Refugium flow rates
Hello Crew,
<Hola Chris>
Thanks so much for the collection of expertise. I have been so impressed with your site, Mr. Fenner that I have pledged $5 for every time I employ information from WetWebMedia.com. Please accept my first contribution of $50 from this gracious fellow hobbyist.
<Thank you very much. I'm sure Bob will be tickled.><<I'll say! We've already spent it! RMF>
I have built refugiums for both of my marine systems. (60 gallon reef /29 gallon refugium and 180 gallon FOWLR /75 gallon refugium). I have flow rates of 15-18 times turnover in each tank and want to maximize flow through the refugium. With all of the information available throughout the industry the formula for flow rate through refugiums does not seem to exist. What is
the recommended flow rate through refugiums?
Thank you for your time and help.
Best regards,
Chris Matthews
Dallas, Texas
<Well for a true refugium with a DSB and other denitrification properties, it only needs to be 2x-4x the turnover per hour. the slower on the refugium the better as the water needs time to be stripped of its impurities, and if you have a faster turn over, the substrate might be a cloudy mess as well. Hope this helps>
<Justin (Jager)> 

Creating chaos! (Water Movement With Powerheads)
Hello, WWM Crew! :)
<Hi there! Scott F. here today!>
Trying to tweak with my circulation and had a quick question. Do you think 2 MaxiJet powerheads would be too much in a 55g reef (48x14x11)?
<I don't think that this would be too much circulation for most of the commonly-kept reef animals that we work with (notice that I said "most", as there are many that like reduced flow). As long as you are not directing a powerhead's flow directly at an animal, literally blasting the tissue off of the coral, you should be fine, IMO.>
I have mostly polyps, inverts, and fish. It seems most people seem to feel placement should either be facing each other and slightly offset or angled from the corners to the front/center of the tank. Any feedback would be greatly appreciated as always. Thanks for being such great guides.
Best,
John Kelley
<Well, John, I think that you'd be well advised to do just that. Angle the flow off of the front/center of the tank. I like to direct pump output towards each other, to create a "chaotic" sort of flow in the tank. This will really help get movement towards many different areas of the system! Hope this helps! Regards, Scott F.> 

Hello all how is every one?
<Recovering nicely>
Just two quick questions a stocking one and one about a 55 gallon refugium
<Sure, Fire Away>
Here's the refugium question
The water from the 135 gallon will be pumped by a MaxiJet 1200 to the refugium by simple clear hose. There's a wall separating the two tanks, so it will have to be drilled so I can get the hose through. The refugium will have a MaxiJet 1200 to pump the water back. Will this work? It seemed like the easiest way to do it. If you can think of a better way without drilling my tanks please tell me!
The refugium will have a 5 inch sandbed with Halymenia and some Caulerpa...I know, but I like it. I was going to only fill the 55 half to 3/4s full is this okay?
<Umm, The MaxiJet pumping out and another pumping back will not work. one will pump more than the other and it will either flood or possibly burn a pump out. Buy an overflow box which allows the refugium, and will work better since it only needs priming once and if the pump fails it will drain to one level then stop preventing flooding if its done right.>
The question about stocking it about a Naso tang. Just wondering if I got one small if it would be okay until I go to college in 2 years. I will then probably take my tank down.
Thanks again
Tristan
<Yes the Naso should be ok till then in a 135, however you will be limited somewhat in what other fish you can have in there as well as it gets bigger as it will need all the space. Also if you do not have the home for this fish when you leave it might be better to not get one.>
<Justin (Jager)> 

