Yet another waterflow question

[Endevor]

I know this has been asked before, and know I've read through several posts trying to find the answer. I've read that the rule of thumb is anywhere from 10-150x your gallon volume which means for my new 29 (30 for easy math) gallon tank, I could use anything from a 300gph powerhead to a 4500gph combination of powerheads which kinda puts you back to your original problem. I think most people showing off their tanks were using 40-50x which sounds a lot better.

Down to my setup, I'll have a 29 gallon I'm moving my lovely friends in my nano tower into. There will be a large rock structure in the center and I want to put two powerheads on the back wall on either side of it, one closer to the top and on closer to the bottom. I was looking at a powerhead that pushes 750-850gph for each or a model up for 1050-1150gph. I was wondering If I should go for the model up or look for another range all together? Eventually, these will be attached to a custom designed wave maker that will turn them on and off at different frequencies if that makes a difference.

 

As always, thanks for the help!

[seabass]

Will you be keeping SPS? What are the tank dimensions? For a normal mixed reef 30 times turnover (900gph) is plenty, with closer to 50 times turnover (1500gph) for SPS. A single Jebao WP-10 might even be suitable.

[Endevor]

It's a standard 29 gallon, 30x12x18". I don't currently have any SPS, but I do eventually want to add some. I've never heard of Jebao. I was originally looking at Hydor Koralia. My custom wave maker will simply act like a switch, turning the power on and off to the powerhead and the koralia claims to be designed for that. Would you recommend Jebao over that? I do like the fact it has a controller to fine tune gph pushed.

[seabass]

Do a search on WP-10. You'll see they are pretty popular. They perform more sophisticated wave functions than off and on (so no, you would not put these on a timer). For a SPS dominated tank, you could add a second as they grow out.

 

You could go with Koralia powerheads on a timer if you prefer. But at least research the WP-10 before you buy. Will this tank have a sump? That will add some more flow (and another source of flow).

[Endevor]

Yes, I plan on adding an aqueon sump. I would like to incorporate the powerheads into my reef controller. Do you think sending a dimmed A/C current to a powerhead would work? I know the Koralia at least doesn't have a transformer plug in, so I think the motor is an A/C motor. Do you think if I allow the controller to determine the A/C level, I could achieve something to the affect of the WP-10?

[seabass]

Yes, I plan on adding an aqueon sump.

 

Good, that's another source of flow.

 

I would like to incorporate the powerheads into my reef controller. Do you think sending a dimmed A/C current to a powerhead would work? I know the Koralia at least doesn't have a transformer plug in, so I think the motor is an A/C motor. Do you think if I allow the controller to determine the A/C level, I could achieve something to the affect of the WP-10?

No, I don't think that will work. Hydor offers a Smart Wave Controller which turns the pumps on and off like your Apex will do, or they have controllable pumps that work with a matching controller. If you want to put standard Koralias on your controller that's fine; but you will not control the flow (other than on/off).

[seabass]

I believe that

• H1, H2, and H3 are just high, medium, and low flow settings (with no variation)
• W1 is an on/off mode that makes large waves (with the knob determining the duration)
• W2 and W3 step up and down the flow rate (again, the knob determines the duration)
• Else mode creates random flow rates and durations