GPH for my 55gal reef

[micaheli]

Hi there people. I finally got my tank established and after an immature and probably stupid stocking decision, I put a couple fish into my tank. I got a Scooter blenny (which I love) and a domino damsel which will be moving out shortly into its own nano. ANYWAYS....Back to biz

I'm designing a sump/overflow/skimmer sort of plan. I will be doing a powerheadless system. I hate powerheads. I'd rather have one return pump. I'm just not sure how overkill I need to go. Its a 55gal, I'm planning on having pretty standard stuff, blue regal tang, clowns, corals, my scooter blenny, a couple inverts and such..

My local friend is saying 1200-1600 is PLENTY.. I was going to go with a Mag2400... Which is says is CRAZY overkill.. So, I'd like to get a couple of second/third/fouth opinions before I start purchasing hardware.

Let me know, Thanks!!

--Micah

 

[srgetz]

I have 2 400gph aquaclear ph. Something like this would give you the desired 10-20 cycles per hour.

 

[BBReef]

is your tank reef ready or are you going to use an overflow box? most reef ready 55 gal tanks have a one inch bulkhead for the drain line, which wont be large for a no powerhead system. this is what i have, and am just like you, i hate the look of powerheads in my tank. i have a quiet one pump rated at 800 gph, but my one inch drain wont even handle 600 gph, so i have turned down using a ball valve, and use the PHs.

if you dont have a reef ready and are going to buy an overflow box, make sure you get one rated at least 800 gph, this way you wont need any PHs, and i would actually go with two returns.

1200-1600 gph in a 55 is a little much. youll be blowing your coral all around the tank. i think 600-800 gph would be suficient. i have about 600-700 right now and everyone seems very happy, especially my xenia whom can actually pulse now and not get blown away.

 

[cj10488]

1200-1600 gph in a 55 is a little much. youll be blowing your coral all around the tank. i think 600-800 gph would be suficient. i have about 600-700 right now and everyone seems very happy, especially my xenia whom can actually pulse now and not get blown away.

I am his Local Friend that says 12-1600 max gph.. LOL Anyways right now I have about 1200gph in my 55gal and its pretty wavy but not blowing too much around.. My tank is primarily an SPS tank with a few softies and Its about perfect.. All my corals seem happy.. I couldnt imagine having anymore movement in my tank..

James

 

[micaheli]

What if I break up the current with 2 SCWD's... making 4 returns (this was my original design). That way the flow is very random, but you get a LOT of it. I can be gentle with return flow. Diffusing the water flow.

And yes, I'll be using custom overflows I'll be making myself with 1.5-2 inch dual siphons. Made with plexi. They should be rated at 3000gph. It would be nice to think I could use less gph. would be cheaper and easier too.. Perhaps I'll get a 1200gph pump and control the flow down to wherever works. That way its controllable. I figure that shouldn't be bad on the pump considering its a mag drive pump, and it would just simulate high head anyways.

--Micah

 

[reefrunner69]

You could always do an appropriately sized pump for your sump and incorporate a closed loop for the squids. If your sump is a wet/dry, you can flow too much water through it.

 

[jamal-188]

You could always do an appropriately sized pump for your sump and incorporate a closed loop for the squids. If your sump is a wet/dry, you can flow too much water through it.

That's what I did on my 72g tank. I have a pump running my wet/dry probably around 600-700 gph then I have a closed loop that has 4 outputs, there is current switcher inbetween the left and right outputs. Seems to work pretty well so far.

 

[micaheli]

Yes.. but what is your total GPH and what size aquarium?

 

[reefrunner69]

Yes.. but what is your total GPH and what size aquarium?

Your total GPH wouldn't really matter.

You could run your wet/dry or sump with a mag drive 7 and run whatever size pump you wanted with your closed loop, as it does not use an overflow.

 

[BBReef]

1200-1600 gph in a 55 is a little much. youll be blowing your coral all around the tank. i think 600-800 gph would be suficient. i have about 600-700 right now and everyone seems very happy, especially my xenia whom can actually pulse now and not get blown away.

I am his Local Friend that says 12-1600 max gph.. LOL Anyways right now I have about 1200gph in my 55gal and its pretty wavy but not blowing too much around.. My tank is primarily an SPS tank with a few softies and Its about perfect.. All my corals seem happy.. I couldnt imagine having anymore movement in my tank..

I guess you could have that much flow with sps. i dont have any so i dont really know. with my lps tho when i put in a PH to add more gph they all started blowing away and ended up closing up. so i guess it depends on what you are keeping.

 

[cj10488]

I guess you could have that much flow with sps. i dont have any so i dont really know. with my lps tho when i put in a PH to add more gph they all started blowing away and ended up closing up. so i guess it depends on what you are keeping.

It kinda all depends on where you put the LPS.. I have a few LPS bubble Coral, Plate coral, and Large Frogspawn.. I was able to find perfect places where they like it..

James

 

[reefrunner69]

If the flow is diffused enough, I don't think it's too much for anything. Velocity and flow are two different things.

 

[micaheli]

Exactly. Also, WHY the heck would I need a closed loop if I can take care of everything with the return pump? Why waste my time and money plumbing everything in a closed loop when I can plumb it all through the sump/overflow. I don't understand the benefits of having a closed loop system over a sump system. Can somebody shed some light? Do I just not understand?

--Micah

 

[reefrunner69]

I don't understand the benefits of having a closed loop system over a sump system.

There are many reasons why you would want a closed loop over a sup.

1) The number of gravity fed overflows needed to drain the amount of water you can move through a closed loop is very expensive.
2) Many people have flow requirements for their sumps, IE; you don't want 1600 gph, going through a refugium sized for a 55g tank Or through a wet dry for a 55g tank.
3) Closed loops don't flood

If you feel it is best to put that much through your sump, then I would hypotosize, you really don't have need of a sump and can get by with a closed loop by itself. Your skimmer will have a difficult time removing organics from the water with that much flow through the sump, the heaters will be ineffecient. Most of the things you put in a sump need dwell time to operate efficiently.

 

[micaheli]

Reefrunner,

Thanks! Finally a good reason! that WOULD be a lot of water moving through a refugium.

Just FYI: I'm making my own overflows, so it wouldn't be expensive... But still... I won't have to worry about overflowing with a closed loop. Too bad skimmers have to be in sumps or HOB. I'm fairly anti-hob due to microbubble problems and my lack of wanting to deal with them. So, I'll just get a smaller pump for return and make a closed loop for circ. Do you think around 500gph is enough for a 55gal through a sump? the skimmer will be powered by a 700gph pump.. So I figure a slightly less gph would be ideal for the return. Then I can do whatever for closed loop.

Thanks again

 

[reefrunner69]

Do you think around 500gph is enough for a 55gal through a sump? the skimmer will be powered by a 700gph pump.. So I figure a slightly less gph would be ideal for the return. Then I can do whatever for closed loop.

Yep, I think that will be fine