How many gph for sps tank?

[Txboi]

I was wondering how many gph do I need for a 75g sps reef tank?

[reeefchief]

I have a 90 and I have about 35x per hr turnover

[mcgyvr]

For SPS I've seen 40X to 100X
Now remember thats just total flow.. Not necessarily just from the return pump..
You can probably do 20X with return then 20X+ with powerheads in the tank

[pompeyjohn]

I'd aim for 100x preferably from several different sources.

[danil]

In tank you need moderate to strong random flow. Get few or more power heads rated for your tank. As return you should be fine with x5 turnover rate. Just enough to supply flow to your skimmer and fight return pump maximum head loss. Extra benefit of running water at slower rate through your sump is better bio filtration, less heat from your pump, less noise and saving money on energy cost.

[coralsnaked]

IMO 5X flow thru return is optimal for filtration, sump, skimmer, sct...The rest you make up with power heads and I like wavemakers and small heads to acheive that random flow. Since your looking for about 3000 GPH total and about 400 thru filtration, that means your looking for about 2600 thru four 650 powerheads one in each cormer on a 4 way wave maker.

Merry Skerry

[gbru316]

I have a turnover rate of 150x in my tank.

[Txboi]

So would 4 650 power heads and about 500 gph through the refugium be good

[Palting]

So would 4 650 power heads and about 500 gph through the refugium be good

That should be enough. Remember, though, it's not just about total flow, it's also about avoiding dead spots and creating cross flows.

[MrClam]

Not to hijack, but how would these recommendations change if it was a mixed reef tank with things like shrooms or mayb a clam?

[Txboi]

I couldn't find any power heads that did 650 all I could find that were close was 550 would that work or do I need more?

[danil]

I couldn't find any power heads that did 650 all I could find that were close was 550 would that work or do I need more?

This hobby is not about numbers it's more about observation and some experimentation. All numbers will vary depends on your setup and every one is unique. Size and shape of your tank, your piping, amount and layout of rocks etc. You can be fine with single small power head or you might need four. Only you can tell by observing your corals and make adjustments.. lots of them.

Some prefer to buy adjustable equipment to cover all possible scenarios. It's more expensive this way but can benefit you in the future. Look into Ecotech Marine power heads or tunze pumps.

[LetsGetTanked]

As others have stated, it's not always about GPH. It's good to have moderate flow, but I personally think eliminating dead spots is the key.

[Txboi]

Thanks guy for all the input I guess I'll start with 3000 and go from there

[hanas]

I've got about 500 gph going through the overflow and then 2 MP40s on full power (reef crest mode) on my 90G.

[hllywd]

I have a turnover rate of 150x in my tank.

150X??? That would be 31,000gph for me, water would slosh all over the place!

[hllywd]

I've got about 500 gph going through the overflow and then 2 MP40s on full power (reef crest mode) on my 90G.

This sounds pretty reasonable, I had one MP40 in my 120 and it wasn't quite enough by itself, two would have made the tank rock! I traded the MP40 for 3 Tunze 6100s, I'm using two of them in my 210 and get a decent wave with them synced through my Apex.

[Dexters Reef]

My 75G has two 1400 GPH powerheads that alternate on a wavemaker, and a Mag 7 return that pumps about 350-400 gph through my lockline return that exits as a Y, pointing towards each end of my tank

Total GPH is about 3200 which is a 43X turnover rate, my sump has a 5.3x turnover rate. I keep SPS like acropora, montipora, millepora, and softies and LPS as well.

For a full SPS only tank, I would reccomend more flow to compensate for all the branching coral structures, but for the 15 SPS I have (ranging from 2" to 5") this setup is working nicely. As they get larger and fill in, I will probably add another powerhead, or upgrade to some Vortechs

[a.browning]

I have 2 Vortech MP40s in my 75 gallon at 75%. Definitely some good flow.

[hollister]

Wow its amazing to see so many differant responses.

Not all tanks created equal. First of all for an SPS only tank you want a more mature tank At least 1 year. Not saying you cnat have any but you dont want to fully stock with SPS and then hope the best. Its about a balance. You may want to start with the minimum of 10 to 15 gph times your tank size and then in crease as your tank grows.

I think 20 to 25 wouold about max it out. They filter feed so turbo water means less food.

[rldcpa]

Some of these numbers are crazy. 150x on a 250 gallon display and sump of 50 gallons would be 45000 gallons per hour which would be over 10 Tunze 6105 which each flow over 3000 gallons per hour each.

I would think 2-4 Tunze's would be more than enough which would be about 7000+ to 14000+ gallons per hour and result in 23-46 times flow.

[YoungREEFA]

My 75G has two 1400 GPH powerheads that alternate on a wavemaker, and a Mag 7 return that pumps about 350-400 gph through my lockline return that exits as a Y, pointing towards each end of my tank

Total GPH is about 3200 which is a 43X turnover rate, my sump has a 5.3x turnover rate. I keep SPS like acropora, montipora, millepora, and softies and LPS as well.

For a full SPS only tank, I would reccomend more flow to compensate for all the branching coral structures, but for the 15 SPS I have (ranging from 2" to 5") this setup is working nicely. As they get larger and fill in, I will probably add another powerhead, or upgrade to some Vortechs

I can guarantee, unless you tested it, the mag 7 is NOT delivering over 300 gph without 1.5" plumbing. Also i dont know your head height but i would think your sump has less flow through it than you say. :)

[Txboi]

Thanks guys all of this helps me make a better desicion? Do y'all think 3000 is a good starting point or should I go less?

[rldcpa]

I think it would be plenty, however, I do like the variable powerheads that are controllable so you can customize the flow to what you want. Vortech and Tunze are popular due to the high quality and variable ability and you can go a bit bigger and dial them down if needed.

