MKFMedic
Aquarium Advice Activist
I have a 34 gallon (Boderline) Nano System with a mix of mainly LPS with a couple of SPS corals that are all doing well. This tanks in my office and I'm really happy with it, although my productivity has gone down.
I use an ecotech mp10 which moves a LOT of water around! I usually have it set in the pulse mode which creates a nice back and forth action in the tank. Even with the back and forth action of the water there is still a noticeable circular flow, from top to bottom. In other words, the pulses are sent out from right to left, hit the opposite tank wall, then deflect downward returning along the bottom and back up to the mp10. My xenias, bubble tip, and frogspawn all have a distinct "Back and Forth" action in the tank.
I have read many opinions that with mixed reefs in particular there should be a "Turbulent" flow so I'm considering adding a powerhead on the opposite side of the MP10 to break up the flow in the middle of the tank. I do have a single return with a spinstream nozzle coming off the back of the tank.
On the other hand, all of my corals seem happy and my anemone has gotten very big! I can use the "Random" Tidal crest mode of the mp10, but again, having only one power head creates a circular flow in the tank.
Anyone use an additional powerhead combined with an mp10 in a tank this size? Any opinions if adding more of a turbulent flow would really make that big of difference?
Thanks for your thoughts,
Mike
I use an ecotech mp10 which moves a LOT of water around! I usually have it set in the pulse mode which creates a nice back and forth action in the tank. Even with the back and forth action of the water there is still a noticeable circular flow, from top to bottom. In other words, the pulses are sent out from right to left, hit the opposite tank wall, then deflect downward returning along the bottom and back up to the mp10. My xenias, bubble tip, and frogspawn all have a distinct "Back and Forth" action in the tank.
I have read many opinions that with mixed reefs in particular there should be a "Turbulent" flow so I'm considering adding a powerhead on the opposite side of the MP10 to break up the flow in the middle of the tank. I do have a single return with a spinstream nozzle coming off the back of the tank.
On the other hand, all of my corals seem happy and my anemone has gotten very big! I can use the "Random" Tidal crest mode of the mp10, but again, having only one power head creates a circular flow in the tank.
Anyone use an additional powerhead combined with an mp10 in a tank this size? Any opinions if adding more of a turbulent flow would really make that big of difference?
Thanks for your thoughts,
Mike