75g - How much flow for SPS?

[Ratpack]

I have a 75g that I just finished cycling and moving my current corals over. My goal is to start putting more SPS in. I have at my disposal, 3 mj1200 with the large prop. I am running one right now as two seem to be too much. The fish fly around and so does anything else not nailed down. The tank is bare bottom and I do have some LPS near the bottom. My SPS will be more towards the top of the tank. Should I try to run one more mj mod or all three or is the one probably enough? I am also open to other suggestions as far as flow such as switch to Koralias, but I hate to do that because of more $$. Also, how should I place the powerheads - pointing uptowards surface, down towards bottom? Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. Here is the aquascape in my tank and most SPS will be on the top layer of rock and some on the middle layer. The picture shows two of the mj mods, but only one is running right now (right side).

http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c355/ratfamily/Aquarium/DSC03985.jpg

[catman78]

What happens with both running and you point them at one another? Is the flow chaotic?

I find that the modded maxis provide too much directed flow. It's quite strong.

Take it slow and see how the corals react.

In the long run would start saving for a Vortech or controllable Tunze.

Good luck.

[x2uranium]

2nd the tunze I would save for 2 6101's There is a guy selling one on reefzedge.com for $200 for a 6101 which is dirt cheap.

[swhaley40]

I have a 75 with 2 1200s modded and a koralia 2. One one each side.. One angled up towards the surface and the other at the top, pointing at a slightly down angle...works well. Not too much flow if you get them set up right. You need to diffuse some of it.

[60Cubed]

One vortech and forget it!

[kemann]

I have two controllable Koralia 3's and one regular Koralia 2 in my 75. I like the Koralias because they seem to have a bit more diffuse flow that the MJ's. With the MJ's I would bounce the flow off a wall to get a little more diffuse chaotic flow. I have my two controllable Koralias in the back corners aiming at a 45 or so toward the front of the tank. I seem to get pretty good mixing without blowing anything away.

[markandkristen]

i have three vortechs prob. over kill in my 75 but i love it.
(all three on the back wall) mp20s
the middle one is set to make a wave
the one on the left is set on lagoon for my softies area and lps
and on my right where most of my sps i have reef crest mode

every three to 4 days i end up with a small area that has some sand erosion i just move it back only takes a second and im ready for 4 more days..

[91yota]

i run my return through a 1" sea swirl with a modded maxijet attached to the bottom of the outlet... basically 2300-2500 gph sweeping back and forth constantly

i also have an old vortech MP40 running full blast (with the standard driver- not wireless) blowing behind the rocks to keep detritus from settling... the flow from this diffuses up through the cracks in the rockwork

seems like plenty in my 75

[Avgou]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14304251#post14304251 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by 60Cubed
One vortech and forget it!

That's what I have in my 75g. The return is point the other direction to help create a circular motion. My skimmer goes nuts with this pattern. The MP40 is in long pulse half the flow and longest interval. Great undertow. No wires to deal with in the tank!!

[Ratpack]

Thanks for the input. I would like to go with vortechs in the future, but for the bigger tank that will also be in the future. Don't really want to spend a lot more on this tank. I have considered going with 2 Koralia 4's instead of the maxijet mods. It would be less flow but more usable flow. The maxijets have plenty of flow, but hard to work with on my set up because I have to keep them low like they are in the pic, otherwise they pull little vortecs into the water and shoot air bubbles everywhere. That means with them low, they shoot right across the rocks. That is where the SPS corals will be and although they like flow, it would be too strong for them I believe. Do you think 2 K4's pointed at each other would be fine for SPS?

[Avgou]

Before my vortech I had 3 K3's diametrically pointed at eachother where one was lower on the glass but angled up and the opposing K3 was higher up on the glass and angled down. Did this on all three and with my return as the fourth source of flow...

Depends on your rockscaping, which doesn't seem to be an issue for you. 2 K4s should be ok with a barebottom tank. I think calfo has a good article somewhere in here about flow. You could always take k3s and remove the stream screen from one to get less lateral flow and more of a spreadout flow (forget the term- unilateral??)

If you can buy better powerheads did my tank a world of difference, the undertow is amazing for what it does for pulling detritus from the bottom of the tank. Korallias are clunking space hogs...better powerheads can be reused in you upgrade as well.

[Ratpack]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14308327#post14308327 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Avgou
That's what I have in my 75g. The return is point the other direction to help create a circular motion. My skimmer goes nuts with this pattern. The MP40 is in long pulse half the flow and longest interval. Great undertow. No wires to deal with in the tank!!

Do you have any photos of your set up? I might just look at this. Think a MP20 would be enough though?

[Avgou]

I'll post pics tonight! On the road, picking up some more gulf coast live rock.

[Hendersonracing]

I have 2 6101's on a 7095 controller and WOW!

[zt allstar]

I have 2 modded MJ 1200's on each end of my 75. I have them mounted about 6-8 inches down and one directed toward the back middle surface and one directed toward the front middle surface if that makes sense at all. I also run a koralia 4 that is about 5 inches off the back left bottom flowing straight across the bottom. I run a bare bottom and get really good swirling/chaotic water movement. I have all frags/ mini colonies right now but it seems to be decent enough flow. HTH

[60Cubed]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14310780#post14310780 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Avgou
I'll post pics tonight! On the road, picking up some more gulf coast live rock.

Be very careful in doing this! Don't get caught here in FL doing this, they will put you under the jail!!!!!!!

