Noob question:

[globaldesigns]

I run:
- 2 Vortech MP40W's
- 2 #4 Koralia's with wavemaker controller
- Mag 18 return pump

All them together are equal to 11,000 Gallons per hour of momement, give or take. Of course there is a little loss from head room of the return pump... As others stated it depends on what coral you have, but I will put something out there... Remember the wild is not a gentle place, nor is it really calm, if you go scuba or snorkling do you see dietrus and crap on the rocks? I don't, so I believe the more movement of water the better.

Have fun!

[krg]

I would think though that with more movement in the water, wouldn't all the poop and other stuff just be suspended in the water then?

[intarsiabox]

It must remain in suspension for your filter to pull it out. If the debris is allowed to settle it will decompose and turn into nitrates. As soon as the excess debris gets sucked out after you intitially start your power heads the water will probably end up being clearer and your livestock will be happier.

[krg]

DUH!! That was a dumb question of me to ask!! I never even thought of the filter. Boy do I feel dumb! Thanks for your reply
Kennan

[nlreefguy]

Originally Posted by krg

DUH!! That was a dumb question of me to ask!! I never even thought of the filter. Boy do I feel dumb! Thanks for your reply
Kennan

There's no such thing as a dumb question, man. That's what forums are for! I hope we can all be as useful to you. Don't be afraid to ask questions - it will prevent you from making all the mistakes that we all have made as typical noobs!

[intarsiabox]

It's all the dumb questions that you DON'T ask that usually causes problems and makes people leave the hobby. This is a very friendly forum and it's pretty rare that I've ever seen a question go unanswered no matter what it is about.

[ElGuappo]

Originally Posted by krg

DUH!! That was a dumb question of me to ask!! I never even thought of the filter. Boy do I feel dumb! Thanks for your reply
Kennan

the only dumb question is the one you dont ask.... ... most ppl on this board are more than wiling to help..

i ran a reef tank without a sump and skimmer.... just fyi it can be done but the maintanece is insane...

[Funky_Fish14]

Keeping up with your waterchanges (since you dont have a skimmer/sump, not that you shouldnt do them even with those) and regular maintenance, and NOT SKIMPING on stuff will really be your best 'tool' to fight dirtyness and bad experiences!

Remember, if you cut corners on one thing... that in turn cuts a corner somewhere else... That may mean the cleanlyness of your tank or the health of your tankmates. Those problems upset all us fishkeepers! So:

If you dont enjoy it, your not going to want to stick with it. Make sure you keep your tank clean and happy, and you'll love it, and in turn... GOOD maintenance also means less pain in the butt with maintenance (rather than leaving a tank till its too nasty!). You'll figure out the routines that work best for you as time goes on. Try not to fret too much and as everyone said, always ask any question you have!
Knowledge is power!

Cheers,

Chris

[Funky_Fish14]

Another thing, just kind of to explain the powerhead thing...

Think of the suspended detritus this way: Having all that crud suspended and then caught into your filter makes it about a million times easier to take out. If all of it were to settle into the sand/gravel/through the rocks... you'd be gravel vaccuming all the time... big pain in the butt! But now.. its caught up in that filter... and when you clean it regularly (every week... two, or three, you'll find that out over time, when it needs to be done), then you can just get all the gunk right out of the filter pad.. and you rocks/sand are still clean, water is clear... and the filter pad/foam is ready to keep clearing the water! But also, the longer that gunk sits in there... the more it breaks down, so dont let it sit too long (frequent, quick cleanings are good), cause otherwise all those dissolved organics mean food for algae. Algae sucks, we all know it... 10 000 times more work to eliminate than keeping your filter and water clean. So as I mentioned... a healthy routine means a healthy tank and a good experience!

All the best,

Chris

[whatcaneyedo]

Two other advantages to using powerheads in place of circulation pumps is that they are more efficent in terms of electricty drawn and add less heat to the water. Something like a submersible Danner Mag 7 pump will feel noticably warm to the touch and draws 65W. While a Hydor Koralia Evolution 750 will produce roughly the same amount of flow for only 4.5W