Powerheads and skimmer

[mr.stevebaer@ya]

I have a 75g tank that eventually will be a reef tank...not soon, but eventually. I need to pick up some powerhead ans I was wondering if 2 of these:

Hagen AquaClear Powerhead Multifunctional Water Pump 50
270 GPH - 50

or

Marineland Penguin 1140 Power Head
300 GPH - Model 1140
SKU: 43788

Opinions would be great.

Also was wondering baout getting this skimmer:

Aquarium Systems SeaClone Protein Skimmer
18" Height

I'm not going to run a sump/fuge right now. I think I'll wait a while until I get some more experience...i dont want to jump into a WHOLE HEAP of things quite yet....then again I might get a wild hair.

 

[papagimp]

for a 75g I'd probably avoid the Seaclone. They can work, but most people find them to difficult and the results to inconsistant for any real benefit. I've used one happily on a 55g before. They've got the size rating way off on those, a 150g rated model will work for under 55g, the 100 model, probalby won't work for nothing. I've got one on myt 75 as a temp solution until i can get a better unit, it takes almost a week to fill the cup, my SC150 on the 55g fills the cup every two days.

Powerheads, those would work, but you'd need alot more than 2 of them. For a reef tank, you need to aim closer to 20x-40x turnover rate. I've got roughly 30x in my 75g, from 2 x koralia #3's (850gph per) and a mag12 return pump (600gph after headloss) that's what, 2300gph? What you're looking at will give you about 600gph total. Not enough.

I'd highly recommend you jump into getting a fuge. The benefits are too worth while to ignore. Look into the DIY forums on building your own, they can get really cheap going this route vs. spending oodles on a premanufactered unit. And the DIY ones can be just as good if not better than many products out there. I"m currently running a 20g long sump/fuge on my 75g. working like a charm and setup cost was minimal (maybe $100 total after buiying a used mag 12, the acrylic for the baffles, and the silicone to glue it in place) I'm not a DIY kinda oriented person and have made 3 working good fuges in the last year. it's easier than you'd think.

 

[Aquarist007]

I agree with papagimp(who doesn't )
Here is a fuge that cost about 40 dollars including the lamp.

 

[jim70]

nice sump/fuge

 

[weaselslucks]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10984596#post10984596 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by papagimp
for a 75g I'd probably avoid the Seaclone. They can work, but most people find them to difficult and the results to inconsistant for any real benefit. I've used one happily on a 55g before. They've got the size rating way off on those, a 150g rated model will work for under 55g, the 100 model, probalby won't work for nothing. I've got one on myt 75 as a temp solution until i can get a better unit, it takes almost a week to fill the cup, my SC150 on the 55g fills the cup every two days.

Powerheads, those would work, but you'd need alot more than 2 of them. For a reef tank, you need to aim closer to 20x-40x turnover rate. I've got roughly 30x in my 75g, from 2 x koralia #3's (850gph per) and a mag12 return pump (600gph after headloss) that's what, 2300gph? What you're looking at will give you about 600gph total. Not enough.

I'd highly recommend you jump into getting a fuge. The benefits are too worth while to ignore. Look into the DIY forums on building your own, they can get really cheap going this route vs. spending oodles on a premanufactered unit. And the DIY ones can be just as good if not better than many products out there. I"m currently running a 20g long sump/fuge on my 75g. working like a charm and setup cost was minimal (maybe $100 total after buiying a used mag 12, the acrylic for the baffles, and the silicone to glue it in place) I'm not a DIY kinda oriented person and have made 3 working good fuges in the last year. it's easier than you'd think.

not to hijack the thread but do you think 2 x koralia #4's would be too much for a 75 gallon?

 

[Aquarist007]

as far as total flow--no---but I think the 4's are a little too powerful in that in a reef tank---some lps corals like a low flow area.
use papagimps suggestion above for his 75---2 number threes

you could even go 3 number twos---that would help you create zones of flow easier.

 

[Aquarist007]

Powerheads, those would work, but you'd need alot more than 2 of them. For a reef tank, you need to aim closer to 20x-40x turnover rate. I've got roughly 30x in my 75g, from 2 x koralia #3's (850gph per) and a mag12 return pump (600gph after headloss) that's what, 2300gph? What you're looking at will give you about 600gph total. Not enough.

[/B]

PG---I think you are quoting on a sps coral reef with 20-40x's??

wouldn't 15-20 be excellent for lps's ?

 

[an411]

go with the 2 koralia number 3 I have 2 number 4's in my 120 and its lot of flow in there. I think that in a 75 it would be overkill

 

[MegsB]

i would have to third (i think) the koralia powerheads, 2 #3's or 3 # 2's would probably do the trick quite nicely.

