Aquarium flow, What are you working with?

[reefer26]

So I figure I would start a thread about aquarium flow. I am still searching for flow in my 150 gallon tank 48x24x30 and would love to see what everyone uses! At first I wanted to get a wave maker system but now Im leaning to using powerheads opposing each other. Lets get every ones perspective.

[Reefing Madness]

2 Koralia Evolution 1400's should do ya nicely.

[Kmoriarty]

1 hydor koralia 750gph...1 hydor koralia 550gph...40 gallon mixed reef tank. It's been working great with no problems!

[Original Fin]

1 Hydor Koralia Evo 750, and 1 1050 in a 55 gallon tank.


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[kevinpo]

I use an MP40 (3,000 gph), MP60 (8,000 gph) , two 6200 Tunze streams (5,300 gph ea.), and four 3/4" Sea Swirls 1,100 gph ea.). There is also a 2,000 gph return pump that is split into two 3/4" nozzles at the surface to keep it agitated. This is for a 600 gallon SPS dominated tank. It's about 45x tank volume turnover/hr. I could get away with 20-30 times but I like the thick staghorn growth on some of my Acropora corals
It really depends on what your long term goals are for your tank (you really should have a plan ). 15 times tank turnover is fine for fish only and soft coral tanks.

Cheers,
Kevin

[reefer26]

my plan is bare bottom with lps and soft corals. Im looking into the wave master pro wave maker but have no idea what power head I could run on it? any suggestions?

[chrisfont23]

One MP10 on 29 gallon mixed

[kevinpo]

I also think a couple of Hydor Evolution 1400's would work fine.

Regards,
Kevin

[Original Fin]

my plan is bare bottom with lps and soft corals. Im looking into the wave master pro wave maker but have no idea what power head I could run on it? any suggestions?

I definately wouldn't use the Hydor Koralia Evo's on a wavemaker. I have two, and they are both buggy about starting up...sometimes starting in reverse, and sometimes not at all. That's after installing the retrofit kit to fix the known problem. They're fine if you just keep them on all the time though.

I've also read that most propeller style powerheads do not do well being cycled on and off continuously...it supposedly wears them out quickly. Tunzes are supposed to be one of the exceptions, but that comes at a price...might as well do vortechs if you're going to spend that kind of money, IMO.

[kevinpo]

I haven't heard any problems with the new Evolution pumps starting and stopping only the older Koralia models before the Evolution series. I definitely prefer the Vortec pump over the Tunze.

Cheers,
Kevin

[Original Fin]

I haven't heard any problems with the new Evolution pumps starting and stopping only the older Koralia models before the Evolution series. I definitely prefer the Vortec pump over the Tunze.

Cheers,
Kevin

Kevin,

I have two of the Evolution series, and they both have this problem. I bought one about a year ago, and the other back in February.
FoMoCoTech had the same issue with his Evo's.




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[FoMoCo Master Tech]

I have an Evo 750 and 1050 and both were starting in reverse after shutting them off for feeding. No problems since the replacement bushings were installed. I even put one of them on the wavemaker setting with my reefkeeper lite+. Just a few days ago, I noticed the one on the wavemaker was starting up backwards again. I pulled it apart and noticed the rubber bumper on the front cover (used to prevent reverse start up) had fallen out of its mount. Not a big problem. I'll just glue it in place. When it was working, there was an intermittent "click" on startup which can be annoying to some. It doesnt bother me much though. The powerhead had to be plugged in on one of the sockets of the RKL power strip that has a mechanical relay, rather than the solid state relay. It wouldn't work on wavemaker mode when plugged into the socket with the solid state relay so there's also a click when the relay energizes.

I've heard that prop style powerheads don't do well on wavemakers too but I'm not too sure it really damages the Evo's. Hydor specifically stated that the Evo series could be used on a wavemaker and even sells one for them. The guts pump are just a coil and magnet if I recall correctly. I could be wrong but I don't really see how turning the coil on and off constantly could cause physical damage to the pump. I'll keep the 1050 on the wavemaker and find out myself, I guess :P.

[kevinpo]

Excellent information! Have you gotten a fix or support from Hydor in regards to this problem?

Regards,
Kevin

[FoMoCo Master Tech]

My original contact with hydor about the reverse startup concern was resolved painlessly. All it took was one email explaining my problem and listing my address. They were aware of the problem and sent a replacement part right away. Because the Evo series wasn't out for a year yet, there was no hassle about the warranty but I doubt it would be an issue anyway. Since installing the revised bushing assemblies, I didn't have any startup problems. The intermittent click from the PH on startup is actually a normal characteristic and is caused by the propeller hitting the rubber bumper. Without the bumper, the propeller would sometimes start backwards. When the bumper is in place, the PH would still start up in reverse but the propeller would hit the bumper to correct the reverse run, causing a click noise. It's not all that bad but I could see come issues if the tank is in a bedroom or behind your couch. My tank is in the entryway so a little noise is okay for me.