Best placement for powerheads on Elos System 80 ?

[pammy]

Hey All. For those of you with a System 60, 70 or 80, what do you have powerheads in your tank, and where have you found the best placement for good flow without it blasting corals in certain areas of the tank? Do you have 1, 2 or more powerheads? Where do you aim the output from the return pump?

I have a Tunze Nano 6025 and a MaxiJet 1200. The two, combined with the return pump, would give me about 25X for flow. If I used just the Tunze with the return pump, I'd have about 20X. The sandbed seemed to be getting really dirty really fast when I removed the MaxiJet and kept just the Tunze in the tank.

I've tried all different spots for the two powerheads and positions for the two powerheads.

Thanks!
Pam

[dukecola]

Hi Pam,

Our tanks are not wide and I think your maxijet1200 is just too strong and narrow a stream for your tank, it will blast corals and start a sandstorm. If you can get another Tunze and place it low opposite corner it would keep your sand swept plus add a more gentler flow. One Tunze 5" down near the overflow, angled diagonally to the front left corner, and one mid-low left corner angled to front right corner, combined with the house return should give decent circulation. It all depends on your aquascape and corals but that should do it.

My plan is to add a Ecotech on mine, middle/low center of tank. I'm BB so I don't worry about sand cleaning or storms. But, I hate wires, so the Ecotech seems perfect for my needs.

[pammy]

Thanks Dukecola. I think you're probably right about the MaxiJet. I had read that it was bulletproof, so had originally bought that one, then bought the Tunze. Would you put a tunze on the right pane near the overflow, or on the back pane near the overflow? And where would you face the overflow? I had the overflow lined up parallel with the back pane with the two powerheads in the back corners facing the opposite front corners, but the problem I was having, is that it seemed like any debris trying to make it to the overflow, was getting blown back into the tank before it could make it into the overflow.
Thanks!
Pam

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10697435#post10697435 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by dukecola
Hi Pam,

Our tanks are not wide and I think your maxijet1200 is just too strong and narrow a stream for your tank, it will blast corals and start a sandstorm. If you can get another Tunze and place it low opposite corner it would keep your sand swept plus add a more gentler flow. One Tunze 5" down near the overflow, angled diagonally to the front left corner, and one mid-low left corner angled to front right corner, combined with the house return should give decent circulation. It all depends on your aquascape and corals but that should do it.

My plan is to add a Ecotech on mine, middle/low center of tank. I'm BB so I don't worry about sand cleaning or storms. But, I hate wires, so the Ecotech seems perfect for my needs.

[Texsun]

I have yet to set up my System 70 but have thought about water flow. One of the first things I would do is mod your Tunze for more flow. It's a simple, five minute, job that I did and it greatly improves flow. Do you have the movement kit?

Having the tunze towards the front and facing the overflow makes sense but then you have an unsightly cord. I will probably end up with the Vortech as well for aesthetics.

I don't know if you are battling heat issues at all, but another reason to ditch the Maxijets is their inefficiency and the amount of heat they give off.

[dukecola]

Pam,

I have my Tunze mounted on the front side of the overflow (the magnet is inside the dry part of the overflow.) It's directly under the Elos return a few inches. The tunze is aimed directly at the front left corner of the tank, and the elos return is aimed right of center of the tank, more towards the right corner. The only semi dead spot is near the rear side of the overflow. This will be fixed when I get the vortech.

A good way to test your water movement is to pour some calcium part of 2-part in the tank (it turns white) then you can watch where it goes and doesn't go. Kind of like watching smoke in the wind.

[pammy]

Hi Dukecola

Hey....I hadn't thought of that......putting the Tunze right on the overflow. I think that's a GREAT idea!! I'm going to try it tomorrow, and it will look the most unobtrusive.

Thanks for the tips.
Pam

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10702274#post10702274 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by dukecola
Pam,

I have my Tunze mounted on the front side of the overflow (the magnet is inside the dry part of the overflow.) It's directly under the Elos return a few inches. The tunze is aimed directly at the front left corner of the tank, and the elos return is aimed right of center of the tank, more towards the right corner. The only semi dead spot is near the rear side of the overflow. This will be fixed when I get the vortech.

A good way to test your water movement is to pour some calcium part of 2-part in the tank (it turns white) then you can watch where it goes and doesn't go. Kind of like watching smoke in the wind.

[dukecola]

Pam,

Look at the pics in my thread below to see how I ran the wiring to hide it. If you have any questions, just ask.

[Cinderblock]

You should contact Jesse and purchase the movement kit. It hides the powerheads for you.

[pammy]

Good idea Cinderblock. I hadn't thought of that.
Thanks!
Pam

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10722780#post10722780 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Cinderblock
You should contact Jesse and purchase the movement kit. It hides the powerheads for you.

[salty child 79]

I agree with dukecola......pour some two-part in and see where it goes. But pour the Alkalinity part in.....since it is the one that turns white, the calcium part is clear.

I also like the way that the movement kit hides everything, it looks very clean.