What do you guys do about the deadspots in your tank where there isn't much if any water current? Are these areas a big problem? I am assuming they will have a lower oxygen content causing aerobic bacteria to not funciton properly. Am I right? My system is as a reef ready tank with the overflow chamber in the aquarium. All of my current is happening at the top of the tank, hitting the glass, and splashing to the lower parts of the aquarium. Right now the tank has enought current to turn the water over 19 times an hour. I am hoping to increase this a bit by swaping out a maxi jet with another seio pump later. However, the back of the tank at the bottom doesn't get any current. At my lfs, they have actually plumbed in various retrun lines from a recurculating pump that pop out everywhere in the tank. If you look closely in their systems, there are outltes for water return coming up through the sand and poking out of the rockwork even. What does everyone think?

Thanks

with this tank u saw , yes its a personal choice to have the returns in the bottom, with a added risk though. as with anything, without a syphon break and/or good quality water check valve system in place, in the worst case it can drain a good portion of the tank. they would have the returns split between all pipes running constantly, or via a Switching Current Water Dirrector!

with your tank, u cant go back to drill the holes now, unless your willing to start over obviously, but u can plumb the closed loop system from above to point in areas of slow water movement. if u want a return spray bar that u want to go as far as the bottom, u definatly need a syphon break a couple inch below the water level.

just a few suggestions anyways, u seem to have the equiptment to achieve what circulation u want to create

My return from the sump goes to spray bars at the bottom of the tank behind and through the rock as well as accross the top of the sand bed. I have a siphon break about 1" below the surface that I clean about every 4 weeks, but it gets tested every time I feed.

I think that I will allways incorporate a return or closed loop return in this method. It did wonders for my tank. I was having huge nitrate problems and this as well as other changes when I rebuilt the tank made all the difference in the world.

Only 1 spot in my tank looks a little slow and I'm going to look at that this weekend.

The spray bar sounds like a great idea. Maybe I will add another pump in my sump, (hey that rhymed!...stop rhyming and I mean it! ... anybody want a peanut?) :rotfl: Anyways, if I add another pump, I think I will run it up to a spray bar that I will lay across the back of my tank. Is there any information out there on making a good spraybar so that the drilled holes are the right diamerter in the bar and also so that the current is actually doing me some good and not causing a sandstorm down there? What is a good diameter of pipe? What about flow rate for the pump?

The back of my tank was spray-painted black so I think I am going to use black pvc.

Thanks for the help

Can your overflow handle another return?

I think my pipe on the bar is 1/2"

Man, I can't remember where I found the information but I remember what I found didn't really work for me. I ended up building mine twice b/c I had too many holes the first time. I think what I eventually ended up doing was using around a 3/16" drill bit (but don't remember exactly) and drilling a limited # of holes. Probably 8. Then I tested and kept drilling more in a pattern until the water was squirting out about 4 inches from each hole. I probably have a total of 16 or so holes running about 450 gal/hr. I also filled up a trash can with a known quantity of water and timed how long it took to empty with the pump to make sure I wasn't restricting the pump.

I drilled my holes so that when installed, they either shot straight out & about 1" over the sandbed or up at an angle to go through the rocks.

I'm sure you could just take a piece of capped off pvc. drill holes and test until you find the right #. Then build your bar.

Mine actuall isn't a "bar" but rather has feet on it that hold it off the bottom and I rest rock on it. If your rockwork is set, I think a bar would work great and you wouldn't be running the risk of disturbing the sandbed. Just secure it low and point the outlets up into the rockwork at a 45.

BTW - Robs disclaimers on the podcasts don't do justice to the disclaimer you need from me. It works for me, but I might just be lucky.

speak to an irragation specialist if u get stuck, a quick diagram with the info u have already. its there job to figure stuff like this out. u can learn it to easy if u have the time, but use specialist peoples skills if u get the chance, gives u a better idea on how to achieve successs. i spoke to one a few weeks ago with glowing reviews, got a gander at new stock, new systems, new ideas, & prices, above all found confidence in someone that i can honestly ask non-BS questions too!