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HOT TIPS Column: December 2005 Issue of Advanced Aquarist

December's theme is "Your Circulation System." Please submit ideas for creating circulation in your system -- standard powerhead configurations, using wavemakers, surge boxes, etc. Your tips and tricks will help new and existing reefkeepers and also helps to bring the hobby to the next level (plus it's just cool to get published in a magazine like Advanced Aquarist).

When published, your hot tip will have your username published (along with your real name if you so desire). Every month we will be running a new HOT TIP thread so stay tuned and help out when you can.

The staff at both Reefs.org and Advanced Aquarist would like to thank you for your continued interest and support of our online community, magazine, and services.

Let the submissions begin!

Best regards,

Reefs.org and Advanced Aquarist staff

[LA-Lawman]

design the tank circulation seperate from your sump circulation...

for the tank- you want volume - NOT - force... and random directions to avoid dead spots. research wave systems and products that duplicae them... be concerend with life of the product and price... they are related.
powerheads will get you by, then streams, but closed loops get you the best performace for your buck....

sump - push the max that your overflows will handle and divert the returns to cross eachother or collide in the tank. Depends on tank size... mine meet in the center but my tank is 6 feet long...

hope this helps....

btw- you will be a mster plumber when you are done...

[knucklehead]

My tip?

Use enough solvent cement on your slip PVC joints.


You can publish my real name with that if you want too -- Bryan Flanigan -- just in case Len wants to know exactly who said it....

[Louey]

I really like the flow you get out of Tunze Streams. I have two Tunze 6200's in my 300G and they are controlled by a Tunze 7095 multi-controller. The controller can do tides, waves, chaotic chance flow, and they really kick out a lot. They're awesome. I might add two more 6200's in the future and then dial all four down a little bit to reduce the velocity. That's the great thing about the Steams. You can oversize them then dial them back. That's better than not having enough IMHO.

Penductors/Eductors are a good way to create more flow from your return lines. They supposedly increase the flow by a 3:1 to 5:1 ratio.

I am thinking about adding a CSD (Carlson Surge Device) too. They are great if you have a fish room and have room for equipment and don't care too much if you have noise.

And as Nathan Paden always says "increase flow, decrease velocity". Them are words to live by in an SPS tank.

Louey

[pwj1286]

I recently cut the "tips" off my powerhead's output. More bang for your buck, pushes out a wider angel of water. Less need for multiple powerheads.

Put in the extra money for any wave making system.

Get a big return pump and put a ball valve on it. This way if you ever need more flow, just a turn on that ball valve gives you what you want.

Think about putting two returns on your tank. Increasing the flow in your tank , kills those dead spots. Those dead spots trap junk in your tank. ie: fish waste, food, ditritus, dead things....bad stuff.

DIY your wavemakers. Find a simple plan on the internet, turn it into a reality.

Clean pumps... a clean pump runs BEST.

[smit1260]

This set-up is cheap and can be created using two cheap hardware timer and 2-6 powerheads.

For circulation in my 140 gallon tank I use four of the largest sized maxi-jets (296 gph). I suction them sideways just below the water. Two on the left and two on the right. Then I shoot the water across the tank towards the surface. This creates high flow, low velocity. I use a waver timer and alternative the pumps that are on. Leftside for 30 minutes then right side for 30 minutes. Because all the pumps work in unison pushing the water the same direction in a circular flow.

It really creates high flow. I am sure that I get more then the 600 gph that the pumps are rated for, because of the circular flow effect. I also make sure that when they are switching from one side to the other all four pumps are on for five minutes to create extreme turbulence. It is amazing to watch when the pumps come on and they are working to try and reverse the circular flow of the tank. It is a mad house in the tank.

I orginally had six in the same set-up but had to remove two. This was because the flow was so high it wan't allowing my xenia to spread out and attach to the live rock rubble I had around it (This is how I like to propagate xenia). If I had only sps I would go back to six.

[Len]

My circulation consists of my return pump (Pan World 50PX-X) feeding a Ocean Motions Super Squirt 4-way device. I also plan on having two propellar-type pumps in the tank for the bulk of the water movement. The return pump/Ocean Motions will effectively vary the water flow. That's all there is to my circulation ..... nice and simple