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Enough flow for a 6ft aquarium

yngplo

Supporting Member
What's up everyone. I'm gonna be purchasing a 72 inch (6ft) peninsula style aquarium soon and I just wanted to ask a question.

What kind of pumps do you think would work best to push an appropriate amount of flow, assuming all of the powerheads would only be on the side of the overflow?

Is it possible to get appropriate flow for an SPS dominant tank with all of the pumps on one side of the tank only?


Thanks.
 
Use two Maxspect Gyre XF350. I had two MP40QD on my 4x4’ frag tank, but recently switched to the gyres. They are so much stronger than the MP40QDs. My friend has a 6’ peninsula tank and he uses two MP60QD.
 
Use two Maxspect Gyre XF350. I had two MP40QD on my 4x4’ frag tank, but recently switched to the gyres. They are so much stronger than the MP40QDs. My friend has a 6’ peninsula tank and he uses two MP60QD.
Are the maxspect gyres significantly better than the icecap gyres?
 
Are the maxspect gyres significantly better than the icecap gyres?
I've never used the Ice Cap gyres so I can't speak to it. Cleaning gyres are a PIA tho. I use 2x MP40QD in my main 4' tank and love them, I just don't think they are strong enough for a 6' tank, but then again I only like running them at 75% max to keep the noise to a minimum.
 
Depends on the rockwork and how you arrange the pumps, it may be possible to do an asymmetrical setup and get a natural gyre (not the pump) going, the downside to this is you may get too much low flow in the middle of the gyre. I'd probably go the Tunze (or knock offs) route, a little more velocity to the flow to make sure the end of the tank gets sufficient flow, you may have to keep rock work away from where the pumps are though. Or hell just ask to borrow some pumps from when it's setup and full of water, unless you plan on moving live corals and need it going on day 1.

That said, that was one of the biggest issues I had with my 6' x 5' peninsula I had... well that and aiptasia and bubble algae! Just couldn't get the flow I wanted, I eventually put pumps on the other sides and dealt with the ugly... before getting rid of it due to said aiptasia and ubble algae.
 
Depends on the rockwork and how you arrange the pumps, it may be possible to do an asymmetrical setup and get a natural gyre (not the pump) going, the downside to this is you may get too much low flow in the middle of the gyre. I'd probably go the Tunze (or knock offs) route, a little more velocity to the flow to make sure the end of the tank gets sufficient flow, you may have to keep rock work away from where the pumps are though. Or hell just ask to borrow some pumps from when it's setup and full of water, unless you plan on moving live corals and need it going on day 1.

That said, that was one of the biggest issues I had with my 6' x 5' peninsula I had... well that and aiptasia and bubble algae! Just couldn't get the flow I wanted, I eventually put pumps on the other sides and dealt with the ugly... before getting rid of it due to said aiptasia and ubble algae.
Honestly, I'm gonna put black vinyl to cover up the back side of the tank, then Im probably gonna put a powerhead on back corner and aim it toward the overflows for circulation. I'm gonna look into Tunze's pumps. I saw some guy that put 4 MP60's on his tank and that's such overkill for my budget lol
 
I have 3 mp40s on a redsea 650p (not using it as a peninsula tank like you). I'm going to add a 4th soon. I have one mp40 on the left side of the tank behind the overflow and 2 right now on the back wall. I will be adding a third to the back wall.
 
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