Flow for a 180 FOWLR

[cowfish]

I'm setting up a 180g FOWLR with a 75g sump/refugium. Output from the sump with head loss will be about 600gph. I'm not sure which of the following 2 options would be best for additional flow:

A. 3 Tunze nano streams (~1900gph total) running continuously
B. 2 Algae Free MJ mods (~3200gph total) running on a wavemaker (1600gph at a time).

Opinions appreciated.

 

[marrone]

Since it's a FOWLR tank flow in the tank isn't as important as if it was a reef tank. You need to take into account what fish you plan on keeping, from there you can determine the flow that you want. You don't want too much flow, where your fish are being blow across the tank or sucked into the pumps.


Remember don't apply Reef tank principles to FO or FOWLR tank.

 

[cowfish]

Fish are going to be moved over from a 75. Current stock inlcudes: Klunzinger wrasse, porcupine puffer, humuhumu trigger, emperor angel, foxface and a domino damsel. I plan on adding a purple tang and possibly one or 2 other fish.

 

[Sean]

Fish love a good flow to swim into. It also creates less "dead spots" for food and such.

Personally I like the VorTechs not only because of the low electrical consumption but the battery backup as well.

 

[marrone]

Fish love a good flow to swim into. It also creates less "dead spots" for food and such.
.

Not all fish do. Dead spots are another issue, but you don't need heavy flow to take care of them.

 

[marrone]

Fish are going to be moved over from a 75. Current stock inlcudes: Klunzinger wrasse, porcupine puffer, humuhumu trigger, emperor angel, foxface and a domino damsel. I plan on adding a purple tang and possibly one or 2 other fish.

You don't need heavy flow for any of the fish that you plan on keeping. You can go with a couple of Seio or Koralia pump and you'll be fine, especially since you have a good amount of flow from the return pump. As mention before you want to make sure the water circulates around so you don't create dead spots and you have good water breakage.

 

[Sean]

Th fish you have will enjoy swimming into the flow. Even the puffer. 600gph is not a lot of flow for a 180 gallon aquarium. It may be enough to sustain them but if you throw some current into the tank you'll watch them "play" in it.

here's some random forums that talk about it.


http://www.thereeftank.com/forums/f217/gph-how-much-needed-100785.html

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?threadid=1414291%20-%2054k%20-%20Cached%20-%20Similar%20pages%20-%20Note%20this

 

[cali_reef]

I don't think either of the options you listed will have enough "flow" to cover the 6 foot long tank.

I had four Tunze 6000\6100 on my old 180 FOWLR, it did not have enough flow for all the fish I had.

 

[marrone]

I have a lot less on both my 260 and they're find. You don't need a lot of flow on a FO or FOWLR tank.

 

[cali_reef]

I have a lot less on both my 260 and they're find. You don't need a lot of flow on a FO or FOWLR tank.

How did you come to that conclusion? because they don't die from lack of flow?

I have never dived a site where there was zero or very slow water movement. Waves and tide moves a lot more water than our pumps can ever replicate.

 

[marrone]

I don't know, maybe because all of my fish are health and have been alive for many years, not to mention they have grown very large. There is also a big different between lack of flow and having crazy flow in a tank, something that is not needed.

 

[Sean]

skimmer
lights
filters
chiller
are all not needed either. Should I not install them?

As far as additional flow again Vortec with the battery backup. It's one of those things that let you rest easy even if the power should fail. The only thing that sucks is the price. If you feel the flow is too strong you can turn it down. If you want wave action no problem.

 

[marrone]

skimmer
lights
filters
chiller
are all not needed either. Should I not install them?

Well you don't need a skimmer and if your apartment/house isn't that hot, or your not using very hot light or a pump that throws off a lot of heat, you don't need a chiller either. As for filters, well a sump or wet dry will do in most situations. As for lights, well it do help seeing the fish in the tank.

As far as additional flow again Vortec with the battery backup. It's one of those things that let you rest easy even if the power should fail. The only thing that sucks is the price. If you feel the flow is too strong you can turn it down. If you want wave action no problem.

Or you can get a cheaper power head(s) and use that instead.
If you're worried about power failures you can easily setup a battery backup system.

 

[phk36]

Hi I have a 180 with a 75 gallon sump in the basement. I have an Iwaki 55 with two penductors. The flow to me is good. I have it set up to swirl around in a circular motion. Pete