Don't forget that you can place the SPS that need high light needs and high flow needs where you want so that they get what they need. You don't need super high flow everywere, if fact you don't want it everywhere. Some corals like medium flow.

[Txboi]

Thanks

[hllywd]

Some of these numbers are crazy. 150x on a 250 gallon display and sump of 50 gallons would be 45000 gallons per hour which would be over 10 Tunze 6105 which each flow over 3000 gallons per hour each.

I would think 2-4 Tunze's would be more than enough which would be about 7000+ to 14000+ gallons per hour and result in 23-46 times flow.

My point exactly.

[Dexters Reef]

I can guarantee, unless you tested it, the mag 7 is NOT delivering over 300 gph without 1.5" plumbing. Also i dont know your head height but i would think your sump has less flow through it than you say. :)

I did not test it, but am basing my estimates conservatively off of two sources.

I am using .75" ID flex tubing, I have 1 foot horizontal and 3'-6" vertical run. There are no right angles, or even 45" angles, it is a gentle slope from the return to the return inlet. I use a ball valve, but its fully open. I measured height from the outlet of the Mag7, to the top of the return by the water surface.

The chart that came with the Mag7 says it puts out 480gph at 4', and 420gph at 5' I do not know what diamater tubing they are using for this chart, but its a rough idea.

I then used the calculator on the home page, and plugged in 3.5' vertical, 1' horizontal, .75" diameter pipe, 2 45 degree elbows as an estimate for my curve, 1 right angle for where the return makes the bend at the top to exit by the water, 1 ball valve, and two pipe exits since my return splits at the top into a Y. The calculators said Total losses are 5.09 feet of head pressure, or 2.2 PSI. with a flow rate of 423 GPH

Based on the chart in my manual, and the calculator I would feel my estimate of 350 - 400 gph is fair, if not slightly underestimated.

I tried to do additional research, but couldn't find any websites where someone hooked up a flow meter to a Mag7 with .75" ID tubing. If I'm wrong with my estimates, I would LOVE to know my true flow, as I don't want to babble along sounding like an idiot posting incorrect information, but would like some kind of proof to overrule my manual and the calculator.

I hope I don't sound argumentative, I'm an engineer by profession so I'm detail and research orientated, and am telling you how I got my numbers, and am open to hearing how you found yours. I am always willing to learn, and am not afraid to admit when I'm wrong.

[gbru316]

Some of these numbers are crazy. 150x on a 250 gallon display and sump of 50 gallons would be 45000 gallons per hour which would be over 10 Tunze 6105 which each flow over 3000 gallons per hour each.

I would think 2-4 Tunze's would be more than enough which would be about 7000+ to 14000+ gallons per hour and result in 23-46 times flow.

Why would you count your sump as water flow in your display? Do you house corals in your sump?

I realize 150x sounds extreme, but was assured by a good friend (who makes his living diving reefs on a daily basis) that 150x is not as crazy as it sounds. But hey, what does he know? :crazy1:

[Dexters Reef]

Why would you count your sump as water flow in your display? Do you house corals in your sump?

:crazy1:

Heres my thought process...

If you have a 100 gallon tank, and a 25 gallon sump, you have 125 gallons of water. When considering the gph of a tank, I only use the water volume in the display, since the display is the area we are interested in. Since the tank is 100 gallons, we want to know how much water is moving per hour within the 100 gallon display, the sump volume is not a factor for in this situation, but the sump itself is since it has a return pipe that contributes to gph within the display.

When you want to know the total gph of the display, you need to factor for all forms of forced water movement within it. This would include the return from the sump to the tank. If your power heads were off, and only the return was running, there would be a measurable and visual amount of water movement, so I factor for this.

So if your 100g tank had 4000 gallons of movement from power heads, and 700 gph from your return exits, your 100 gallon tank would have 4700gph of flow, with a turnover rate of 47x. Your sump would go through your tank volume about 7 times an hour at that rate.

If you have power heads, skimmers, or other equipment in the sump, I would not count towards anything, its not causing additional flow in the display

By using this method, you can remove sump volume from your 150x calculations, and it makes things a little more reasonable sounding. For a 250g tank, with a 50g sump, a 150x turnover rate drops from 450,000 to 375,500 gph by not factoring the 50g sump.

[Conspiculatus]

High volume with gentle current. A good starting point for a well designed return plumbing layout is around 30 times per hour.

[Palting]

Thanks guys all of this helps me make a better desicion? Do y'all think 3000 is a good starting point or should I go less?

Yeah, that's good point to start. If you plan on SPS, don't go less. Depending on how your coral do, you may need to go more. You can always add more powerheads later, and the multiple powerhead setup makes eliminating dead spots and creating crossflows so much easier.

[rldcpa]

So based on Dexter's calculation 375,000 gph flow for a 250 gallon tank that would mean you would need 100 Tunze 6105 which would no longer be a tank...it would be a blender. I think you meant 37,500 gph which would still be 10 Tunze 6105 powerheads which is still way too much flow.

20-40 times flow of DT should be fine for most marine aquariums. 150 times is crazy.

[Dexters Reef]

Woah woah woah, I dont suggest 150x turnover lol. I agree these numbers sound insane for larger tanks, I only pointed out that excluding sump volume can make the numbers sound a little better.

Also, yes, I made a mistake in my numbers, 250G x 150 = 37500, not 375,000. Whoops! Thanks for catching that

I personally run just over 40x in my mixed reef, and would reccomend that as a starting point, and increasing flow as needed when more corals are added, or as corals begain to grow and obstruct flow.