Single nozzle vs dual nozzle for return pump

[bondno9]

I have a aquatop40 and I bought a mighty jet 538 pump. I’m looking to upgrade my return nozzle to the VCA random flow and I saw they had a single head and a dual head nozzle. I’m leaning on getting the dual nozzle but I want to know how much it will affect my flow? Am I better off just sticking to a single head nozzle?

 

[Dread Pirate Dave]

I have a aquatop40 and I bought a mighty jet 538 pump. I’m looking to upgrade my return nozzle to the VCA random flow and I saw they had a single head and a dual head nozzle. I’m leaning on getting the dual nozzle but I want to know how much it will affect my flow? Am I better off just sticking to a single head nozzle?

I have the same pump and dual 1/4 inch nozzles on my BioCube 29 gallon. The pump is also feeding an external refugium where I have chaeto growing. The dual nozzles give plenty of flow but I am also supplementing this with a Jebao MOW-3 wave maker.

I don't see much of any randomness in the output of the dual nozzles. (based on micro bubbles generated when topping off for evaporation) I don't have anything to compare against but I believe I would be seeing more randomness in a single 1/2 nozzle from the deeper veins it would have.

 

[Dburr1014]

I have the same pump and dual 1/4 inch nozzles on my BioCube 29 gallon. The pump is also feeding an external refugium where I have chaeto growing. The dual nozzles give plenty of flow but I am also supplementing this with a Jebao MOW-3 wave maker.

I don't see much of any randomness in the output of the dual nozzles. (based on micro bubbles generated when topping off for evaporation) I don't have anything to compare against but I believe I would be seeing more randomness in a single 1/2 nozzle from the deeper veins it would have.

If you don't see much randomness your flow is too low. Better to go to the single.
Does it have a tee you can take out or is it all in one? If it's seperate, take the tee out.

 

[EeyoreIsMySpiritAnimal]

I have a aquatop40 and I bought a mighty jet 538 pump. I’m looking to upgrade my return nozzle to the VCA random flow and I saw they had a single head and a dual head nozzle. I’m leaning on getting the dual nozzle but I want to know how much it will affect my flow? Am I better off just sticking to a single head nozzle?

Look up the gph required to actually get random flow... it's relatively high. I am not sure your pump is strong enough fir 1, let alone 2.

 

[Dread Pirate Dave]

If you don't see much randomness your flow is too low. Better to go to the single.
Does it have a tee you can take out or is it all in one? If it's seperate, take the tee out.

It's good for now. It is nice to direct the flow in two different directions. When I upgrade to a larger tank I may give larger nozzles a go.

Look up the gph required to actually get random flow... it's relatively high. I am not sure your pump is strong enough fir 1, let alone 2.

The optimum flow rating is 200-300 gph. The pump is able to surpass that easily, even with a 90 degree elbow adding some head pressure to it. Whatever the issue is I don't think it is pump related.

This is what I am using:

Ultimate Nano Tank Return Line Upgrade Kit – Dual 1/4in Flex-Series RFG | Vivid Creative Aquatics

vividcreativeaquatics.com

I intend on upgrading to a larger tank at some point so I'm not hung up on the randomness (or lack of) as it were.

 

[Dburr1014]

I have a aquatop40 and I bought a mighty jet 538 pump. I’m looking to upgrade my return nozzle to the VCA random flow and I saw they had a single head and a dual head nozzle. I’m leaning on getting the dual nozzle but I want to know how much it will affect my flow? Am I better off just sticking to a single head nozzle?

I would do the single. If at a later date you want dual, you can buy a tee for loc-line.

 

[Dread Pirate Dave]

I feel like I'm hijacking your thread @bondno9 - Sorry!

Just wanted to add something that crossed my mind the other day. The nozzles may indeed have the randomness I was expecting but the distance from back to front or even to the sides in my tank is short. If the output had more distance to travel maybe I would see more directional changes in output.

But as far as using these on another BioCube, I would not.