something in between those two. i cant afford top of the line. theres always a cheapo, a mid grade and a top of the line.I cant afford top of the line. whats the mid grade?

You can look at the Tunze pumps, but they aren't cheap either

If you dont have the corals now, why not take the time, save a little longer and do it right the first time? I was in the same exact spot that you are. I didn't want to drop the money on the Vortech's for my tank so I went with Koralias. If I add up what I spent on replacement Koralia's it would have been cheaper for me to buy the Vortech in the first place

Using the Koralias is fine, just be prepared to constantly tear them down to figure out why they have stopped working, as well as replacing them. It is not a matter of if, its a matter of when

 

[leon1972]

The Tunze are just as expensive. I'm looking for a mid grade not a high grade. You know anything about the jbj I mentioned earlier? Like I said, after the reviews on the koralinas I'm thinking no o those. And I'm looking for a few pumps right now to keep things circulating at the bottom of the tank. So the water doesn't get stagnant and keeps a good flow. From what I've read the jbj aren't bad

 

[JustinsReefTank]

I don't know about the jbj. But I had two korillas in my 37 gallon and switched to one MP 10 and I wish I would have bout it to start. It works Excellent.

And +1 North. Why not save now if you don't have any corals and do it right first!! You will thank yourself down the road!

 

[ZyberGoby]

I don't know about the jbj. But I had two korillas in my 37 gallon and switched to one MP 10 and I wish I would have bout it to start. It works Excellent.

And +1 North. Why not save now if you don't have any corals and do it right first!! You will thank yourself down the road!

Indeed I'm putting cash aside and keeping my eyes pealed for deals on them :D wish I knew about them from the start of my tank I would of gotten one first before anything else

 

[leon1972]

Well, correct me if I'm wrong but don't I need a pump or two at the bottom to keep water flowing around my live rock so it's not just gathering? I read that is bad. It can lead to the tank getting poisoned. I've stated this is the reason I'm looking to get pumps now already. The pumps you guys are talking about will take me four or five months to save for. Plenty of time for my tank to go kaput

 

[Northstar24]

are you running a sump system with a return to the tank? I believe you also mentioned that you already have a Maxi Jet 1200. I think if you're just keeping fish at this point (and if I remember from your other posts you are just fish only at this point) the MJ1200 and a return from the sump should be sufficient flow

I dont know what you're referring to when you mention pointing powerheads at the bottom of the tank. You do want a gentle surface ripple for gas exchange, and general water movement.

What I am saying is, once you see something like a MJ1200 or a Koralia in action, and then you see the wall of water an EcoTech moves you will simply be amazed

With a pair of MP10's in your tank you can have a standing wave if you wanted too, water movement will not be an issue. They also have a nutrient export mode that is made specifically for moving deitrus into the water column so it is picked up by your filtration

Take a drive to Midwest Coral Farms, they have the Vortech's on display. You'll see exactly what we're talking about when you see them in action and compare them to the type of powerhead you're already running. If you dont have coral now, what is saving a few months now? I wish I had done it right the first time myself

Otherwise if you want something middle of the road, get another MJ1200 or a few Koralia's - just know that you'll likely have issues with the Koralias. If that doesnt bother you than its no big deal.

 

[leon1972]

I don't have a working pump in there. I have stated several times this is for water circulation only and not corals at the moment. I have no circulation beyond surface tension and my hob skimmer. Hence why I need them now and not in five-month

 

[Kully3xf]

Well, i am going to start putting in corals As soon as my water parameters are good so I think I'll go with 40 x turnover. Prepare for the future so I don't have to spend more money later. What are some good brands?

To recap this discussion, it looks like you don't have corals now, but want to get them in the future.
you don't have any pumps in your tank, but need to get them
you want to go with a few mid range water circulation pumps
I think everyperson who has contributed to this discussion has mentioned the fact that they bought a few midrange pumps and wound up ditching them for a vortech in the long run and would have saved $$ if they just bought it from the start.

if you want to keep your tank as a fowlr, go get 3 korilias and call it quits. you won't need a wave maker at all. plug them in and forget about em 2 up top on down low.
you stated at somepoint you are going to be getting coral. if this holds true, you need to invest in something better for the coral, AKA a vortech, you can get by with one for now and just run it on a steady stream at full load. there are many settings you can get, making waves is just a feature of the pump.

in recap, if you are going to be adding corals, do it right from the get go, you've got like 6 people who have all done this before saying how they wish they would have done it this way, I would think that it makes sense to follow in their advice and not learn from the same mistakes down the road.
if you are going to keep a fowlr, go get some korilias and don't worry about a high end pump

your quote, "prepare for the future so i don't have to spend money later"'s solution would be to buy a vortech. this is the crux of preparing for the future so you don't have to spend money later.


2c

 

[leon1972]

I understand what your saying. I did need a few pumps for circulation at the bottom. When I hooked up the 2 sicce voyager 3 that I bought my tank was clouded with the detritious at the bottom for a full day!!!! That's why I said I need a few now. I k we I had too. Uh detritious settling in the bottom. It took just a few days for my tanks readings to improve. I'm saving for a vortec now for when I get corals that require more than a mild to medium flow. I'm happy with the current flow till I get some more demanding corals. Then when I do that I will move the voyages to other places in the tank for either more turbulence or for surface tension. Thate detritus that is no longer at the bottom was my goal for now. Sorry if I was confusing. Am happymnow with the current flow. I can tell there is flow through the rocks and crevice now as well, which was another point for me. I didn't want standing water around the Lr. For now I am happy with my voyagers. I feel decent flow at the opposite end of the tank so I think I made a good choice. I will just move them when I add the REAL wave maker I want to thank everyone here for their input and appologize for the confusion!!!