So whats the basis we use when adding power heads into the tank. I dont want to have to little or too much. Like 3000gph per every 50 gallons or something. Not sure and thought I would ask. What does everyone here have for there tanks?
How much flow inside the tank????
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I have a 240 gal mixed reef with about 5800GPH now and fixing to add another tunze and it will be about 9000GPH then.I suppose if all I had was SPS's then I would need even more flow than that.
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I have 4000 in my 95 cubish tank.
IMHO it is almost impossible to have to much indirect flow in a tank for sps.
You can have to much direct flow. Example would be a coral 4" away & directly in front of a strong power head. You will know if a coral is getting to much flow because they will get burnt tips were the flesh goes away.
A maxjet 1200 point directly at a coral can cause more damage then a vortech pointed at the same coral just because of the type of flow.
Hope that helps.
You can have to much direct flow. Example would be a coral 4" away & directly in front of a strong power head. You will know if a coral is getting to much flow because they will get burnt tips were the flesh goes away.
A maxjet 1200 point directly at a coral can cause more damage then a vortech pointed at the same coral just because of the type of flow.
Hope that helps.
Can that be right (good)? I want to hear more about how your sps respond. I have calculated that:
12,000gph/180 gal= 67 turnovers per hour
This means the total volume of your water (in your tank) is being completely pumped 1.1x's every minute! Wow!
Please reply back with how this works/how the corals respond. Thanks.
I have about 18,000 gph in my SPS/Clam 180 at the store.
2 Coralvue @ 3,000 gph and 6 Modded Maxijets @ ~2,000 gph each
I get great growth and no dead spots in the tank. All the powerheads are pointed at the glass or into the rock work(keeps a lot of waste from building up).
Thanks,
Tim
2 Coralvue @ 3,000 gph and 6 Modded Maxijets @ ~2,000 gph each
I get great growth and no dead spots in the tank. All the powerheads are pointed at the glass or into the rock work(keeps a lot of waste from building up).
Thanks,
Tim
That's awesome!
Today I did some research and I have found measurements of 10, 20 and even 25 cm/sec velocity of the water measured on reef crests during tide turns, for example. Yours would be around 5 cm/sec. That equals (assuming conversions are correct) about 0.225. 0.45 and 5+ mph. Shoot, the Gulf Stream exceeds that along the Florida coast, at 5+ knots! Assuming you have laminar (essentially linear/non-tubulent) flow (which it won't be with power heads, but...), I guess these velocities are not really crazy at all! Who wulda thunk it? You guy's have helped open my eyes to new ideas about tank conditions, especially for sps types of coral. Thank you! This has been a great day!
Tim, next time I am out your way I will stop by and check out your glass vortex
Ouch! Yeah, I have always tried to get my flows to be varied, but what I didn't realize til now is how high they can be. Never had a lot of luck with sps, part I understood, part mystery. You guys that grow these things like breeding rabbits make it look so easy! I'm inspired to give it another go. Thanks!
I will say that all my corals have great polyp extension, I think it is a combination of flow, water chemistry, stablility afforded a 2000 gallon system, and proper amounts of light. All of these are important to fast growth. The corals may survive but not thrive if one or more of these are off.
Tim
Tim
I would fit into that 'survive not thrive' category, where sps is concerned. I always figured it was my resistance to using halides, but knew others that were successful without them, and was determined to 'engineer' my way around that. I'm thinking higher flow and upping my PUR will get me there. I design/build a lot of my own stuff (lights/filters/reactors/etc) because I enjoy that, and it's cheaper than therapy (LOL). As a result, it's not always easy to go 'cookie cutter' what someone else uses (not that that's always easy either!). I'm just trying to get my head around all of the variables and learn in the process. I've been at this a long time and still learn new things. That's what keeps this hobby so interesting! Thanks.
I agree the jury is still out on the whole light thing, but we are getting close. I have a background in optics/photonics and laser design. I have gotten very deep into the photochemistry of the various pigments and 'pigment protein complexes' involved, as well as lighting, phosphors, water transmission, etc. To hear Dana Riddle tell it, PAR (or PUR) is all that matters, and from the physics I can see why he does. I do believe that the flourescent pigments everyone seeks when getting corals to 'color-up' are dirrectly related to actinic wavelengths of light. As I alluded to earlier, it's very hard to argue with success, especially in this hobby. One day, alot of you sps farmers will look over at the techies in the hobby and say, see we told you so! It's another case of philosophy meets art.
What I seek is 'full spectrum' colors from 'white light', WITH the outstanding flourescent pigments the corals display from high intensity actinic wavelengths. I have seen one persons tank on here that showed this, and I believe jmaneypanda commented he was even envious of their coloration. Their colors are spectacular! Wish I could remember who it was. This is the holy grail for reef lighting IMO.
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