Effective Flow Rates for Fuge / Cryptic Zone

[tonyespinoza]

I'm thinking a slow flow rate to my fuge and cryptic zone (okay - it's really just dark live rock for now!) should be good. considering as slow as a Eheim 1046 (79 gph). i have extra tunze's that will be inside each of these fuges for brisk flow. or should i up it to an Eheim 1048 (158 gph)?

Any thoughts?

Total system is almost 300g. Skimmer is BK 300 Ext so the return is either going to be a 1262 (900 gph). Don't see any reason to push it faster than that.

Thanks for any help! This is my first sump-based system. Been running a 50g with all in-tank stuff from Tunze with great success in my first year of SPS keeping.

 

[Putawaywet]

First off, are you planning to run both a refugium & a cryptic zone or are you going to try to do a combo of both? Because they are two different animals.

And what size are we talking here? And what size and how many Tunze's?

I have long found I always need more flow than anticipated. Whether it be that I added some odd piece of equipment later on and I need to steal some flow, or the existing flow starts to drop after the pipes get coated with sludge. You can always valve it down or bleed the excess back to the main part of the sump.

My current tank is 300+ gals and has 2 Eheim 1262's for the returns. I've never been a fan of the online plumbing calculator so I just used my best guess and some experience. I figured, if each pump had 5' of head, 5 or so feet of 3/4' flex pvc and a couple of ballvalves and a couple connectors each, and then you factored in half a year's worth of sludge inside the plumbing I'd better be safe than sorry and go with a pair of Eheim's. Plus, if one pump fails I only lose half my flow.


Brett

 

[tonyespinoza]

i do understand that they are different animals.

i'm running one of each.

thanks for the tip on the pair of return pumps! i'm now thinking of going with a red dragon or two.

the display is a shallow 60" x 40" x 20" with four Tunze 6205's (on order).

the fuge will have a 6101 and the cryptic zone will have a pair of 6101's. i also have a pair of 6055's from an existing tank that could go anywhere there is a dead spot to kill.

so again, i was just wondering if anyone might disagree with 6-8 x daily flow through a fuge and cryptic zones.

 

[Putawaywet]

Ok, now i'm even more confused as you seem to have your flow numbers backwards from what I am used to seeing. Refugiums generally have a bit more flow then true cryptic zone. .

So while I don't disagree per se, your flow will definitely determine the kind of animals that will colonize those areas.

Have you read any of Steve Tyree's stuff on cryptic zones and zone filtration methodology?

http://www.dynamicecomorphology.com/

Steve recommends very low flow for a true cryptic zone and somewhat higher flow for semi-cryptic zones.

I ran near 1K gph of flow thru my hi-flo cryptic zone back when I had my Ecowheel. My eggcrate substrate grew tube worms really well and 1, perhaps 2, species of sponge. It was teaming with life, yet not overly diverse in life forms.

 

[tonyespinoza]

hey - you're correct - this is not a true cryptic zone. (i should probably stop using the term!) it's really just high flow dark rock. in order to efect the environmental gradient concept that tyree describes in his papers you need 3 zones including the super low flow zone. thanks much for the tips!