Q. I just purchased the 3/4" Sea Swirl and getting my 75 gal. reef tank set up. I have a few questions: the outlet end on the pipe will generate a lot of force for the 75 gal. How can I deflect the force coming out of the outlet? I saw the flare fitting, will that work?

A. The 40 RLT generates 750 gph at 4 feet of head. So running through a chiller will make this even a little less so with the 3/4" unit with the standard 3/4" round outlet I doubt that it would be excessive current for a 75 gal. But you can always adjust the flow of the Sea Swirl to suit your needs. If you decide it's too strong if a current you can try the 3" flare nozzle as this will give you a more dispersed current compared to the round pinpoint nozzle. If you find this is still not enough you can get a standard schedule 40 pvc (preferably Spears or Lasco brand). 1"slip x slip 90 (it will be white of course) and use this as your outlet elbow. This will tone down the outlet pressure also because of the larger outlet.

Q. If I was to buy the 1" model and put a 3/4" Reducer on it with a 'Y' fitting, should I buy the 3/4" model instead? Won't the flow of the 1" model be reduced to that of a 3/4" model in this configuration?

A. You will lose a very slight amount of volume. My guess would be about 2 - 3 percent, but you will gain a lot of outlet pressure especially if the pump you are using is around the suggested 1150 gph. This might create to much current, but there are many options with different nozzles to change it if you do not like what you have. If you want to reduce down to 3/4" you can use a 1" x 3/4" reducer bushing and get the 3/4" 'Y' fitting and you can cover 180 degrees of rotation.

Q. Am I correct in assuming that the units operate on 110v standard household current? Also, would there be any problems attaching 4 of these units to a Red Sea Wavemaker?

A. The units operate on 110v standard household current. Power consumption for each motor is 4 watts for the 1/2" and 3/4" and 5 watts for the 1". DO NOT hook the Sea Swirl up to a wave timer. The constant stopping and starting will shorten the life span of the motor considerably due to the "start-up" torque requirements. It is much better to let them run 24/7/365. The Sea Swirl will operate fine with or without water running through it.

Q. I need to aim the output of my 3/4" model downward instead of forward and down. Can I use the flexible ball-socket tubing to extend it outward and down? Is there a 90 elbow that taps directly into the output side?

A. Yes you can use the Loc-Line/modular piping to make your outlet bend down as much as you wish. Just be sure nothing interferes with the rotation from the side or rear walls of the tank. Also be sure to watch your draindown into your sump from extending the outlet deeper into the tank!

Q. I have two 3/4" Sea Swirls on my tank right now. If I want to add flare fittings to those do I need any extra pieces besides the actual flare piece?

A. To make the installation easier you could get the 3/4" MPT connector with the 3" flare nozzle. This way all you need to do is pop on the flare nozzle to the MPT connector. Unscrew the round nozzle with the MPT connector from the unit and install the flare with the MPT connector.

Q. I have a couple more questions about the Sea Swirls. As you know I bought two of the 1" models. This is for a 120g Oceanic. Each SS will be on it's on closed loop. After much thought, I think I've decided to go with a Mag 12 to push each SS. Do you any experience with the this pump and the 1" model. I was planning on using just the black elbow on the SS, and not the barbed fitting that attaches to the elbow. I figured the barbed fitting would increase the velocity of the water since its smaller then the end of the elbow... but I'd like to get more flow with less velocity so I can make the whole tank habitable with corals. Do you think the Mag 12 on the 1" model will cause a *blast* of water exiting the SS?

Also, is there anyway to mount the SS on each end of the tank without having to butcher the sides of the canopy? I was planning on running one on each back corner, but was thinking it may be better to use one on each end ( middle of the side glass).

A. The Mag 12 pumping up the standard 3 to 4 feet would not give you a huge blast of water as they loose pressure very quickly as they pump up. Either put a valve on the pump to restrict it slightly or put a 1-1/4" x 1-1/4" slip 90(Spears or Lasco brand if possible) on the outlet pipe with no other reducers. This will give you a very low key flow without reducing volume. You will have to experiment around a little to really get the current you are looking to achieve.

