Do I Need More Flow?

[Sindjin]

Im hooked on SPS. Period. There's No getting out of it. I want to know if you guys think I have enough flow in my 120. Here it is:

ONE TUNZE 6080 (2240gph) mounted on the back wall blowing straight at the front glass.

TWO SEIO's (820gph ea) Blowing water under the rock from the back, bottom corners.

ONE IWAKI (1200gph) A Closed Loop with 4 out puts: two in the front and one on each side. They blow towards the surface to agitate water and collide a bit with the Tunze.

ONE Mag 9.5 (800gph w/head loss) This is my sump return pump. It flows thru a 3/4" PVC Spray bar that runs along the bottom behind all the rock and blows upward.

I see a lot of movement in my tank. I have one spot where I get mineral detritus build up which I siphon routinely. But is this enough flow? Im considering adding 2 more SEIO's (possible the new 2600's) and ditching the closed loop. What do you think? Like I said I am focusing on SPS for now on.

 

[BlueStag]

Sounds like you did your homework.

 

[J_Geisinger000]

you have about a 48x turnover right now thats pretty good but I guess you could always add more

in my 90 I have
2 seio 2600's
2 seio 620's
one maxijet blowing behind rocks 295 gph
and mag drive 9.5 return with penductor estimated 700 gph prolly way more with using the penductor

so my turnover is like 82x
our tanks are simalar in size maybe this will give you some ideas?

 

[Sindjin]

Yeah.... I may add more flow.
I figure if I added 2 2600's I would practically double my flow.

 

[REEF-DADDY]

Remember the point of all the flow is to get detritus to your skimmer. Throw some flakes in your tank, do they eventually make it to the overflow? Do you have areas where things settle? You may not need more flow you may just need to tweak what you have. If you do need more flow I would turn off two of those outputs on the Iwaki and put eductors on the other 2. You'll have all the flow you could ever use. My tank is a 280 and I have a wave box, 1200gph return and 2 eductors. I may add a couple powerheads so I can aim them at problem areas but I have enough total flow.


check out www.khtsales.com for more info on eductors

 

[J_Geisinger000]

link isnt working

 

[REEF-DADDY]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=6612027#post6612027 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by J_Geisinger000
link isnt working

sorry

www.kthsales.com

 

[Sindjin]

I already have 2 penductors. I will hook them up tomorrow and close off 2 of the returns. Good Idea! Thanks!

All I seem to get on the bottom is mineral detritus that is too heavy to remain suspended.

 

[REEF-DADDY]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=6612475#post6612475 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Sindjin
I already have 2 penductors. I will hook them up tomorrow and close off 2 of the returns. Good Idea! Thanks!

All I seem to get on the bottom is mineral detritus that is too heavy to remain suspended.

I get some of that too, but the clean up crew is tearing through it. The main guy is the chevron tang, he does a great job cleaning the bottom. How long has your tank been up and running?

 

[Sindjin]

going on 4 months now.

I just took your advice... I plugged the 2 front returns in my Closed Loop and added the Penductors to the 2 side returns.
What a difference! Thanks for the input!
I have them angled toward the back wall right now.
Tomorrow, when the lights come on, I'll mess with it more.

 

[REEF-DADDY]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=6613174#post6613174 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Sindjin
going on 4 months now.

I just took your advice... I plugged the 2 front returns in my Closed Loop and added the Penductors to the 2 side returns.
What a difference! Thanks for the input!
I have them angled toward the back wall right now.
Tomorrow, when the lights come on, I'll mess with it more.

Aren't they great? Good luck!

I was not able to cook all my rock either. This tank has been set up for two months. I am getting the same sandy detritus you are describing. It was really getting bad until I adding 300 certih snails and the Chevy. I have 100 more turbos on the way and that should take care of it.(I already have 100).

 

[Sindjin]

I need to make a Keyscritters order. i hate the 100.00 min, though. Thats a lot of snails!

Anyway... Im still thinking I should a bit more flow. More so to help with conflicting current for the corals. Im leaning towards changing my CL pump to a DART and changing the plumbing or adding two more Seios.

Can I use 1/2" returns if I have 4 or 6 around the top? Not sure if a DART would feel any backpressure or not.

 

[clkwrk]

I think you could use some more flow IMO . I have double that in my 120 and no detrius settles .

 

[Sindjin]

Thanks, clkwrk

You're tank is awesome, BTW

Im thinking of redoing my closed loop to limit the amount of visible hardware in the tank.

 

[clkwrk]

Thanks and no problem!

I would keep the closed loop as well. For me I don't like the look of the tunze in the tank however my closed loop can't do it alone.

Besides I look at my corals and fish before I do the streams.