BADFISH909
New member
I have a 190g stocked sps tank and was wondering how much return flow do you guys have. thanks
How much return flow do you have?
- Thread starter BADFISH909
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BADFISH909
New member
right now i have 1000gph for my return. thats not including the vortechs and wavebox for current. Im trying to see what the best flow rate is good with water going down to the sump and back into the main tank
IFbettas
New member
That depends on how big your sump and skimmer are. You need to match your return to your skimmer in order to skim the most effectively.
For my 180 gallon reef I am using a mag12 dialed down so that it is putting out about 800 gph when you include head.
dots
Premium Member
3X-5X on up to 10X is what typically most have. It depends on your own philosophy and theory of how you want to process the water, and its dwell time through the sump. You will be limited by your max flow through the overflow.
As for me, I like to stir it up in the tank.....let the overflow eventually suck it down and slow the water velocity down....allowing the energy of suspended materials to settle out into the sump.
If one is really good, they can get that pile to land in the area of their in-sump skimmer.
As for me, I like to stir it up in the tank.....let the overflow eventually suck it down and slow the water velocity down....allowing the energy of suspended materials to settle out into the sump.
If one is really good, they can get that pile to land in the area of their in-sump skimmer.
waxy
In Memoriam
Not a matter of how much flow.
But the quality of the flow, is it enough to stir the nutrients in the tank for the corals?
Some SPS's like gentle flow, while others like it blasted.
I've had great growth with just gentle flow. I'm not running Vortechs or anything.
I'm using (4) Koralia 4's on a 4 - Way Koralia Wavemaker - I've adjusted the settings to do really gentle flows when the lights are off with the Photo Sensor.
When the lights are on it's going at 800 - 1400 inversely.
But the quality of the flow, is it enough to stir the nutrients in the tank for the corals?
Some SPS's like gentle flow, while others like it blasted.
I've had great growth with just gentle flow. I'm not running Vortechs or anything.
I'm using (4) Koralia 4's on a 4 - Way Koralia Wavemaker - I've adjusted the settings to do really gentle flows when the lights are off with the Photo Sensor.
When the lights are on it's going at 800 - 1400 inversely.
BADFISH909
New member
I have a 60 gallon sump. I gravity feed my skimmer with my overflow and use the 1000gph return back to the tank. I have a reeflo 250
BADFISH909
New member
what did u mean by "you will be limited by your max flow through the overflow?...my overflow feeds my skimmer. Is this a good or bad thing? someone told me its good to feed the skimmer directly to the overflow. thanks for the response too
tas5tas
New member
I just added a second return pump yesterday. Now I have two Quiet One 4000's which gives me around 9x-10x/hour turnover. I have 2 Vortech MP40w's synched and set to reefcrest in the display. Total turnover is around 60x/hour. I also have a Koralia #3 in my skimmer section, a Koralia #3 in my return section, and 2 Koralia #4's in my liverock section of my sump. I believe in keeping everything suspended everywhere so that it dosen't settle in the rock and decay. If it's suspended the skimmer will skim it out of the water.
coolfishy101
Member
I run a mag12 which puts out about 1050gph by the time it hits the two 1" returns on my 75 gallon. It takes 3 U-tubes in my overflow to keep up!
thedoctor06
New member
seminolecpa
Premium Member
Right or wrong, personally, I am of the school that less turnover is better in order to have more contact time with my skimmer. I have a Mag 18 for a return that is plumbed from my sump in the garage with about 10' of head to the my tank upstairs. thus my turnover is pretty low.
That said I have 2 vortechs and a closed loop with a Dart on an OM 4way for flow in the tank.
Sorry forgot to add that my display is a 180g
That said I have 2 vortechs and a closed loop with a Dart on an OM 4way for flow in the tank.
Sorry forgot to add that my display is a 180g
thedoctor06
New member
Oops...missed that part
Reefer08
New member
Either way you do not want too much tank to sump turnover! Personally I prefer to have a slower return pump and allow my protein skimmer adequate contact time.
For the original poster, If your return pump is too strong then your skimmer wont perform well since it doesn't have proper contact time with the water. Feeding your skimmer with your drain is great. If its too strong you can T it off and use ball valves.
For the original poster, If your return pump is too strong then your skimmer wont perform well since it doesn't have proper contact time with the water. Feeding your skimmer with your drain is great. If its too strong you can T it off and use ball valves.
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