You can use our corner mounting bracket to mount the units on the inside of the frame of the tank. These brackets mount to the inner frame where a glass canopy would normally be. BUT you must use two sides for support,(you could mount them on the front corners as long as the lighting system does not interfere or is too close to the units.) there are pictures on our site under "Acrylic Corner Bracket"

Q. Hi I am planning on setting up two 1" sea swirls on my new 180. I would like to how to stop the sea swirls from siphoning back down to my sump in case of a power outage. I have heard that check valves often fail in salt water and that it is better to drill a siphon break hole the sea swirl, which do you recommend? I would also like to order them hard plumbed with unions. I plan on using flexible PVC and I would like to know if you can rotate the union so that it is pointed at a 45degree angle towards the center of the tank instead of pointing to the back of the tank.

A. Check valves can be a PITA, but if you purchase a ''Y'' check valve they are the best IMHO. They still work better if you take them apart every 3 months or so and clean out the ''gook'' that seems to always adhere to the inside of aquarium plumbing, and ''Y'' check's are easier than the conventional check's to clean. Drilling a 3/16'' hole (a lot of people say 1/8'', but I prefer a little larger.) about 1/2'' or so below the RUNNING water line will work also, but again maintenance will be required to ALWAYS be sure the hole is OPEN and not covered with coralline algae or micro/diatom/hair algae.

ALL Sea Swirl's manufactured from April 03 now have an ''adjustable'' inlet feature. This allows easier installation/positioning of the incoming water line. Also every unit now is supplied with a black FPT x FPT 90 on the inlet so you can hard plumb with pvc and is also supplied with a barb fitting if you want to use flexible vinyl hose.

Q. After recently purchasing one of your 3/4" models and seeing the profile in the tank, I think I may want to buy a second unit. What pump would you suggest to run two 3/4" units on a closed loop? I was thinking about the Ampmaster 2100 or 2700. The 2100 might be too small since the 1.5" outlet would be running two 3/4" outlets. I'm looking for a quiet pump with little to no heat transfer on a closed loop.

What pump would you run on a single 3/4" unit on a closed loop?

A. To run two 3/4" units any pump that would deliver 1600/1700 gph (2 x 800/850 gph) at the head you are pumping up to would be sufficient. The Dolphin 2100 might be a little weak and the 2700 a little to strong, but with the 2700 you could add a third stationary outlet to relieve a little water volume. You would have to find out what the gph would be at the head you are pumping up to.

For a single 3/4" unit any pump delivering 800/850 gph at the head you are pumping up to. I see alot of people use the Mag 950 pumping up 4 - 5 feet.

Q. I am currently setting up a 200 gal. system and have a question about your Sea Swirl units. For circulation I plan to utilize 2 of your 1" models, placed on the back of the tank next to the overflow boxes. I will also have 2 other 3/4" line-loc returns coming from the overflow boxes. Those returns will be directed towards the lower back of the tank. I plan to use two unique pumps to push circulation up from the basement. I have calculated that I will obtain about 1,200 gph from each pump. If I direct 300 gph to the 3/4" returns, will the remaining 900 gph be an adequate and effective flow through the 1" Sea Swirls? Would I be better off using the 1" units with the 3/4" reducing outlet or just using the 3/4" unit altogether? I already have the pumps so I am limited to the 1,200 gph.

A. I would use the 3/4" units. You have calculated that the pumps you are going to use will give you 1,200 gph at the head you are pumping to, so each 3/4" Sea Swirl will handle 8850/900 gph each. This leaves you about 300 gph coming out the 3/4" stationary outlets. Now 300 gph coming out of these stationary outlets really isn't much to cover half the distance behind the rock structure of a 200 gal. tank that I'm assuming is at least 5 to 7 feet long. It's kind of like a Hagan 802 powerhead blowing behind the rock structure. So just in case you decide you want more water flow back there, and I bet you will, I would say stay with the 3/4" Sea Swirls and you can still reduce down at the nozzle to 5/8" to give you more pressure at the outlet nozzle if you direct more water flow to the stationary outlets (of course you can reduce these outlets down too).