 

[papagimp]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10989849#post10989849 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by capn_hylinur
PG---I think you are quoting on a sps coral reef with 20-40x's??

wouldn't 15-20 be excellent for lps's ?

NOt at all, I"m quoting any reef. I keep my leather softie tank with about 23x turnover rate, my current stoney tank (mostly lps at the moment) about 30x. Once i go mostly/all sps I'll up that closer to 40x.

fwiw, i've been running 2 x #2's and a #1 on my 75g since it was setup, I'll actually be swapping to the #3's today when fedex gets around to finishing my delivery. The 2 x #2's & #1 is around 30x and the flow rate just isn'at enough, even with mostly LPS in the tank, too many low flow spots, lower than my euphyllia likes. But you also have to consider the aquascaping, lot's of open swimming space and not enough rockwork to break up the flow and spread it around as nicely. Koralia's really don't push the water a great distance, not as much as a maxijet will but the flow it is pushing out over the shorter distance is a much better flow pattern. So using koralia's, i've had to up my flowrate to compensate for this. But it's worth it, much better than using several maxijets by any means.

 

[Aquarist007]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10990440#post10990440 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by papagimp
NOt at all, I"m quoting any reef. I keep my leather softie tank with about 23x turnover rate, my current stoney tank (mostly lps at the moment) about 30x. Once i go mostly/all sps I'll up that closer to 40x.

fwiw, i've been running 2 x #2's and a #1 on my 75g since it was setup, I'll actually be swapping to the #3's today when fedex gets around to finishing my delivery. The 2 x #2's & #1 is around 30x and the flow rate just isn'at enough, even with mostly LPS in the tank, too many low flow spots, lower than my euphyllia likes. But you also have to consider the aquascaping, lot's of open swimming space and not enough rockwork to break up the flow and spread it around as nicely. Koralia's really don't push the water a great distance, not as much as a maxijet will but the flow it is pushing out over the shorter distance is a much better flow pattern. So using koralia's, i've had to up my flowrate to compensate for this. But it's worth it, much better than using several maxijets by any means.

I hear you---but in the same position I went with 2 threes and a one---so I could develop flow zones--my tank is 28 inches high and I need a high flow area on top of the reef for sps's(when I start with some frags)

eg I can put the one down low--and still not bug this big mother toad stool that located half way up--soon as the flow gets within its confort zone--it closes up.---now that's a natural way to do coral husbandry--when in doubt ask a coral _LOL

 

[papagimp]

Don't confuse a corals reaction for them not liking the flow. A sudden change is all that's needed to get the toadstool to close up but they still need a moderate flow to keep any and all sediment/detritus from building up on it. I had a bad problem for over a year with not nearly enough current....it just looked like too much to me and I cut it back, after a little more experience, i upped the flow and left it higher, and once they got used to it, several specimens started looking far better. A long polyped toadstool in particular. Too low of flow and he still sticks his polyps out, but not completely, although he still "looked good".

but I know what you're saying

 

[Aquarist007]

Thanks Papagimp---what is your opinion on the total amount of flow(circulation) that you should have within the main tank--is it limited by the coral you have.
(I know it also depends on type of flow-laminar vs turbulance)

 

[papagimp]

While it is somewhat dependant on the coral selection, I'd say you need at least a minumum amount of flow to keep dead spots from forming, more flow helps with that, but so does having an appropriate type of flow and proper placment of the powerheads in relation to the aquascaping. I always try to aim for a minumum of 20x turnover and in those tanks, i tend to have alot more nassarius snails, and other scavengers to help keep the sandbed and rock cleaner. Using more flow helps keep that type of buildup from occuring.

BTW, stuck the new Koralia #3's in the tank last night...man what a difference, got alot of coral relocating to do tonight. The Sps will definatly enjoy the increase, the LPS will need more careful placment though.

 

[Aquarist007]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10998298#post10998298 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by papagimp
While it is somewhat dependant on the coral selection, I'd say you need at least a minumum amount of flow to keep dead spots from forming, more flow helps with that, but so does having an appropriate type of flow and proper placment of the powerheads in relation to the aquascaping. I always try to aim for a minumum of 20x turnover and in those tanks, i tend to have alot more nassarius snails, and other scavengers to help keep the sandbed and rock cleaner. Using more flow helps keep that type of buildup from occuring.

BTW, stuck the new Koralia #3's in the tank last night...man what a difference, got alot of coral relocating to do tonight. The Sps will definatly enjoy the increase, the LPS will need more careful placment though.

thanks Pg--but I meant total flow by power heads only--not total tank turn over.

i hear you--you will be doing some fine tuning of coral placement for a little while--so don't glue them down just yet

have you ever seen a schematic diagram of the flow rate coming out of those Koralias--been trying for a while to find one.