Help with flow?

[skrappie1]

I am trying to find out what is a good thumb rule for flow in a reef tank with sps corals. I have a 125 gallon tank with 30 gallon sump/refugium and currently just have 2 maxijet 1200's in tank and a rio 1700 as my return from sump. Any thumbrule would be great thanks for help.

[uncleant]

i also have a 125 with the same return pump but i have 4 maxi jet 1200's haaa i dont want any dead areas. And my corals seem to like it. i have two on each side wall on the tank making the water push against eachother forming random flow through the whole tank.

[usmc121581]

I have about x35 turn over in my 120. But I also have LPS's and SPS's to.

[skrappie1]

i want to get rid of power heads, any ideas for return pumps that would get me enough flow

[uncleant]

you can do that but you just have to make sure that you have enough flow going into your sump..... or you can set up a closed loop... and if you dont want to empty the tank to drill it you could do a external cloosed loop with out drilling the tank like the one here ....
http://www.melevsreef.com/how_to_build.html

http://www.melevsreef.com/closedloop.html

[mg426]

Try a sequence pump.

[skrappie1]

so what are we thinking is a good flowrate??

[LobsterOfJustice]

I would shoot for about 10x through the sump (return pump), and at least another 20x with powerheads or a closed loop. More would be better. So in your case, a return about 1250 GPH, and at least another 2500 in powerheads or a closed loop.

[skrappie1]

what about just replacing my rio 1700 with a magdrive md32

[skrappie1]

anyone have a mag drive md32?? if so is it a good pump?

[Craig Lambert]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=11261617#post11261617 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by skrappie1
what about just replacing my rio 1700 with a magdrive md32

I hope you have a really really big drain line. At 2800- 3000 gph, according to the drain calculator in order to prevent a flood you'll need this:

Using the following input parameters
Gallons per Hour = 3000

Drain and Overflow sizes are calculated as
Recommended minimum drain pipe diameter = 2.26 inches
Recommended minimum linear overflow size = 45 inches


Your sump turnover would be 100 times per hour (provided your drain line can provide that much water)...and if it can't the pump will burn out. Even if you have a drain line this large, your display will be full of microbubbles, and your skimming will be ineficient. Most people shoot for 3-5x tank volume per hour for their retun.
I suggest you stick with what works, and either add a closed loop, or some high quality ph's that meet your needs.

[Craig Lambert]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=11262310#post11262310 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Craig Lambert
I hope you have a really really big drain line. At 2800- 3000 gph, according to the drain calculator in order to prevent a flood you'll need this:

Using the following input parameters
Gallons per Hour = 3000

Drain and Overflow sizes are calculated as
Recommended minimum drain pipe diameter = 2.26 inches
Recommended minimum linear overflow size = 45 inches


Your sump turnover would be 100 times per hour (provided your drain line can provide that much water)...and if it can't the pump will burn out. Even if you have a drain line this large, your display will be full of microbubbles, and your skimming will be ineficient. Your tank will also sound like Niagra Falls. Most people shoot for 3-5x tank volume per hour for their retun.
I suggest you stick with what works, and either add a closed loop, or some high quality ph's that meet your needs.

[Craig Lambert]

sorry..double post

[LobsterOfJustice]

You definantly do not just want to get a bigger return.

[silvers]

On my 120 I have a Dart on a 4-way for about 2500gph 2 returns on a little giant 4 for around 1200. 2 sureflow maxijet mods 2x1600 for about 55x turnover.

[Aquarist007]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=11261617#post11261617 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by skrappie1
what about just replacing my rio 1700 with a magdrive md32

I have a mag3600----its giving me 10x's flow but at a huge energy cost---360watts per hr-where other pumps can do it for 1/3 of that

[Aquarist007]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=11261218#post11261218 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by LobsterOfJustice
I would shoot for about 10x through the sump (return pump), and at least another 20x with powerheads or a closed loop. More would be better. So in your case, a return about 1250 GPH, and at least another 2500 in powerheads or a closed loop.

LoJ--I'm not trying to be a smart a** here--but I was under the impression from another thread that you felt that 3-5 times flow into the sump was actually ideal---giving the protein skimmer a chance to work :confused:

[Aquarist007]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=11258660#post11258660 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by skrappie1
I am trying to find out what is a good thumb rule for flow in a reef tank with sps corals. I have a 125 gallon tank with 30 gallon sump/refugium and currently just have 2 maxijet 1200's in tank and a rio 1700 as my return from sump. Any thumbrule would be great thanks for help.


Here is an excellent thread to read--kinda of long but informative:

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=550482&perpage=25&highlight=why%20do%20we%20assume%20a%20large%20return%20pump%20is%20needed&pagenumber=1

[LobsterOfJustice]

I was told 10x when I first got into the hobby. I have seen a lot of people reccomending 3-5 lately. Right now I have about 15x through the sump.

Some people reccomend matching it with the skimmer - I think as long as the sump flow gph is at least what your skimmer is processing than it is fine. I dont like 3-5x because I feel my return might as well help add some flow to my tank. For me 3-5x is 270-450, which isn't substantial enough to even help out in the overall tank flow. Too much flow through the sump however will cause microbubbles (bubbles will get sucked right through the baffles).

[reptilemanmark]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=11261617#post11261617 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by skrappie1
what about just replacing my rio 1700 with a magdrive md32
I have a mag 36 (3600 gph) but replaced it with a mag 24 much quieter. I still have the 36 I paid $175 for and used it for about a month. I was running with just the 24 for about 8 months and everything did fine. I just added a Vortech a couple of weeks ago.
Lots of flow 3000gph have not seen a big change yet in my corals but lots of movement. dole100@juno.com

[skrappie1]

Thanks, you guys have given me some things to think about. Capn what pump do you recommend that has comparable flow but less power useage?

[Aquarist007]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=11265896#post11265896 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by skrappie1
Thanks, you guys have given me some things to think about. Capn what pump do you recommend that has comparable flow but less power useage?

here are suggestions that were made to me in this thread:

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=1255315