Hydor Koralia flow for my corals

[sweeper7]

What type or strength should I get for my corals?

So many different sizes and "w' not sure which is proper one.

I am going to have a Xenia, Torch, and Blastamussa.

It is a 20 Long.

I have 0 flow besides my Aqua Clear 50

[hollister]

A minimum of 10 times the tank size. And exclude the aqua clear. You want constant circular motion. So 10 times 20 gallons equals 200 gph pump. I would get 2 150 gph pumps my self. And the more more stock you have the higher the flow you want.

[sweeper7]

1 420 or 250 wouldn't be the wiser choice?

[sweeper7]

does this brand make the 150? i can't find one

[sweeper7]

which 'W' do i get?

[hollister]

Koralia pumps are ok , but i have two 1250 rio's and they come with a valve to adjust the flow and you need to buy the expensive koralias with the controller for this.

2 pumps for better water movement are best. One towards the top and 1 towards the bottom reduces low flow areas where fish waste and uneatin food wood collect.

[sweeper7]

I found a Hydor 240 and a 425 for 23-25 each one at a LFS.

the Nano, 240 says for 15-18 gal, 425 15-30, which should I get?

[sweeper7]

do I need to make the adjustment with the controller or I can get by without adjusting the flow

[sweeper7]

the rio one costs nearly $100??

do they all come with controllers (is that what the wave maker is?) because some are selling for $20 but not sure what it is.


http://www.amazon.com/Taam-Rio-Pump-Power-Head/dp/B0002DGQX0/ref=sr_1_9?ie=UTF8&qid=1315719097&sr=8-9

[sporto0]

I use 2 Koralia #1's pointed at my SPS in a 90g & 2 Koralia #3's for total circulation. A 20g tank would be fine with 2 #1's in my experience.

[doctorgori]

Wow that has gotta be a record:
....we got 10 replies deep through a powerhead post and nobody from the Tunze/EchoTech crowd to jumped in and made you feel "inadequate" for spending less than $500 on a powerhead:


(

[Lynnmw1208]

I found a Hydor 240 and a 425 for 23-25 each one at a LFS.

the Nano, 240 says for 15-18 gal, 425 15-30, which should I get?

Depends on what you want to keep. If you want more low flow corals, get the 240, if you want more sps get the 425.

I'm pretty sure these just plug into the wall and are not controllable besides turning on and off with a wavemaker. if you want to go that route, either use a reefkeeper controller or get something like the JBJ wavemaker. again there's no ramping and water movement change with these unlike the ecotechs and such.

[aecasasus]

One 240 and one 425.... I BET you won't regret it. I have 4 tanks running and all 4 have about 30 times of flow per gallons. ALL my corals (SPS, LPS, Softies, etc) thrive. The day I make another build(probably soon), I won't put any less flow! :thumbsup"

Just my $.02

[sweeper7]

so to get one with flow control will cost nearly $100 or did I look at the wrong thing?

the amazon link i posted that had a Rio, does that come with a control or no?

[aecasasus]

so to get one with flow control will cost nearly $100 or did I look at the wrong thing?

the amazon link i posted that had a Rio, does that come with a control or no?

A cheap controller itself will be around $50 so I would think that a powerhead and controller will be around the $100+/- figure.

[sweeper7]

i am about to buy 1 torch, 1 blastumass and 1 xenia, and 1 Zoas together. what is the best flow for this?

what does the wave maker actually mean? like the waves on the surface?

[sweeper7]

now i am researching that Hydor don't stay on for the entire day unless you buy the 120v or something like that?

it turns on and off unless you have the controller? isn't the powerhead supposed to be on 24/7 for the corals?

[Lynnmw1208]

now i am researching that Hydor don't stay on for the entire day unless you buy the 120v or something like that?

it turns on and off unless you have the controller? isn't the powerhead supposed to be on 24/7 for the corals?

koralias stay on 24/7 unless you have them on a controller to turn them off and on again.

[sweeper7]

we want it to be on 24/7 though don't we?

[Curtis72]

Yes you want it to be 24/7. I would just get two 240's on each end of the tank. Since you went keeping any sps. If you want more flow then that then get two 425's.

[sweeper7]

i won't be keeping or will be keeping sps? I d like to get any type of coral honestly.

also, what on earth should I do with my chocolate chip star fish? i read they wil eat my corals

[Curtis72]

Since you won't be keeping sps. But if you want to keep sps then other factors come in to play like lighting, dosing etc. not just flow. Then just go with 2 425's. Or spend the extra money and buy a mp10 that you will have a use for forever.

[sweeper7]

oh okay thanks for the input.

for the LPS and softies, do I have to feed them anything or do anything at all or do I just put 2 power heads and that is it?

[Curtis72]

Most lps and softies are photosynthesis so they just get nutrient from the light source but you can feed them phytoplankton and some lps you can spot feed (if you wish). I just feed my lps and softies phytoplankton like twice a week.

[sweeper7]

so i can get by without feeding them? just the light basically is their meal

[Curtis72]

I suppose you could. Just your corals won't grow as fast most likely. You should just feed them phytoplankton like once a week. It's cheap and last awhile. I use phytofeast.

[username in use]

Phyto won't do too much for lps corals. You need to match the size of the food source to the size of the mouth. Most lps will ingest things as large as silversides while the medium mouthed corals will ingest some large mysis or shredded squid all the way down to cyclop-eeze.

Phyto is more suitable for filter feeders like clams/oysters, sponges and all the microfauna in your tank. Which is a good thing, but it doesnt really target the lps.


personally in that tank I would go with a pair of the 425's and put one on a timer to turn on and off every 30 seconds to a minute.