wave makers, flow, small cube tank

[graemevw]

Im gathering equipment for my first reef tank.

Its a dennerle 60L cube.

I plan on only using wave makers and live rock.

I could do with some thoughts on flow though.

How beneficial is it to have random and controllable flow as opposes to just constant flow?

 

Im struggling to find a controllable pump that will be ok in this small a tank

I thought I had found one in the RW4 but it seems it may be a bit powerfull.

 

My second plan was to use 2 pumps instead, probably koralia 900 and try and set them so the flow from each interupts each other.

 

I know the main issue is flow over and around the rocks and minimising dead spots.

 

Are there any other pumps im missing?

 

So, controllable pump, or one bigger constant flow pump or two smaller constant flow pumps?

 

Also, would it be beneficial to have some kind of surface skimmer to re circulate and surface scum? Not a protein skimmer, just surface.

 

I appreciate running a tank like this means lots of water changes but thats fine by me.

 

Thanks.

[Gooburz]

So for pumps with flow I used to use just a regular power heads and it worked but this past year I bought a MP40 and it's amazing the difference with the random flow pattern. For you look at a single MP10, they are pricy but so worth it.

 

As far as surface skimming/filtering you can use a aquaclear HOB filter and many people make the surface skim mod/box. Very cheap and very effective. And inside the filter you can run carbon, filter floss, etc

[graemevw]

Unfortunately, mp10 isnt going to happen.Nice as they seem, they are way too expensive.

 

hob isnt really an option unless I leave of the glass lid, or get the lid cut/replacement made. I can however either buy or make something small and internal just to recirculate the surface water if it will be beneficial. I could still add carbon or floss if need be.

 

My main thoughts at the moment are on the wave makers.

 

If alternating flow patterns (like I could do with the jebao) is going to be of real benefit, and if it is too powerfull for the tank, I have considered modifying the propeller to reduce maximum flow.

[Clown79]

I have the jebao sw-2 nano wavemaker in my 10g and in my 15g. It has a few different settings. Works great for both. Its powerful but you can control the speed and settings so its not too powerful.

 

Its a great price too. Not much more than a sicce powerhead.

 

 

The wavemaker is good. I like turbulant flow. I've used Sicce, Hydor, and now the wave maker. I like both. The pros to wavemaker is controllability.

 

Each tank is different so each setting will depend on tank set up.

 

My 15g i use the else setting and on my 10g i use wave2.

[graemevw]

Thank you. I hadn't found that model.

Looks absolutely perfect.

[Clown79]

Yw. I was in the same position. Most wavemakers are either too powerful for small tanks or far too expensive for my tastes.

 

Its a new model so it doesn't pop up in searches right away.

[graemevw]

Looks like im getting one for christmas

 

Just need to decide whether to pair it with a constant flow pump, probably koralia, or if to run it along side a simple recirculating surface skimmer.

[Clown79]

How many gallons and length of tank?

[graemevw]

60l (16 gallons?).

 

Its a cube so about 15x15x17.

[graemevw]

Have you seen the odessea clean 100 'slimmers'?

 

Simple, cheap clear box filter that takes surface water and filters it (a bit) amd recirculates via a spray bar.

 

It looks a bit suspect but with one wavemaker I wont get much surface movement so I need something else.

Although cheap and not a proper skimmer theae odessea things will at least remove scum and move the surace about while adding a bit more flow.

[Clown79]

In a 16g, 1 jebao sw-2 will be plenty. Its very powerful.