Plumbing a 55?

[ichthyogeek]

I'm also still wondering about the circulation gph in the DT. I'm keeping Montipora, which I'm assuming is the coral with the highest flow requirements (the others being LPS and softies). I've already got about 300 gph going through the tank for the overflow, but how much more gph should I need to keep this coral happy, as well as the others?

 

[stingeragent]

The powerheads you have now aren't gonna work. I had 2 of those 425's on a 20 and i'd get more waterflow blowing into the tank through a straw.

 

[ichthyogeek]

Yes, which is why I'm asking how much more gph I should go for. I'll probably buy two of the same pump, and stick the old 425 in a planted tank. The Hydor might find a place in another tank...

Basically, I need to find out first how much more gph I need, which will let me figure out what two pumps to use.

 

[CStrickland]

Plan your flow for what you want to have eventually.
I'm at 2400 gph in my 55, buuut you wouldn't know it from the tank. I have several small ph's positioned behind rocks so its totes diff from one big fan at either end. There's lots of spots where it's barely moving so the fish can rest, and chill coral can live, but most of the rock is kept free of detritus. I like the all over turbulence better than a couple jet engines. I'm shooting for a lot of LPS, idk what yours need. But you gotta have a bare minimum so the bottom water gets wooshed up and into the overflow so your gas exchange isn't compromised.

I just kept adding the $10 SunSun power heads until I got it how I like it. Yay Amazon prime!

I don't count the overflow, that's separate from tank flow.

 

[ichthyogeek]

That' s what I'm doing..but I need a few guidelines to help! 10x? 20x? 50000000000x? I need at least a rough estimate to go for...

 

[ichthyogeek]

Let's see...Montipora seems to be the coral that needs the most flow, and mushroom anemones should need a relatively low flow. The potential red spot cardinals are said to love high flow, but the Caulerpa won't appreciate that at all...

in other words: BUMP

 

[CStrickland]

Yup, that's one of the tricky things about trying to keep SPS, softies, algae, and fish all in the same tank; nutrient balance can be complicated too.
Not very helpful am I?
Sorry I'm lazy, all my critters like the same enviro

 

[Swope2bc]

Got it all figured out yet? Lol

 

[ichthyogeek]

Maybe. I was talking to a friend at the LFS today, and he told me about using a ball valve to control the water returned to the tank, rather than diverting it back into the sump plus ball valve. Thoughts?

 

[CStrickland]

Yeah, that's how I do it. You want to be able to tune the return flow to less than your overflow capacity. Even an adjustable pump will only get you so close, so a ball valve on the line into the tank is important. If you put it in an easy to reach place instead a of some weird hard to reach crevice of your sump, you are a super smarty!

Don't get anything with metal parts. "True Union" valves have screw on connections on both ends so they are a good place for access in your plumbing. That way if you need to clear the pipes or change up the arrangement, you have a break point that doesn't require hacking everything apart.

PS idk what you mean about diverting back, is that a thing someone told you to do?

 

[ichthyogeek]

I just thought you took PVC piping and cement, and wham-bam done...guess I need to research plumbing more...I thought I just had to attach the PVC to the other PVC and fittings with PVC cement, then screw that onto the aquarium and return pump?

So instead of the pump returning through one line straight into the DT, a line splits off from the main line, and using a ball valve, I would control how much went back into the sump...

 

[CStrickland]

why is any going back into the sump?

 

[ichthyogeek]

Nevermind, it's a stupid idea...

 

[CuzzA]

My 2 cents... Return or sell the 55 on Craigslist, it's an awful footprint for a marine tank plus as you now know you can't drill it. Instead buy a 40 breeder and 2x 20 longs from Petco. $1/ gallon sale going on now. We're talking $60 for your system and another $20 for your qt. $80 and your glass is done. Another $10 for a glass hole saw and $10 more for a few bulkheads. Have a local glass company cut 2 panes of glass for an internal coast to coast overflow, may cost $20. And 3 more panes for your sump baffles, may cost $30. Now we're talking $70 and aside from some plumbing and your equipment you'll have a very nice functional marine setup for $150.

What you put in the tank will blow this cost out of the water. It makes no sense to go cheap and half cocked on your setup when you will no doubt be dropping a lot more in your tank. Why waste your time, effort and money on something you know is a bad idea? Do it right once.