Hypothetical reef tank

michika · #1 08-20-2007, 06:08 PM

I'm debating tearing down my 24g nano for a longer, and shorter tank. I want to get some feedback in regards to flow, and what options I may have with a smaller system.

The system I am thinking of creating would be approximately 3ft in length, 18" in depth, and 15" tall, but I would restrict the water height to 1ft. This would put the display at about 42g before the overflows are in.

I would like dual overflows, and possibly 4 returns. My goal is to get as much flow as possible through the system.

What would you recommend I do, or use to create a variety of random currents throughout the tank. The tank, as mine is now, would be SPS and clam dominated.

Delphinus · #2 08-20-2007, 07:45 PM

For a suggestion this might be a bit "out there", but what about an up/down style gyre tank? You'd need a taller tank of course but if you hid the bottom part you could have those dimensions and have a pretty neat flow effect..

michika · #3 08-20-2007, 08:16 PM

tell me more...this sounds quite interesting!

Delphinus · #4 08-20-2007, 08:58 PM

Mainly, the idea is to capitalize on the idea of a whirlpool in a tank. If you put a divider in the tank then you get nearly-laminar type flow (or whatever the right term is) on each side of the divider. So, say if you had a platform style divider, you could build the reef on this part, but hide your powerheads in the bottom part, use a wavemaker and then you have something I bet the corals would totally dig.

try this link for some reading (hopefully it jumps forward to the right section, if not, just search on "gyre"): http://www.advancedaquarist.com/2007/1/aafeature#h5

michika · #5 08-20-2007, 10:25 PM

Cool! Thanks. I now have a whole bunch of ideas that I didn't previously have.

I wonder how I could accomplish some of these, while maintaining a low system volume.

Have you ever built one yourself?

Delphinus · #6 08-20-2007, 10:28 PM

I haven't but I want to, if for no other reason than to put my gorgs in it because how-cool-would-that-be to see them wave back and forth like they're supposed to?

kwirky tried making one, here's the thread about it: http://www.canreef.com/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=31686

danny zubot · #7 08-20-2007, 10:56 PM

You know, this has got me thinking again about the whole "wave pool" concept. Instead of having a massive pump on a timer behind the wall in a tank, imagine what a big piston actuated panel could do for flow in one?

mr_alberta · #8 08-20-2007, 11:10 PM

A tank like that with a Wave2k unit on one of the short sides would be pretty neato..of course this is assuming that the Wave2k units work well....

michika · #9 08-20-2007, 11:30 PM

So far I've looked at the Calfo manifoldsl, and while I like the idea I don't know how I'd execute it. Or at least I don't know how to do it cleanly, like your cube tank Harvey.

Gyre tanks, while looking awesome would eat up too much usable space, so I guess I'll be skipping that idea. I'm thinking I'll be using it on a future frag tank though.

I thought of waveboxes, hence why I initially mentioned a water height of 1ft, but a total glass height of 15". I don't know much about them, so I'm kind of in the dark. I did however note the release of the Wave2K, and took a quick look at the thread on RC.

My other thoughts were another closed loop system with educators, or a tank full of powerheads. Neither of which really appeal because of the aesthetics.

michika · #10 08-20-2007, 11:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Delphinus

kwirky tried making one[/url]

I remember that. I thought it was very cool looking, but had a hard time getting my head around the practical applications in a show tank. That is where I originally got my idea to do a gyre tank on my future frag system, but the idea never really went anywhere. Now with the article you posted I have a better understanding of how the tanks work.