Surge device, closed loop or bigger powerheads????????

chwkreefer · #1 02-13-2005, 04:46 PM

I have a 150 gallon tank (60" x 24" x 24"). I have mostly sps but I'm not happy with the flow in the tank. My return is a Mag18 and I have a number of powerheads, but there isn't enough flow, turbulence etc.

I'm looking for recommendations to improve flow while keeping costs down. Which would you recommend?

1) Surge device (easy diy project, cheap, noisy, bubbles)
2) Closed loop (more expensive to get a decent pump)
3) Some Seio powerheads (price is good, more powerheads)

If anyone has some experiences for the pros/cons that they could share I would appreciate it. To be honest, at present I'm thinking of getting a couple of Seio 1100's or possibly the 1500's, but I want to think this through first. Your thoughts are appreciated.

Bill

Tangman · #2 02-13-2005, 05:07 PM

Power heads are the easy fast answer, but are unsightly IMO. I use a closed loop DIY system and used saturn3 sprinkler heads ( from Snailman onRC) looks and works great ,and was easy and cheap to build

chwkreefer · #3 02-13-2005, 05:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tangman

Power heads are the easy fast answer, but are unsightly IMO. I use a closed loop DIY system and used saturn3 sprinkler heads ( from Snailman onRC) looks and works great ,and was easy and cheap to build

What sized pump and pvc did you use?

Rikko · #4 02-13-2005, 05:34 PM

I love my surge device, but the bubbles *are* present and short of a few complicated tricks (there are a couple of solutions on RC now, I see), you won't get rid of them. With clever powerhead placement, however, you can make the surge actually form a wave head that sweeps across the tank in a pattern that sends the bubbles harmlessly to a side. Once the full strength of the surge overcomes the powerhead, the bubbles are gone and it's just motion flowing around the tank. I think it's probably the most natural water motion I've ever seen.

Tangman · #5 02-13-2005, 05:36 PM

I used one inch PVC and used a Quiet one 6000 , used 4 sprinkler heads and have 1 foot of head ,sprinklers sweep slowly, have them set for 45* sweep ,takes about 1 minute for one sweep

chwkreefer · #6 02-13-2005, 05:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rikko

I love my surge device, but the bubbles *are* present and short of a few complicated tricks (there are a couple of solutions on RC now, I see), you won't get rid of them. With clever powerhead placement, however, you can make the surge actually form a wave head that sweeps across the tank in a pattern that sends the bubbles harmlessly to a side. Once the full strength of the surge overcomes the powerhead, the bubbles are gone and it's just motion flowing around the tank. I think it's probably the most natural water motion I've ever seen.

Do you have any links for the instructions you worked off? also any pics of your setup?

Skimmerking · #7 02-13-2005, 08:33 PM

I can never understand the flow that people are putting thur their tanks, I have been in the ocean near SPS and have never felt the flow that some people are throwing at them either. ITs funny as heck...

Mike

P.S if ya wanna try some thing hook up a mag 24 on the tank at the top of the over flow and plumb around the tank and then loose the powerheads there you will have enough of the flow in the tank......

StirCrazy · #8 02-13-2005, 10:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NaCL H20 REEFER

P.S if ya wanna try some thing hook up a mag 24 on the tank at the top of the over flow and plumb around the tank and then loose the powerheads there you will have enough of the flow in the tank......

A mag 24 will not even come close to reproducing the natural level of flow in a 150 gal tank. If you have been swimming in a reef area there is a heck of a current, one that moves 1000's of gallons a second. we don't even come close to the flow nature has in our tanks. but there is a difference, depending how you set up that flow it could be to concentrated and I think that is what you are getting confused with, in nature it is a huge dispersed flow so it feels gentle, but if you use power heads you have a pinpoint flow that is hard in one spot and none in the others. I know I have been carried back and forth about 25 feet in a couple seconds by the currents on a reef so that not a low flow.

Steve

chwkreefer · #9 02-13-2005, 10:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by StirCrazy

Quote:

Originally Posted by NaCL H20 REEFER

P.S if ya wanna try some thing hook up a mag 24 on the tank at the top of the over flow and plumb around the tank and then loose the powerheads there you will have enough of the flow in the tank......

A mag 24 will not even come close to reproducing the natural level of flow in a 150 gal tank. If you have been swimming in a reef area there is a heck of a current, one that moves 1000's of gallons a second. we don't even come close to the flow nature has in our tanks. but there is a difference, depending how you set up that flow it could be to concentrated and I think that is what you are getting confused with, in nature it is a huge dispersed flow so it feels gentle, but if you use power heads you have a pinpoint flow that is hard in one spot and none in the others. I know I have been carried back and forth about 25 feet in a couple seconds by the currents on a reef so that not a low flow.

Steve

Nice post Steve, I was just waiting for you to chime in. Adaboy!!

Hey Steve, are you using those Seio PH's. What's your opinion of them?

Skimmerking · #10 02-13-2005, 11:13 PM

[quote="chwkreefer"]

Quote:

Originally Posted by StirCrazy

Quote:

Originally Posted by NaCL H20 REEFER

P.S if ya wanna try some thing hook up a mag 24 on the tank at the top of the over flow and plumb around the tank and then loose the powerheads there you will have enough of the flow in the tank......

A mag 24 will not even come close to reproducing the natural level of flow in a 150 gal tank. If you have been swimming in a reef area there is a heck of a current, one that moves 1000's of gallons a second. we don't even come close to the flow nature has in our tanks. but there is a difference, depending how you set up that flow it could be to concentrated and I think that is what you are getting confused with, in nature it is a huge dispersed flow so it feels gentle, but if you use power heads you have a pinpoint flow that is hard in one spot and none in the others. I know I have been carried back and forth about 25 feet in a couple seconds by the currents on a reef so that not a low flow.

Steve

Nice post Steve, I was just waiting for you to chime in. Adaboy!!

What is that suppose to mean, i was giving a opinion on something. CHWKREEFER........

Steve to your post , Thanks for clearing that up i was making a observation on my thoughts and opinion that i have observed being on many different coral reefs when on duty over seas.

OH i guess that an opinion is no good here. So i take that only 2-3 people here know what they are talkin about. I have been all over reef across the world , I was merely stating I didnt feel a huge current in the reefs might be a hugh flow flow,\