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View Full Version : 90 gallon flow question for SPS corals


dunc101
11/27/2011, 04:11 PM
Hi all,
I was wondering if I could get some advice on flow for my 90 gallon mixed reef and ask some advice on whether or not I need to add some more powerheads.
I currently have the "JBJ Oceanstream Circulation Pump/Powerhead + Duo Wavemaker Kit" for flow in my tank along with a mag 9.5 return pump. The JBJ powerheads state that they get 1600 GPH. I have them circulating on / off once every 10 seconds.

My current corals are as follows:
2 x acropora (not sure exact species)
Duncan coral - 2 heads towards the bottom (2 more heads are currently being generated!)
2 x small colt coral.
1 x green/purple zoa
1 x candy cane / trumpet coral

I will be adding about 20 small frags of SPS in the next couple of weeks to put at the top of the tank.
In the future, I will probably add a few more LPS, but I am tending to lean more on having a SPS heavy tank.

With that said, is this enough flow or do I need more, and approximately how much more flow?

Thanks!

dunc101
11/27/2011, 08:49 PM
bump. Anyone have any suggestions?

Thanks.

kfisc
11/27/2011, 09:19 PM
It appears to be a nice set-up, and almost enough for an lps/softie tank, but I think you'll need more to keep the water really moving and dead spots from gathering, especially in an sps tank. Maybe two more MaxiJet 1200's with the sureflow modification?

Ron Reefman
11/27/2011, 09:21 PM
It's not clear to me how much circulation you have now?

In a 90g tank with a mixed reef including sps corals, I'd suggest between 15 to 30 turns per hour (1400 to 2700gph), some might suggest even more.

dunc101
11/27/2011, 09:26 PM
It's not clear to me how much circulation you have now?

In a 90g tank with a mixed reef including sps corals, I'd suggest between 15 to 30 turns per hour (1400 to 2700gph), some might suggest even more.

I currently have 2 JBJ pumps that "take turns" with the wavemaker that puts out 1600 gph a piece. So that + the water movement from the return pump is probably somewhere around 2200 gph at any given time. Do you usually include the flow from your return? I would LOVE a MP40.... but I don't think the wife is too keen on me spending another $465 lol.