How Much Flow?

[beapeams]

We know that millions of gallons of water flows in the ocean per hour. My question is since we have closed systems, how much flow from powerheads would be Necessary say in a 100 gallon system to create an ocean effect? I would think it would be proportional to some degree. ie 100 gallons with 10000 gallons per hour will create an effect simillar to 1 billion gallons at 10 million gallons per hour(ocean). Whats your thought on this.

 

[panaboy95]

good luck to the little fish swimming in your 100 gal


10000 is like 3 or 4 closed loops with dart pumps

that is some flow i hope it is bare bottom the sand would be everywere.

 

[beapeams]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7658692#post7658692 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by panaboy95
good luck to the little fish swimming in your 100 gal


10000 is like 3 or 4 closed loops with dart pumps

that is some flow i hope it is bare bottom the sand would be everywere.

Don't know that would be interesting to see. It was just an example to convey the type of answer I was looking for. 4000 gallons per hour in a 120 might be close. It could be 6000 gallons per hour. Simply wondering what is the proportional relation of volume to flow that would keep a stable system(no sand flying by) and bring you as close to possible to real ocean flow conditions. I have a Tunze 6060(1600gph) and am thinking of adding another.

 

[Letmegrow]

Assuming a pump pumps 1500gph like advertised is like assuming a hydrometer reads true.

Go with what you can afford, maintain, and replace.

 

[DrBDC]

I move 3600 gph in a 70 gallon tank w/southdown and not too much problem on softies or sand. I do get a little depression in the center front of the tank that I push the sand bed back to about once a week.

Here is an interesting video on sand beds but it starts off with info about water movement studies on a reef. Better have high speed connection to download this though.

http://www.theimac.org/Shimek2004.wmv

 

[beapeams]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7658993#post7658993 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Letmegrow
Assuming a pump pumps 1500gph like advertised is like assuming a hydrometer reads true.

Go with what you can afford, maintain, and replace.

Price is not much of a concern, at least to the point if I felt my fish and corals needed something they would get it. If price was a major concern I wouldn't have entered the SW Hobby. I am more concerned about what would be proportinally the same to the ocean in a closed system. It is not persay to put it in practice just curious on how far off or we, Since our goal is to come as close to possible of reproducing there natural environment. This more of a math equation type problem then anything else. Problem is I don't know the equatons.

 

[Letmegrow]

If to mimic the ocean is your goal, your salt mix would be the first thing to change. It is far off from being even close.

I'm not saying you don't have money, after being in the SW for some years, you go with exactly the three things I have said.
What you can afford, maintain, and replace.

I can't afford a Tunze or afford to replace one if it happened to crap out. However I can use other pumps that I can fix myself or afford to replace that do the same GPH, with having the same success rate as people who spend 2k on water circulation.

It is all circumstantial. I can not answer the formula to how large of a pump to use to mimic the ocean, I hate math.

 

[DrBDC]

Watch that video. You can never even come close to matching the flow rate of a true reef. Over a 1 meter section of reef there was 132,100 gallons per hour. Just try to have that much.

 

[sirreal63]

Farmer got close. lol

 

[Letmegrow]

The ocean called Farmer and asked for its flow back.

 

[DrBDC]

:lolspin:

 

[chadfarmer]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7659740#post7659740 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by sirreal63
Farmer got close. lol

to be honest with 2 6100s and a wavebox was to much for the tank


if i were you i would figure out how you can get RANDOM FLOW not how much flow

 

[beapeams]

This question was not meant to be used for me or anyone(but you can if you want) to put a viable answer to use. I simply was curious on is there a proportional equivalent of the ocean in a tank, could you do it safely in a small tank or would it take say a 1000 gallon tank with so much flow to do it. I don't plan on going over two tunze 6060 for my tank and only when I switch my tank over to all SPS which could be months down the way.

Just curious is all

 

[DrBDC]

We just can't even come close. Not even 10%.