Positioning of current makers

[jamesbuf]

So I've had my remodeled tank setup for a couple weeks now. I have all my powerheads and current-makers pushing from the top rear and sides, to the front and down, like I'm seen most people do. I'm already starting to notice that debris is getting pushed towards the back of the tank and collecting under the LR. I was thinking of somehow reversing the conventional direction of current, so that instead of the water pushing everything under the liverock, the current will flow straight down the back of the tank and forward once that current hits the bottom, hopeully forcing the debris out from under the rock to get collected by the overflow. Has anyone else ever thought of doing this?? I really wanted to try this setup but is seems that all powerhead equipment attaches to the side of the tank and pushes straight out at a 90 degree angle from the glass. Do they make powerheads that suction to the glass and spit the water straight down??? Are there any down sides to doing this??

I guess once you have money for Tunze equipment you guys don't have those problem, but until I have Tunze money, I gotta find a poor man's method.

[JC Pollman]

I think you hit the nail right on the head: everyone is basically pushing the debris down and into the rocks. Your solution to push the water straight down along the backside of the tank is recommended by a number of experts - particularly if you are going bare bottom. The only solution I can recommend for mounting your powerheads is to buy some acrylic and make your own supports - which, actually, is not too difficult to do.

 

I have given a lot of thought to this problem, and because I want a deep sand bed, shooting strong currents down the back of the tank is not going to work very well - I have already tried. Plans for my next tank include a lattice of pvc pipe just under the sand with nozzles. My thought is that most water movement schemes actually help gravity keep the debris down, I want to fight gravity by moving water from the bottom to the top and then out via the overflows. It is going to take a good sized pump to make it work, but I think this will allow me to keep a deep sand bed and get the debris out of the tank.

 

The challenge to all this: convincing my spouse how important a new tank will be :wink:

[flowerseller]

I gotta find a poor man's method.

I liken this more to a resourceful man's method.

 

I have one of my returns pointing into the back of the rockwork on ours.

I simply placed a rock flat at the bottom of the return and rubble at the edges of that and then continued

the sand bed.

It helps but the rockwork will naturaly stifle it since it breaks up flow.

 

Something to consider before adding sand is to place a few rocks on the bottom to act as footings for your reef structure. This way a burrowing bozo fish doesn't undermine your rockwork and cause a rock slide.

 

Aquaclear makes reversable flow powerheads and they are rock solid units.

Only problem with this is the outlet becomes a sucking hazard for fish.

I'm still using one that's 15 years old but is on second impeller.

[dchild]

How about this: rotate the powerhead w/ suction cups 90 degrees before you stick it to the glass. Then instead of being able to rotate the ph side-to-side, you will be able to point it straight down (actually in an arc ranging from straight down to straight up)

[jamesbuf]

not a bad idea. It won't be constant flow downward, but its better than nothing. Just gotta clean out these powersweeps so they actually sweep!

[davelin315]

It all depends on what you've got on the bottom of your tank. If you've got substrate, you'll end up causing yourself problems because the flow will push it all away from the back and mound it up, meaning you'll still accumulate debris back there. If you've got a bare bottom, you'll still run into the dead spots, although there won't be as much accumulation. You could also put your powerheads into the rock itself, burying them at the bottom, but if you ever need to do maintenance, this becomes a problem.

 

In my former 125 I used several different methods for encouraging flow back there. The first was that my return pump went into a series of PVC pipes in the bottom, basically a spray bar pointing up, and pushed debris up and away from the bottom. I also left space open in the back of the rock work so that fish could swim through, helping to stir things up. I also had tons of powerheads. I buried some in the rockwork (which led to the problem that when one of them got clogged I simply had to unplug it) and others were mounted on the sides. I used the aquaclear 802s and they were awesome for what I wanted to do with them. I used the quickfilter attachment and instead of using a filter in there I simply left it open to keep fish from getting sucked up. To point some of the powerheads down I would use two powerheads and two quick filters, but instead of attaching them individually, I attached a powerhead to both ends of one of the quick filters (you need two so that you have two end caps that will allow you to attach the powerheads). I then strapped these to the bracing of my tank (it's actually a pretty good fit for most glass tanks as the bracing is about the same length across as the whole set up and it's also about the same width). It did leave me with a crazy contraption sitting across the top of my tank, but eventually these became encrusted with coralline and xenia. It left them in a place where I could take full advantage of the flow (the reverse flow severely cuts down the amount of flow you have) as well as keeping them where I could get to them. The only problem you might have is that if your water level is not high enough you run into a problem with the powerheads sucking air and shooting bubbles into your tank.

[HowardofNOVA]

My plans for my 90g I got from the guy who had the 500g tank and upgraded to his 800g tank. You remember the post that he found the 6' Bristleworm in the framework!

He went BB behind and under the rocks and just used LS in the "viewable" area's only. Figure if I have a PH pushing from back to front, will keep the back clean and force any debris towards sand where Nassarius and Serpent Starfish will get it!

[jamesbuf]

I just thought of an idea. Instead of trying to force water down the back side of the tank to disturb debris settling, why not help the current coming under the front of the rock and back up the rear of the tank. Could I lay one of those long long air stone curtains along the rear bottom to help force current upwards?? Havn't had an air stone in my tank since the freshwater days so I'm not sure if it'll look good or not. I've found 72" and 48" ones on ebay too. hmmmmmm

[YBeNormal]

Airstone + SW = massive salt creep.

[jamesbuf]

Crap....didn't think of that. back to the drawing board. Now I remember why I haven't had an airstone since my freshwater days.

 

 

Airstone + SW = massive salt creep.