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Another powerhead question

T

TheGuyFromNJ

I didn't want to hijack the other thread so...

I have a 90RR sand bottom mixed reef, and I am looking to upgrade my water movement. Currently I have a mag 9 return wide open, a Koralia 3, Koralia 2, and Koralia 1. (about 2600gph turnover total)

I was thinking about removing all the Koralias and adding two SEIO 1100's (about 2900gph turnover total)

My question is, is this enough movement or should I go with larger powerheads (SEIO 1500 for 3700gph turnover)

This is a sand bottom tank and I don't want a sand storm, but I know I need more movement than I have now. I know everyone likes the Vortec's but I can't even shoehorn them into the budget, and I don't want a wall of powerheads.

Thanks in advance
 
MikeNapoli

MikeNapoli

It's not just about the amount of flow in the tank. It's position and direction as well. I wouldn't remove the 3 pumps to get one.

If anything I would get rid of the one, and put another K3 in there. Two K3's and one K2 would be pretty good. Like Phyl said in another post the K1 (no matter what the flow rate is) are pretty useless.

In my 120 I had 1 K4, 2 K3's, 2 K2's, and a K1 not to mention my returns. Swapped all 6 pumps for 2 vorthech tough and now my flow is ridiculously powerful and not to mention random. (enough bragging ... sorry)

But really I would just up grade the K1 to a K3. I've never had seio's and I don't hear much of anyone talking about them so I can't comment on those pumps.

Hope that helps.
 
R

Reefers

I agree with Mike, while flowrate is important, direction is just as important. One of the reasons multiple powerheads are used is to create a unidirectional flow rather than a laminar flow, eliminating 3 pumps to add one would defeat this purpose. To go a step farther than Mike suggested, dump the 1 and the 2 and get two 4's. Place them at each corner of the tank at varying heights and directions, tie in a wavemaker and you've created an ideal situation.
 
T

TheGuyFromNJ

the 4 I have now doesn't seem to move much water as it is, thats why I want to upgrade. I was thinking of putting the 2 seios in the back angled forward kinda intersecting flow about the middle of the tank.

I have done some homework on wavemakers and most including some well know reef writers say they are not worth the expense or effort.
 
Hawkeye

Hawkeye

I am not a big fan of the SEIO - though there is at least one reefer on here who likes them - I forget who it is...maybe he can speak up.

Why not a Tunze 6060? It's a bit bulky but at 11W it pushes 1600 gph. You could have the tunze and the K2 on one side, and the K3 and the return on the other.
 
T

TheGuyFromNJ

phil519 said:
I am not a big fan of the SEIO - though there is at least one reefer on here who likes them - I forget who it is...maybe he can speak up.

Why not a Tunze 6060? It's a bit bulky but at 11W it pushes 1600 gph. You could have the tunze and the K2 on one side, and the K3 and the return on the other.
Click to expand...

For the price of one Tunze 6060 I can have 2 seio 1500gph.
 
Hawkeye

Hawkeye

If you go with the seios, just be sure to DIY or pick up some magnets to secure them. The mounting feet lose suction pretty quickly. You could glue them to a magfloat or something.
 
T

TheGuyFromNJ

I got a deal on a Seio 1500 and pulled out the K1. I am getting a new Seio 1500 to replace the K2. that should be good enough for my flow and keep the flow mixed. (4900 gph)

BTW, everyone is saying not to pull 3 power heads to add one, my original post said replace 3 with 2. We all agree the K1 is useless, so really replacing 2 with 2 larger ones.
 
blange3

blange3

TheGuyFromNJ said:
Does anyone think 3700gph in a 90 is too much?
Click to expand...

Depends what you are keeping. If it's SPS or most softies, no.

If it's mostly LPS, well.......

I run my 75 with a whopping steady 600gph and alternating MJ1200's. One MJ 1200 is on for 1 minute and off for 3 and the other is on for 1 minute and off for 4.

So most of the time its 600gph, surges to 1800 every couple of minutes and once every 20 minutes all pumps are on for 3000gph.
 
T

TheGuyFromNJ

How does one gauge between too much flow, and enough flow to keep the corals happy and the detritus from settling? I know it is all in how you direct it as well, but one can't have every inch covered with flow. This is a sps and soft dominated tank.
 
Phyl

Phyl

Officer Emeritus
Officer Emeritus
In a mixed reef (SPS & Softies) you do the best you can with flow for the corals based on their needs and then use a turkey baster to blow the detritus off of the rocks a couple of times a week to keep it from building up. You can't always keep them all happy.

In an SPS dominated tank (mostly SPS) you would cater to the needs of the SPS and use extreme flow to keep them happy and the detritus suspended until it could be skimmed out of the tank.
 
F

freeze

One way you'll know if you have too much flow is your sand will get blown all over. I keep mostly zoas and find if I add to much gph my sand blows around and covers many of my frags and colonies :mad:
 
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