GPH?

[AchillesTangBeauty]

We have a 270 Gallon Display Tank + 60 Gallon Refuge & 100 gallon sump.. We are currently running 3200GPH through the system using a Reeflo Dart... That works out to changing the water 8 times an hour... Is this too much? What's recommended?

-Mostly Softies.


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[FishAreFriendsNotFood]

I'm fairly new to salt water aquariums (had fresh water for many years) but my understanding is 5 to 10 times the display tank volume through the sump plus an additional 10 to 20 times the display tank volume inside the display tank. Total display tank turn over of 15 to 30 times per hour. For your set up that would be 1,350 to 2,700 gph through the sump and another 2,700 to 5,600 gph inside the display tank. It is best to limit the flow through the fuge to much less than the flow through the sump.

[Proteus]

Here's my thought

I don't employ a refuge or rubble zone. Just a skimmer and sock. So I don't understand having a higher turnover rate than what my skimmer will take up. What's the purpose

[Myka]

Originally Posted by AchillesTangBeauty

We have a 270 Gallon Display Tank + 60 Gallon Refuge & 100 gallon sump.. We are currently running 3200GPH through the system using a Reeflo Dart... That works out to changing the water 8 times an hour... Is this too much? What's recommended?

-Mostly Softies.


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8x per hour isn't quite accurate, nor is it as simple as you've laid out.

First, depending exactly which Dart model you have (the hybrid Snapper or an older model?) about 3700 gph at 0' head height. Head height is the vertical distance from the pump to the water surface or the highest point of plumbing - whichever is greater. Assuming about 5' head height, and minus about 50 gph for average plumbing, there is about 2800 gph coming out the return line. Of course I'm guessing here, and assuming a simple plumbing job.

Now, how is the refugium plumbed? Does the entire volume of the sump also flow through the refugium or is there a smaller volume going through the refugium or is the refugium fed by a different pump? The full volume of the refugium may not count towards the total volume.

Assuming the full volume of the refugium counts, you're closer to 6.5 times turnover through the sump which is what I consider "perfect".

Personally, I try to keep the flow through the sump between 5-7 times per hour.

[FishyFishy!]

IMO, if you're running a skimmer, its useless to have more GPH than your skimmer pumps can handle. Any more flow through the sumps is water that is getting by without being processed properly.

Also, slower flow through the fuge is always better. More contact with our little fuge buddies and the media/marco the better.

Here is some good reading from a member on here. Mr. Wilson in regards to a very nice 1350 gallon tank in canada.

http://petersfishtank.com/best-practices/#w.flowsump

[AchillesTangBeauty]

1350... We're going bigger lol... This is our plans for out 1500+ gallon (Just Display).


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[strider]

+1 to what Myka said

270g eh! Awesome!!!

I have had reef tank for 6 year 6X Turn over is good.

What is the purpose of the refuge? Nitrate reduction or pod production?

As you are setting thing up just make sure you have enough room to vacuum out the skimmer and return section . Diatoms collect there and it's pain to clean if you don't have enough space.

Post some pics




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[Spyd]

Wow!!! That is an awesome tank! Holy smokes!


As for your initial question, I don't think it is overkill. I run a Water Blaster HY10000 that pumps out 2600GPH for my 180G system. You definitely have to take into account your length of plumbing and # of fittings as T's and 90's greatly reduce your flow rate. I also run my reactors, water change tank and frag tank all off the same pump so my water speed through my sump is greatly dimminished.

For a seperate fuge I would have a very slow flow controlled by a valve. I am of the opinion that whether the flow of water in your sump is greater than or equal to the skimmer pump rating, it doesn't really matter. At the end of the day, the skimmer will do its job but your water might pass it by a couple of times before it gets cleaned up. Still no harm done.

[mark]

Always found the idea of must have X.XX turn overs an hour or or must exactly match your skimmer intake pump little hard to believe. Where's the harm in having your return pump contributing to the overall flow in the display beyond some value through the sump no one can reach a consensus on?

I can a agree there's more efficient ways to get flow in the display than a return pump and so much through the sump you have to put brackets on the skimmer so it doesn't tip over, but I wouldn't be getting overly worked up about matching a magic flow number.

[Aquattro]

I have probably 4x turn over through my sump. I carefully calculated this based on the cleanest pump I had in my box of pumps, considering clean was more likely to work. MAG12 won, minus head pressure, plumbing restrictions and sludge inside pipes, I figure 4x. Or 5. Or maybe 3.87658. Basically water falls down, water goes back up.