Do I need more water circulation?

[loganricher]

I have a 8 month old 75 gallon fowlr tank I feel is under circulated. Currently I have 2 - maxi jet 600s, along with my aqua c remora protein skimmer and my biowheel 350 filter. My question is if I should include the output from the biowheel filter and my protein skimmer in the total GPH in my tank. If I include the filter/skimmer my totaly gph is 965. If I do not include my totaly is only 320 gph.

 

[dmbnpj]

I have a 75 gallon with 2 modded maxijet 1200's and I am way under with gph. Yah I would add more if I were you.
I also plan on adding a seaswirl if I can ever figure out my crappy pump

 

[loganricher]

Thanks for the info. When you were setting up your tank did you include your filters and skimmers into the total gph for your tank?

 

[Shagsbeard]

You should be aware that different tanks require vastly different flow rates. I have a standing rule not to mess with something that isn't broken. Could you let us know why you think your tank isn't having enough flow? What are the symptoms? If it's just because people here are tossing around higher numbers, remember that corals and many inverts like much higher flow rates than a FOWLR might need, or even want.

If stuff isn't collecting on the bottom, you probably have sufficient flow for a FOWLR.

 

[demonsp]

Yea sounds a little low. I have 2 rio 1450 and had to install flow valve to tone down a little.You will always have a low flow area somewhere if a coral perfers lower flow. And i think the bio wheel isnt good for your reef tank. Ive been told to take bio wheel out.

 

[loganricher]

I am starting to see some collection of detrius and waste in my tank. That is what made me question if my flow rate was too low. I also noticed that the surface of the water was not being broken up enough by the water movement. A slight scum line would form in areas without enough movement. I think I will opt for more water movement. Right now I think I will just increase the size of my power heads from 2 x 160 gph up to 2 x 300 gph.

 

[loganricher]

Or should I add even more power than that?

 

[gabegmonkey]

I have a 55 with 2 MJ 1200's and a penguin 330 (Bio-Wheels taken off) and I feel pretty good about my flow but I'll be adding more before I start getting any corals... I'd think for the size of your tank you might need a bit more flow... do you have the streams set up to where they collide? To add more of a Random Flow pattern...

 

[loganricher]

Currently the streams do cross each other. I was afraid when I set up the tank of having too much flow so I only went with the mj 600. If you have 2 mj1200 in your 55 and are having success I think I totally need to up grade to at least the 1200s.

 

[theatrus]

Rule is, don't count skimmers (they aren't moving much water), but do count returns and any HOB filters.