Question about wave pump strength

[Nooooooooob1]

I just got my new tank(40g 36” wide) going 2 days ago. Dry rock and live sand and no lights yet so it’s hard to see what is happening with the flow. I have a 600gph on the right side and just ordered a 1350gph for the left side. Will that be too strong for this tank? The 600gph feels too weak but I’m worried that the 1350 will blast everything away.

 

[Bobothegreat]

I am also curious on the same I tried to do research on it here but no luck. I will be starting my stand this week but am trying to get everything ordered for the tank. I also have a 40gallon. But was looking at a 1050 hydor

 

[RobZilla04]

Consider a wave pump with alternating or pulsing ability vs a constant flow power head. Second, if they are controllable, you can go higher than what you think the tank can handle and run them at less than 100%. Advantage is extra power should you need it and longevity in life due to less wear/tear.

If keeping softie coral, minimal flow is needed. LPS and SPS require higher flow with SPS requiring a lot. Basic rule of thumb, if your sand isn't moving around you don't have too much flow.

 

[40B Knasty]

I had a 40B and used 2 Jebao SW-4. There is a new OW-4 version. The older versions are the PP-4 and RW-4. They are great to pulse the euphyllias.
I have the SW-4s on a my 65g now, because the 40B cracked due to it not being leveled. Still works great. It is the same footprint of a 40B. Just a little bit taller. I did just pick up a bubblegum digitata. It has not opened up in a good 2 weeks. I am going to agree with Rob on this one that it is not enough flow for that coral, but I do have an extra Hydor powerhead 420 I am going to point right at it. Hopefully that will work or otherwise I may have to get a stronger one for it since the digitata is supposed to be the easier of that type of coral and it hasn't been easy for me.

 

[chipmunkofdoom2]

It's difficult to have too much of the right kind of flow. It's easy to have too much of the wrong kind of flow. If your pumps have a random flow mode, you'll probably be fine. So long as the flow is not directed at any one animal or coral.

For reference, my display is a 20g long. I have an MP10 at one side and a Jebao PP-4 at the other. I set them to random mode from 0% to 100%. The MP10 has a maximum flow rate of 1,500 GPH. The PP-4 has a maximum flow rate of 1,000 GPH. So at times, my 20 gallon tank is getting 2,500 GPH of flow (125x turnover).

 

[AdamNC]

Too much flow is never a bad thing for sps unless your stripping the skin off. A little sand movement is ok but too much movement is going to leave bare glass exposed, not a bad thing per say but just doesn't look right. For reference on my 40 breeder I'm using 2 MP40s which are rated at 4,500gph each plus my return which is rated at 568gph but I'm using the WWC flow pattern and have my pumps max out at 40% . Using Tropic Eden Reef Flakes (3-5mm grain size) I have very little sand movement.

 

[Mark Gray]

I Agree with the above coment, I like flow now some corals do not, it takes about 2 months for zoo's in my tank to get used to the flow. I have a 55 right now with a sicce 7 rated at 1900 an hour it is wide open I think it's probably a 1000 an hour, and i have a Gyre 230 lot of flow for this small tank