in both my 97 and 400 the improved polyp extension after i added waveboxes was noticeable. i'd love to run one on my current tank but have no room.

Nope, dont like waves. Makes overflows not skimm the surface as good, makes some loud, and you have to have less water in the display. Plus with my new build as it is a smaller tank i am not putting any poweheads or anything in it. Right now i am trying to come up with my own design of an alternating closed loop. Just trying to figure out how to keep fish from getting sucked to the side of the tank as it is going to suck from one end and return to the other, then alternate every 6 hours

Steve

Alternating flow is how our corals breathe and process their wastes.
It doesn't matter if it's a wavemaker or just powerheads switching on and off.
I think the importance of water movement is underrated. I see a lot of people upgrading their lights and then blaming the lights on their corals bleaching or otherwise suffering, but I don't see a lot of mention where the water flow was up graded as well.

Wavemakers, I think, are harder on aquarium stands. It's a lot of weight shifting shifting back and forth.
I had a 320g with a wavemaker and a 1 1/2" steel tubular stand.
I could measure the flex in the stand with the wavemaker going.
Not good long term.

I think about 8 years ago I did and experiment and came to the conclusion that water flow can prevent bleaching and posted about it. I am a firm believer in the benefits of massive water flow.

Steve

A wavemaker isnt necessarily needed but I think alternating current is a must.

There is an article on RKM that talks about how flow is actually more important than lighting.

I think I run about 9000 GPH of turnover. Adding Vortech's I noticed an immediate difference in polyp extension and color. Not to mention it looked like a snowstorm when I added them and it wasn't sand, that was how much detritus regular powerheads were missing.

The tank is SPS dominant now … I could never give up my MP40's now … I just can't imagine running a tank without the anymore.

Lojack, maybe you could post a link to that article?

Right, keep in mind we're talking about flow for sps.
Lps and soft corals don't require quite as strong of flow.

Study from 2000:
(I recently posted this in another thread)

http://www.int-res.com/articles/meps/212/m212p301.pdf

Advanced Aquarist articles from 2006 onward:

http://www.advancedaquarist.com/2006/9/aafeature2

http://www.advancedaquarist.com/2006/8/aafeature

http://www.advancedaquarist.com/2007/1/aafeature