33 Long Flow Question

[EchoPear]

Hey everyone,

Setting up a 33 Long low tech build 48x13x12

Trying to think about flow, I saw BRS recommend 20-40x flow leaning lower for LPS/Softies. I probably won’t keep much if any SPS. 20x33gal=660gph. If I round up that’s 700gph.

Plan originally was to just run two HOBs, a Tidal 75 (350gph) and a small extra tetra 30 I have lying around (175gph) but that only gets me 525. I am also concerned about not having strong left to right motion, only front to back.

It looks like the koralia nano comes in as small as a 240gph, one on each side would bump me to 1000 with both hang on backs which is about 30x flow. Is this too much? If I just run the tidal 75, at max would be 25, but obviously the tidal is adjustable flow and I could dial it down a little.

Do I even need wavemakers at this point? Should I be looking at one gyre? Am I overthinking it? First “larger” tank.

Thanks

 

[Jekyl]

I would highly recommend 2 wavemakers and still having 1 HoB filter. You're looking to have flow everywhere, while being turbulent and not directly blasting. I recommend jebao wavemakers via amazon

 

[Mr. Mojo Rising]

It’s hard to have too much flow IMO. It’s not only about coral health. It about overall tank health, dead flow spots can build up detritus and algae.

And remember that 240 gph is never 240 gph, powerheads slow down and keep getting slower until the next time they are cleaned.

 

[EchoPear]

I would highly recommend 2 wavemakers and still having 1 HoB filter. You're looking to have flow everywhere, while being turbulent and not directly blasting. I recommend jebao wavemakers via amazon

Thanks for the suggestion. That’s sort of what I was leaning towards. Any model recommendations? It seems like the sow-4 is the smallest but still is like 1000 gph lol

 

[Jekyl]

Thanks for the suggestion. That’s sort of what I was leaning towards. Any model recommendations? It seems like the sow-4 is the smallest but still is like 1000 gph lol

You can turn them down. Make sure to buy a pair and the controller. I bought mine years ago for a 90g so not much help on selection

 

[EchoPear]

I ended up grabbing two SunSun JVP 110s they’re like 500 something gph each, and I’ll run the Tidal as well. Figured for $7 each if they stuck not much lost