Is this to much flow?

[billhig1]

I have a 55g with a Seio M820 (820gph) power head and another power head that rates at 300gph. I also am using an Emperor 400, which I don’t know if that flow is included in my total flow.

Can anyone tell me if it is better to put the power head on the bottom of the tank or top of the tank pointing down?

 

[loves saltwater]

IMO that works out to around 20 X per hour which would be a good start as far as flow goes. Alot depends on what you are trying to keep in your tank . Softies and LPS will do ok but you may be alittle lite on flow for SPS...As far as where you put you PH I don't think you should point it down. It will work best if you put one on each end.

 

[Avi]

I'd more or less agree about how to point the flow. I guess there are a few reasons for the, among them...it'll blow the substrate around even more if it's pointed down. But, it's preferable to foster as random a flow as you can and that's best done with more than one source of flow and going in different directions.

 

[Henry Bowman]

Face them directly at each other from each end of the tank or from the back to front pointing at the front glass. You dont want them blowing directly at the livestock in your tank.

I use Tunzes but a friend has a small powerhead low in the back of his tank pointed lenghtwise to keep the flow over the sand bed without creating a sand storm then a stronger ph higher on the opposite end...

 

[drummereef]

That's roughly 28x flow, which is a good number. I generally like to say a minimum of 20x flow but a more desirable number is 30x. If it's an sps tank, then 40x+. I have 30x in my 40g mixed reef and suites my corals just fine. Just remember the type of flow is just as important as how much flow. The Seio has a much more gentle, wide flow pattern that a maxi-jet or similar. So, ime you can get away will stronger flow rates with these style pumps. All in all I think you are just fine.

 

[billhig1]

Thanks everyone for all your help. I put them in the bottom rear facing each other. I looks like I have pretty good flow now.