Im still planning my 180 gal Tank its 72x24x24, im wondering what yalls suggestions on powerheads would be? I figure I need more than 2 due to the length. How powerful of powerheads would you suggest? I plan to have a mixed reef mostly softies and lps with a few sps here and there.
Powerheads
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I have a 60(L)x30(W)x24(H) and I run 6 x MP40s 15-35% in a mixed reef to prevent dead spots. I'm not saying go buy 6x mp40's as it is ridiculously expensive, but I do recommend multiple weaker powerheads vs a few powerful ones to help prevent dead spots and more random flow throughout the tank. That's just my personal opinion tho. As far as brands go, Jebao makes great powerheads for a reasonable price. Or if you can toss a bit more money and depending on your glass thickness, I really like my Nero 5's that I have in my 65g. I like how easy it is to program and control on their app.
Any idea how small?
Well, for SPS dominated tank I recall the recommendation was like 50x+ turnover of the tank size, but a mix tank... I would think maybe 35-40x?
Let's say 40x for discussion purposes, then 40x180 = 7200gph. Decide where you want the pumps to be located, let's say 2 on each side wall (4 total). Take the turn over rate, divide it by the # of pumps you want based on location, then decide that way?
In this scenario, you would need 7200gph / 4 pump = 1800gph per pump.
I don't like to run pumps at max, so let's say 75%. Take 1800gph / .75 = 2,400 gph pumps.
So, you can get away with like 4x Jebao OW-40 @ $74/pump on Amazon? Just my thoughts tho. I'm sure others will chime in to get a broader input.
Thanks that was really helpful!
Everyone's budget might not always allow it and there are plenty of pumps out there that work great, controllable, and very affordable. Saying mp40 all the way isn't really contributing or helping him.
I'm a big fan of gyres. 2-4 Icecap 4Ks (2 being minimum and 4 being more than enough IMO) would give you flow and app control. Maxspects are, from what I hear, better but are also more expensive. Jebao makes cheap products. They work but you will likely replace them at a rate that spending on a higher quality product is probably the way to go. Full disclosure I have a jebao return, 2 powerheads, and a jebao mixing salt. The are solid but unspectacular. They offer decent control but are known to seize.
I was actually looking at those. They are pricey but they seem to move a lot of water.
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Something to consider - just based on this feedback. Those gyre pumps have some massive flow and very wide, which I love. However, their performance degrade dramatically when they just start to get dirty. I had bought a pair of the Maxspect Gyres XF250 when they came out and as much as I loved them, I hated keeping them clean to keep up their performance. There are too many parts to clean.
Jebao aren't spectacular as mentioned, but they are solid. I had them in my first tank, the wavemakers and their return for 3 years and never had one issue.
I have a 3K on my 120 and it is sufficient. I'm thinking of buying 2 2Ks and putting them on the back wall. I have the old version without the app control and have to rely on the program I made. I like being able to view stuff on my phone/tablet.
I was looking at getting 1 4k and 1 2k. Think that would love enough?
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For cleaning, nothing is as good as Ecotech. Easiest for sure. Yes, you need to clean the gyres regularly but buy a big bag of citric acid and make it a regular thing. It's best for your pumps anyway.
On a 6' tank, I think minimum 2 4Ks but I've never used that model before. That's just guessing. I missed the mainly softies/LPS so 4 4Ks would likely be overkill. It think it would all depend on how you positioned them. You might get away with a 2K and a 4K.
That would be 8000 GPH, is that not too much? Seems like a lot. But I’m a newbie at this.
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He's looking for first hand experience. That's what I've got. Otherwise I'd have nothing to say in response to his post. What else should I have said to convey my enthusiasm for this product (which is also the general consensus)?
OP: You won't regret getting MP40s on that tank. They are awesome. But yes, there are dozens of different powerheads, they all do roughly the same thing. I do agree with civics14 that gyres require more maintenance and cleaning to work at top performance.
Sorry, didn't mean to come off so negatively. I just been on the receiving end of that kind of comment when I first started in this hobby like I was a second rate hobbyist cause I couldn't afford MP40s. I took your comment the wrong way, but yeah, I love my MP40s: Easy to clean, work great, and I agree - you won't regret the investment.
How the tank is going to be setup is a big factor as well. In-wall, back close to a wall open on both sides or in a corner where there's only good access on the front and one side.
Then there's the rock scape. Many things to consider that will effect powerhead placement.
I started with two Neptune WAV pumps on the back of a 210 and ended up adding a third on one side to circulate the back wall keeping dead spots to a min. The WAV pumps have been prone to dying at about two years but Neptune replaced them on their dime for me.
On my new build I went to the dark side because there are no other powerheads on the market that do what I need them to for the price and internal foot print as the Ecotech's.
Then there's the rock scape. Many things to consider that will effect powerhead placement.
I started with two Neptune WAV pumps on the back of a 210 and ended up adding a third on one side to circulate the back wall keeping dead spots to a min. The WAV pumps have been prone to dying at about two years but Neptune replaced them on their dime for me.
On my new build I went to the dark side because there are no other powerheads on the market that do what I need them to for the price and internal foot print as the Ecotech's.
I'll also say that, personally, I hate the look of powerheads all over the tank. I've always tried my best to get them to disappear into the build so they aren't that noticeable. Like I said, the last tank was an in wall. So I limo tinted the back wall and mounted two back there. The third that was on the side was down lower and partially obscured by the rockwork.
If I were you I'd try to get a basic idea of how things were going to be laid out and try to get the most bang for the buck with as low a profile powerhead as you can get. While the Vortec's are cool and all, where you place them is what you get for flow direction, there's no changing it without moving the pump. The WAV's or Jebao's can be articulated and turned on the glass giving you some some adjustment, at the expense of protruding into the tank further. You can always start with two decent sized powerheads and if needed add one or two more down the road.
If I were you I'd try to get a basic idea of how things were going to be laid out and try to get the most bang for the buck with as low a profile powerhead as you can get. While the Vortec's are cool and all, where you place them is what you get for flow direction, there's no changing it without moving the pump. The WAV's or Jebao's can be articulated and turned on the glass giving you some some adjustment, at the expense of protruding into the tank further. You can always start with two decent sized powerheads and if needed add one or two more down the road.