If you went with the 1" units 900 gph of water volume conning out of the 1" nozzle would not in my opinion give you great circulation, the water would just "limply" exit the outlet and would not travel very far or deflect off the glass, unless you reduce down at the nozzle anyway. So I would use the 3/4", besides they're cheaper too!!

Q. I'm setting up a 55 gal. tank and am planning to use two 1/2" Sea Swirls. The question I have is what size pump will run two Sea Swirls effectively? Should the pump be pressure rated?

A. Ideally a pump with a total of 1100 gph at the head height you are pumping up to, but this would be a lot of water to return to the sump on a 55 gal. because usually there is only one 1" drain line in the overflow and this will not flow this much water. If you are going to use a "closed loop" system (inlet from the pump takes water directly from the main tank and returns the water directly to the main tank). You should get a pump that does 1000/1100 gph so you can use the full gph and pressure at the outlet nozzle efficiently.

Another option is if you are set on using two 1/2" units. If your return pump is only going to be around 600 - 700 gph(the drain in the overflow back to the sump would probably handle this volume) then I would get our part #225 (1/2" x 1/4" reducer nozzle) or our 3/8'' round nozzle(our part # 208) in order to keep the pressure high at the nozzle to create the circulation and motion you are looking for.

Q. I have a 120 gal. Oceanic tank, dimensions are 48 x 24 x 24. I am using an Iwaki MD 30 RXLT pump for my main return. Would I be able to operate a couple of Sea Swirls on my return lines with this pump? If so, which models and accessories do you recommend? I wasn't sure if I had enough current with my Iwaki, it is rated at 950 gph at 4 feet/head.

A. For a tank of this size and with the Iwaki 30 RLXT 960 GPH AT 4' I would go with two 1/2" units, one mounted in each corner and rotating opposite of each other. You should have good pressure at the nozzle with that pump. If it is a little weak you can always reduce down at the outlet nozzle to 3/8" instead of the supplied 1/2" round nozzle. You will have to see if the circulation and motion created is to your liking. Be sure to leave your live rock structure off the rear glass/side glass so the circulation will go behind and around the rock structure. With the two 1/2" units you should be able to achieve good circulation without powerheads. Sometime later if you decide you want more current you can always hook up another pump on a "closed loop" system. But I think if you place your SPS corals right at the top where the circulation is very strong and your "softies" and LPS corals in the middle and at the bottom they will be happy campers with what you already have.

Q. I currently own a 3/4" Sea Swirl so far I enjoy it. I believe that I'm still short on water movement in my tank. It's mounted in the center of tank by the way with a 'Y' adapter. So I was considering the possible use of 2 of your 1/2" models and put them in the corner of my tank. The tank in question is 100 gallons. My current Swirl is powered by a mag 1200. So I could also be low on the pump side as well. I'm considering upgrading it to a Dolphin Ampmaster 3000 to drive all pumps and skimmers and adding two new Sea Swirls. My issue I believe is that I am not getting what I believe is a good enough water circulation towards the bottom of the tank and sand bed. The upper section seems great.

Thus my question, if I add two additional 1/2" swirls is there anyway to extend the neck and have it work the lower section of the tank. In fact, maybe I could alter the two sides with longer/shorter necks to get an overall better water movement. Upper, middle, and lower layers.

A. With the Mag pumps they lose volume very quickly when you have the standard head working against you. You should have th e3/4" x 1/2" reducer 'Y' (our part # 515) and two 1/2" round nozzles (our part # 205), but you most likely have the standard 3/4" 'Y'. This reducer 'Y' will increase the outlet pressure and create more motion and circulation. We also have extension kits but we are recommending them on "closed loops" only because of the draindown BACK to the sump during a power outage from the outlets being extended deeper into the water.