[Avgou]

Ha!!! Good thing I live in Massachusetts!!!! There was traffic!!! I was very careful, love my iPhone.

Here are the pics:

Front View:
<table style="width:auto;"><tr><td><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/qHwaGlNbOB9YEpbcgBRCNQ?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_4p_vTInbBa4/SYkICup9_HI/AAAAAAAABh8/Tzlc5apXPec/s400/P2030011.JPG" /></a></td></tr><tr><td style="font-family:arial,sans-serif; font-size:11px; text-align:right">From <a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/javgoustakis/ReefTankFeb3rd2009?feat=embedwebsite">Reef Tank Feb 3rd 2009</a></td></tr></table>

Side View:
<table style="width:auto;"><tr><td><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/6NfeQI1rGp6wp76a3kUo4A?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_4p_vTInbBa4/SYkIDE8euJI/AAAAAAAABiA/3t2Vnal3fMU/s400/P2030012.JPG" /></a></td></tr><tr><td style="font-family:arial,sans-serif; font-size:11px; text-align:right">From <a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/javgoustakis/ReefTankFeb3rd2009?feat=embedwebsite">Reef Tank Feb 3rd 2009</a></td></tr></table>
[Notice that the vortech is a few inches from the left side of the glass and a few inches down making the flow go through the left side - upper middle of the tank. This was a recommendation by Tim at Vortech]

Return Nozzle Views:
<table style="width:auto;"><tr><td><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/WDC_zPJR44MSdNv5Hp-lOA?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_4p_vTInbBa4/SYkII5AIwNI/AAAAAAAABig/5e1jWTP5IIw/s400/P2030025.JPG" /></a></td></tr><tr><td style="font-family:arial,sans-serif; font-size:11px; text-align:right">From <a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/javgoustakis/ReefTankFeb3rd2009?feat=embedwebsite">Reef Tank Feb 3rd 2009</a></td></tr></table>

<table style="width:auto;"><tr><td><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/bPPGsFJwwYgzNUAIYQaVrA?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_4p_vTInbBa4/SYkIJv1Co1I/AAAAAAAABio/YjVkkS3XG2w/s400/P2030026.JPG" /></a></td></tr><tr><td style="font-family:arial,sans-serif; font-size:11px; text-align:right">From <a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/javgoustakis/ReefTankFeb3rd2009?feat=embedwebsite">Reef Tank Feb 3rd 2009</a></td></tr></table>

[Avgou]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14310150#post14310150 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Ratpack
Do you have any photos of your set up? I might just look at this. Think a MP20 would be enough though?

It would be enough, but if you're going to upgrade and have the money $120 more will get you your MP40 and no worries once you get your bigger tank!!!!

[onano]

In my 75 I run an mp40 as a wavemaker and 2 modded Tunze 6025's. My tank has never been cleaner (very little detritus settles) and my skimmer is pulling 2x as much crud as it did before I added the Vortech a few weeks back. The Vortech alone would be enough.

[CeeGee]

I am running two 6100 streams and a 6045 Nano Stream. May add another nano at some point.

[plyle02]

IMO,
I think you are on the light side to be running bb. Your scaping is open, and really looks great, should help in suspending detritus. Make sure the skimmer is well overated for the tank, and is of great quality. The nutrients can get out of control quickly if you have detritus settle on the bottom, if it does, make sure it is in a spot that is easy to siphon during w/c's. GL, looks like a nice tank in the making....

[imcosmokramer]

i have 2 mp40w's on my 75 and I love the flow.

[Avgou]

We might as well have everyone with 75 Gallon Tanks post a picture of their tank!!!

Let's See them!

[91yota]

heres a pic of mine from about a month ago... i just transferred from a 40B in september... still have a long way to go but things have settled in and showing some very nice growth, especially since this pic

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y230/jakedk5/1-9-09/fts.jpg

[91yota]

my main complaint with mine is how i set up the rock work... for BB to work to the fullest, i really need to rescape the tank... like i said though, things are finally settling in so i'm not touching it as far as a major overhaul... i think i'm going to add sand for aesthetics though

[Todd March]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14314767#post14314767 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by onano
In my 75 I run an mp40 as a wavemaker and 2 modded Tunze 6025's. My tank has never been cleaner (very little detritus settles) and my skimmer is pulling 2x as much crud as it did before I added the Vortech a few weeks back. The Vortech alone would be enough.

onano: how are all your pumps placed (pics?) I have been toying with adding another modded 6025 to my tank, that has a MP40 and modded 6025 already...

[Ratpack]

Thanks for all the advice. I found a great deal yesterday on Koralia 4's so I picked up 3 of them for $100, new. That gives me 3600gph which is real close to what the modded maxi jets are doing and they are more wide spread. I will try these first and if they don't work, I should be able to recoup most of the cost on them on Ebay or locally. I also have a Koralia 2 I can use as well which would give me more flow than the 2 mj mods. Any suggestions on where to place these given my aquascape?

[Hendersonracing]

My 75 with 2 Tunze

http://usera.ImageCave.com/hendersonracing22/IMG_1058.jpg

[macreefster]

heres my 70 with 2 vortechs......as much as i hate to, i think i need to remove the sand and go bare bottom as the current stirs up the sand too much.

http://i298.photobucket.com/albums/mm252/macreefster/DSC_0001-5.jpg

[macreefster]

let me try the pic again....didnt work the first time.

http://i298.photobucket.com/albums/mm252/macreefster/DSC_0001-5.jpg