How Often?

[spoonie]

I recently bought a 72 gallon bow tank to start a sw fish only tank. I was wondering how many times per hour do I want the tank to cycle. Meaning How many gallons of water should I have go thru my sump per hour. I already went and bought a tetratec hob filter good for 300 gallons per hour but that was just because I got a hella good deal on it. I have been told everything from 5 times to 15 but I figured any thing over 5 times sounds like a lot of turnover.

 

[Len]

:welcome:

I have about 1000gph flowing through my sump on my 120 gallon. That's about 8x the turnover. I actually consider mine below average. 5-15 sounds about right, with 10 being about average.

 

[spoonie]

Know I am no expert but I mean 720GPH sound like a tremendous amount of water won't I get a tornado effect going. Plus running a pump 24hrs at 720 plus GPH hour sounds like one hella of a power bill.

 

[Len]

A single, relatively small pump (inline or submersible) will easily do all 720gph for you. Expect as much power as a light bulb. It does add up, but it's not a crazy amount of energy.

720gph won't create any tornado effect. To prevent water flow in a singular direction all the time, it is a good idea to use some sort of oscillating device on the output, such as seaswirls or Oceans Motions device.

 

[spoonie]

Thank you very much. I am going to have to buy 2 pumps one to suck and one to blow. The tank I bought isn't reef ready so I have to make an overflow but i want it to be inside the tank and not hang on the back.

 

[Anonymous]

Do a search on "Closed Loop".

The Blow/suck setup you describe is typically unstable.

 

[Anonymous]

1100gph in my 20gal tank

 

[Anonymous]

4000 gph in a 60gal

 

[Mihai]

Don't listen to LordNikon and Wazzel - these guys are nuts. Len is is "normal". However, it does prove the point that there is no upper limit. Just a lower one, at about 5x. BTW, your lights will likely cost you much more in electric bills than the pump.

M.

 

[Anonymous]

I recently bought a 72 gallon bow tank to start a sw fish only tank. I was wondering how many times per hour do I want the tank to cycle. Meaning How many gallons of water should I have go thru my sump per hour. I already went and bought a tetratec hob filter good for 300 gallons per hour but that was just because I got a hella good deal on it. I have been told everything from 5 times to 15 but I figured any thing over 5 times sounds like a lot of turnover.

5 is adequate, but more certainly helps. It's also very advisable to use two return pumps. This way when one fails (and one will fail eventually) you will still have water going through your sump. What's filtering the water? Bioballs? Live rock? It's not necessary to have any sort of oscillating device in a fish only tank. Just use tees in your plumbing to make sure flow is dipersed throughout the tank.

 

[Anonymous]

Thank you very much. I am going to have to buy 2 pumps one to suck and one to blow. The tank I bought isn't reef ready so I have to make an overflow but i want it to be inside the tank and not hang on the back.

This doesn't work. What you can do is put both pumps pumping from the sump to the tank. Let gravity do the work going down to the sump. If you can get your tank drilled or made reef ready, swell. Otherwise you will need to buy an external overflow.

Nice login name by the way

Spoonie Luv...

 

[Chemical_Whore]

I have a 72 bow and I am running 1100 back from the sump and 2 power heads on surge (200 gph each) and then 2 more power heads running for water moviment (both 200 gph aswell) and the water is not turbulent at all.

 

[ricky1414]

1100gph in my 20gal tank

beat ya by 140 gph. :wink: 1240gph in my 20.

Don't listen to LordNikon and Wazzel - these guys are nuts. Len is is "normal". However, it does prove the point that there is no upper limit. Just a lower one, at about 5x. BTW, your lights will likely cost you much more in electric bills than the pump.

Ummm, my sps are actually liking the flow better. Better encrusting as well as branch growth. And with the Seios, I get a gentle current, not a blast of water. Nice and even. And it runs a total of 16 watts an hour power-wise, at 8 watts each.

 

[Anonymous]

Don't listen to LordNikon and Wazzel - these guys are nuts. Len is is "normal". However, it does prove the point that there is no upper limit. Just a lower one, at about 5x. BTW, your lights will likely cost you much more in electric bills than the pump.

M.

That has yet to be proven

I miss read the questions the first time. I have approx 10x going in my sump and the rest is on a closed loop. For the water flowing in the sump 5-15x seems to be the normal range.

 

[Anonymous]

Oh I think you got more than enough for a FO tank. but then a lot depends on how you set up the system. Depending on how that is done, it is even possible to have thriving fish with no circulation. So I think you have enough with what you have.

 

[Anonymous]

it is even possible to have thriving fish with no circulation. .

Once again, yet to be proven. Thrive vs. sustainable.
Show a pic of creatures THRIVING. That means GROWING year by year etc...as far as I know, nothing marine borne can thrive in a swamp.

 

[Anonymous]

it is even possible to have thriving fish with no circulation.

Lack of circulation in a reef tank or even just a FO is bad. The water will become stagnate and oxogen depleted. No reasonable amount of plant life can keep up the O2 demand and no plant can circulate water.

 

[Mihai]

That has yet to be proven

I'm not saying that the SPS don't like the extra flow. On the contrary - I'm sure that they appreciate it. The only question is if they need it. I think that they can do just as well with less (say from 10x and higher up) as well as with more .

I think that after some point the type of flow counts more than the quantity (volume vs speed and randomness).

M.

 

[Anonymous]

these guys are nuts

Borderline doesnt count

Wazzel dont mention plant life..Get beaslbob going :roll:

I have high flow doesnt mean someone else needs it..just stating what I have in my tank


Beaslbob...Not to be harsh, but that is why you have stagnant puddle...
Please dont come into this conversation and spout off bad advise...

A tank needs flow..How much..Well Matt_Wandell and Len pretty much explained it...

 

[Anonymous]

That has yet to be proven

I'm not saying that the SPS don't like the extra flow. On the contrary - I'm sure that they appreciate it. The only question is if they need it. I think that they can do just as well with less (say from 10x and higher up) as well as with more .

I think that after some point the type of flow counts more than the quantity (volume vs speed and randomness).

M.

That comment was directed to the nuts comment.

I agree with what you are saying. Does my tank need 60+ turns per hour. Probably not. Will the SPS benifit from the extra flow. Probably yes.