29 Gal. Mixed Reef ... Quiet One 1200 Closed Loop for SPS is OK?!

[chocolateblnt]

I have a 29 Gallon Mixed Reef Zoo's, Mushrooms, and SPS mostly with 2 delicate Torch and Hammer coral ... however I have slowly made the transition with more SPS. Currently I have almost no flow Just my sump pump which with the head is about 250 gph.

I was wondering if a Quiet One 1200 (300gph) on a closed loop with like less than 1 ft. of head will be enough flow for my SpS Frags and at the same time won't rip/blow my Torch & Hammer Coral (Tucked these away in a cave) and the rest of my Zoo's and Mushrooms.

I have enough light and my water quality is optimal but some of my SpS have recently receded because of the lack of flow. Hence I just ordered the pump and wanted to know if this was a good choice.

... The lack of flow just came to my realization after purchasing a bunch of frags SO PLEASE DON'T yell at me

 

[Justin/TiV]

I don't think that would be enough flow at all. Just to let you know...I have a frogwpawn that gets blasted from my 1800gph Tunze off the glass...and it is fine like that, I think it likes it. I want more flow actuallyI would at least put 2 or 3 MJ1200's in there till you figure out if you want to do closed loop or Tunze or whatever. Just make sure it's not directly pointed at anything...

 

[Wiskey]

no, it wasn't even close to enough in my 15.

hth,
whiskey

 

[chocolateblnt]

... damn so what would you fella's recommend for my 29? Let's try to be economical as well I am on a student budget

The Quiet One 1200 pump is coming because I can't cancel the order so if there is a chance I can incorporate it then that would be good; otherwise I'll ship it back.

Here is an FTS of the inhabitants ...

Left to Right ... Grape Cap, Pink Birdsnest, Green Slimer, Purple Digitata, Blue Tort, Purple Millipora, Orange & Grape Caps, Purple Acropora. As you can see some of the colors have faded from lack of flow

 

[Justin/TiV]

like I said...a very cheap, but temp solution could be 3 or 4 MJ 1200's...your kenya trees won't like it...

post your params as well please

 

[chocolateblnt]

ca ... 420 mg/l
alk... 280 ppm
ph ... 8.3

 

[Justin/TiV]

what about phosphates, nitrates, nitrites...

 

[chocolateblnt]

phosphates 0.1
nitrates 0.1
nitrites 0

Salinity 1.023

I will get rid of my Kenya Tree

 

[Justin/TiV]

thats what I figured when I looked at the frags...0.1 phosphates isn't good...you might want to put some phosban or something in there...and see if it clears it up. How fast has that tissue receeded on those frags ??

 

[Justin/TiV]

also...I'd get your sg up to about 1.025

do you do water changes at all. need to knock those trates down too...

 

[chocolateblnt]

The tissue has receeded very slowly over a month's time same goes for the color. The heatwave didn't help for [profanity] either ... I was home all the time keeping my temp below 83 ... now it's abck to a steady 80.

Whatever I do I can't seem to knock that last bit of [profanity] nitrates! I do about 5 gallons of WC every week.

My phosphates are undetectable to 0.1 ... the test kit barely registers.

I will get the salinity up to 1.025 a.s.a.p.

 

[chocolateblnt]

Here's a pic of the entire setup ... from a while ago. I used to have a Seio 820 but then it tore my softies to shreds and now that I'm switching to SPS I regret giving it to my buddy who has it in his 55 and I am not going to ask for it back. The bottom is a false back sump/refugium ... it has more LR in it now but it's still not fully stocked. I run a CPR bak pak skimmer on it and chaeto prefilters every water movement.

 

[chocolateblnt]

... so should I go with the quiet one 3000 instead for closed loop?

[profanity]... I just bought the 3000 also

 

[r00onmac]

i have a 3000 pumping as my return/closed loop for my 20 L .... my only recommendation is to run as large of a pipe as possible (1" or 3/4") and then cut it down at the last point to increase flow velocity..

right now im getting about 500 ghp at 3-4 feet of head through a SCWD but the velocity is almost nil because its coming out of 3/4" loc-line connected to a 3" flare nozzle... these are meant for up to something like 1400 gph so the velocity is literally crap... it wouldnt even blow my torch over at a distance of 12"

i am switching to a smaller diameter and a smaller flare, but only right at the last step of the system - this way i keep resistance down during the pumping thus keeping my flow up and then forcing it out through a little hole for more velocity...

 

[Skipper]

chocolateblnt: Let's drop the profanity. This is a family board.

 

[PL-Reef]

stop messing around and put a maxi mod in there, and you will be all set.

 

[Wiskey]

Of all the ideas so far I like the 3 MJ1200's the best, especially if you got the Dr. Foster smith kit with the red sea wavemaker. It is cheap and works well.

Whiskey

 

[chocolateblnt]

Skipper: I alopogize, I didn't know kids wandered the streets of SPS

r00onmac: Thanks ... I will put the Q1 3000 on a closed loop and it's going to run dry bak-pak style on my main tank ... I'll use 3/4 inch just like the fittings to get most amount of velocity and it'll hang as high up as I can to get the least amount of head! I also have flare nozzle that is 5/8 inch opening with a flare of 1.5" so hopefully that'll keep it strong. Thanks for the advice again ... I will try to cut down the pipe gerth as you suggested by using those pieces!

Thanks to everyone else however I don't want to put ugly powerheads in the tank ... a closed loop is just so much cleaner!