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View Full Version : Setting up my 150 gallon tank....question re: live rock placement and flow


newreefer_59
01-12-2009, 08:18 PM
My 5' X 2 ' X 2' tank has been newly setup for about 6 weeks now with about 150 lbs of live rock. I have, at present, 2 6055 Tunze power heads running on opposite ends. I do have a controller as well - which I have not set up:redface:yet, but will soon.

The lights are T5 (6 X 48") and I only keep 2 on as they are very bright as it is. Firstly, is that ok, and how high should the light be over the water surface?

Question: is there a definitive answer how I should place the live rock as well as the power heads to ensure the proper flow, etc. How many powerheads should I have and where?.......and should I have 4 that connect to the controller. At moment, there is little flow behind the rock and alot of crap is settling back there.

I plan to have primarily an LPS coral and fish environment

Many thanks:smile:

BlueAbyss
01-13-2009, 09:56 AM
In my research it seems that as far as rock placement goes, the best idea is to build up reeflike areas and leave some areas of open swimming space... obviously there are no 'written in stone' rules with this sort of thing, go with what looks good to you. If you are keeping large, fast swimming fish, open space will obviously become more important.

So, you have some stuff building up behind rocks? It almost sounds like you don't have enough flow... while flow pattern is important too, are your rocks piled against the back of the tank? Do you run a sump? Any external pumps of any kind? I doubt having any amount of detritus collecting anywhere in a marine tank is a good thing...

Mind you this is coming from someone who hasn't even got all the equipment for his tank yet ;) let alone had water in it for 6 weeks.

Myka
01-14-2009, 09:30 PM
It sounds like you could use a couple more powerheads. If money isn't an issue i would buy one or two more of the 6055, and add them to your controller. You can turn the flow down if needed. I like to have at least one powerhead placed behind the rockwork to keep it clear back there. Make sure that the powerheads aren't blowing at eachother which just creates a turbulent area, and diffuses the flow, which reduces the effectiveness of the powerheads. One of the main points of the powerheads is to keep detritus from settling on the sandbed, so if you see detritus settling somewhere, reposition or turn up the powerheads to get at the dead spot.

With your rockwork, it's mostly about personal preference. There are a few suggestions that you can try to accomplish. Try to have as few rocks in and touching the sand as possible. Try to create as many open spaces (tunnels and caves) between the rocks as possible to increase flow through them, and give the smaller fish a place to retreat. try to keep the rocks from touching any of the side glass. You will make small scratches, and it is easier to clean when there are no rocks touching it. Place all the bottom rocks onto the bottom glass of the tank, and then push the sand around them. If the rocks are set on the sand when the fish and critters in your tank move the sand around, they can cause a rockslide and/or crush themselves. It is a good idea to epoxy the rocks in place once you set them to prevent a rock slide which can potentially crack or scratch your glass. Creating two mountains on each side, and then a more open space in the middle is a popular design. Do a search, and find something you like.

T5s should be about 4-6" above the water. Be sure to clean the bulbs and reflectors of salt spray often to keep optimal light intensity.