How much flow for SPS?
- Thread starter refer
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Underwaterparadise
New member
If it is the 90g tank in your sig i think adding the 4 is a good idea. I ran a bare bottom SPS tank with a 700 GPH return pump on a sea swirl with 1 koralia4,1 tunze nano stream 6025 and 1 seio 1100 and still had a couple of dead spots.
kevin95695
Member of the Registry
Look into wavyseas.
The gph and turnover rates say little about the actual flow across the corals. There are several articles about flow at advancedaquarist.com.
Studies showed that a flow rate of 10-15cm/s across the sps corals was optimal. If light levels are very high the higher end of the range is recommended to enable the best possible respiration. If the corals must rely relatively more on prey capture then the lower end of the range was best.
In the wild, most of the corals we keep experience current flows, not surge flows, and the flows go for hours in each direction. There is also some turbulence in, and around the corals that is caused by the corals themselves and nearby rocks.
The Chauvet 4005 timer ($30) offers timing intervals of 2-15 minutes.
Studies showed that a flow rate of 10-15cm/s across the sps corals was optimal. If light levels are very high the higher end of the range is recommended to enable the best possible respiration. If the corals must rely relatively more on prey capture then the lower end of the range was best.
In the wild, most of the corals we keep experience current flows, not surge flows, and the flows go for hours in each direction. There is also some turbulence in, and around the corals that is caused by the corals themselves and nearby rocks.
The Chauvet 4005 timer ($30) offers timing intervals of 2-15 minutes.
kevin95695
Member of the Registry
Yeah, the wavysea goes 360. KMPs got 'em on his rig.
Good info Warren.
Good info Warren.
Thanks Kevin. I forgot to mention that trying to use pumps/ph's to move water in a strictly turbulent manner makes it difficult to get the desired flow across the corals.
If we try to move large amounts of water in just one direction at a time, or in a whirlpool fashion around the tank then less water movers are needed. There's an article at advancedaquarist.com about doing this and they discuss the "gyre" concept.
I have a modded mj600 at the back of my tank pointed left and another one pointed right. They alternate for about 7 minutes at a time moving the water in a whirlpool shape in one direction then another. You can still see evidence of this flow after two corners and 6 feet of distance.
I have two other un-modded mj's at the back of the tank pointed straight towards the front (the back is 30 inches from the front) and these ph's alternate separately and provide a bit of turbulence in the center of the flows.
If we try to move large amounts of water in just one direction at a time, or in a whirlpool fashion around the tank then less water movers are needed. There's an article at advancedaquarist.com about doing this and they discuss the "gyre" concept.
I have a modded mj600 at the back of my tank pointed left and another one pointed right. They alternate for about 7 minutes at a time moving the water in a whirlpool shape in one direction then another. You can still see evidence of this flow after two corners and 6 feet of distance.
I have two other un-modded mj's at the back of the tank pointed straight towards the front (the back is 30 inches from the front) and these ph's alternate separately and provide a bit of turbulence in the center of the flows.
refer
New member
Thanks Kevin, Also Warren quick question. I have 2 HK 3's right now My 90 is 36x24x24. I have one in the back left lower pointing up to the middle and one on the right side pointing to the middle If I moved those to the back using your pointing to the middle effect and run two other pumps from the back going 1 left 1 right which pumps would you recommend to be able to put them on timers?
thanks for the input!!
thanks for the input!!
refer, I only have experience with the mj's and modded mj's. In a tank that short and relatively square I think you'd be fine with MJ600's with the SureFlow mods because I use the same pumps and the flow carries about 6 feet, IOW, all the way around your tank.
I highly recommend the Chauvet 4005 timer for this instead of the timers you can get at Lowe's/HD. Those mechanical timers weren't especially reliable and their minimum interval is 15'.
I highly recommend the Chauvet 4005 timer for this instead of the timers you can get at Lowe's/HD. Those mechanical timers weren't especially reliable and their minimum interval is 15'.