Chaetomorpha Quandary...To Tumble Or Not?
Hi there WWM crew
<Hey! Scott F. here today!>
Need help with getting enough water flow thru my refugium to get my Chaetomorpha algae tumbling. I have a 20 gallon tank that I have separated into 3 chambers by gluing Plexiglas walls inside of. The first chamber which houses items such heaters and carbon or anything else I may need to use, gets the water flowed into it via an overflow box from my 55 gallon main tank. It then goes thru a baffle to cut down on bubbles and into my 2nd chamber that acts as a refugium.
<A neat DIY approach! Awesome!>
It currently has a 2 to 2.5 inch sand bed which I plan to increase to at least 4 or 5 this weekend, and just got hold of a clump of Chaetomorpha about the size of a fist. My problem is water flow. From my understanding and readings from this site, Chaeto needs to tumble around in order to grow.
<I have my own feelings on this topic. I am a big fan/user of Chaetomorpha, and I have never kept it in an area with lots of tumbling motion. I've had so much success with this macroalgae that I had to give it away!  The key, in my opinion, is to give it enough water movement to keep algae and detritus from lodging in it and interfering with its growth, as well as decent lighting. Gracilaria, on the other hand (my other favorite macroalgae), is one that you do need to "tumble".>
This is where my problem comes into play. The only water flow that I have in the sump/refugium is whatever is created naturally, which doesn't budge the Chaeto. I've tried adding a Maxijet powerhead but the unit I have, 1200 is way too powerful. It gets the algae tumbling but also causes a sandstorm.
<Yep- a problem that is more annoying, IMO!>
I was wondering if perhaps something like the Mini jet model of the powerhead, which reads a 13 to 104 gph rate would be sufficient to get the Chaeto tumbling and not cause a tsunami in my little refugium? And can the Chaeto survive long if not tumbling?
<As above, I'd try it without taking these measures first. If you are finding that debris is polluting the algae, or nuisance algae is fouling it, then you may need to try one of these options, just to get some movement in there. even then, I don't think that tumbling is a guarantee of success. However, as a macroalgae geek, I love the fact that you are thinking to go to so much effort to keep it happy!>
I can't get out to the LFS till Saturday due to work to get whatever I need to help my problem. I am restricted on space and therefore decided on a sump/refugium combo. The refugium area is aprox. 12 inches in length x 12 inches in width (small I know but better than nothing). I plan to use the refugium as a way to help nutrient reduction along with the 5inch DSB I have in my main tank and some critter production as well.
<Relax. Things sound fine!>
Also a question on the lighting needs for a 'fuge this small. What size light would work well in this case? At the moment, I have a 13 watt fluorescent over the fuge lighting it on an opposite schedule from my main tank. Is this sufficient or do I need more?
<Well, you could always go for more, but if the proximity of the light to the algae is low, then you could see how it goes for a while. Perhaps a higher wattage compact fluorescent (like 28 watts or so) would be better "bang for the buck".>
Thank you all in advance for any solutions to my problem you can offer. This is the most informative and helpful site I've come across to date, so much so that my head feels like its going to explode from all the knowledge gained and still gaining from your site !!
<Yea- my head exploded quite a while ago, so I wear a lot of caps! seriously, thanks much for the kind words. It's our pleasure to be here for you!>
Have a great weekend all !!
<You too! Regards, Scott F.>

Powerheads
Hi all,
<Hello, how are you?>
I have a new 50 gallon tank, and just started adding fish. I added two small clowns. The problem is that they keep on getting "blown" all over the place by the currents that are generated by the powerheads. I have four Powerheads on the tank one 900 two 400 and one 500. Is it normal for them to keep getting caught up in the currents? please help I hate to see them get pushed around.
<The amount of power heads for that tank seems to be too much. If you have sufficient filtration, two powerheads should be enough. Good Luck. MikeB.> 

Water Movement For Acropora
Hello,
<Hi there! Scott F. here today!>
Do Acroporas do better with a direct flow of one power head or with 2 - 125gph Power Sweep power heads? I have a 10 gall nano reef tank with 1 Acro with plenty of room for more! What do you guys think? Thanks for your time!
<Well, most of the Acropora that favor high flow will benefit from randomized, indirect flow. Laminar flow directly into a coral can literally peel the tissue right off of the colony. Better to use those Power Sweep powerheads, or even some sort of rotating return device, like the wonderful Sea Swirls! HTH! Regards, Scott F.>

Water flow questions 2/11/05
Hello crew. I sent this letter of inquiry to Bob Fenner first, then found the crew's email option floating around your site. Very cool site by the way! 
<Thanks! Glad you have found it useful!>
I'm in the process of setting up my acrylic 48"x13"20" reef tank that's been down for a few years due to moving and busy schedule. I'm redoing the stand and hood too. Our living room looks like a workshop :) Would like someone to hold my hand as I venture forth with some plumbing advice/preferences. Technology has advanced a bit while my tank sat idle. The aquarium has one 5"x5"x19" corner overflow with a 1" bulkhead in the bottom, returning to the almost finished sump/refugium I am now making.
My intention is to:
1) Drill another overflow in the opposite corner matching the existing one making two 1" bulkheads (large enough or drill them out to 1 1/2"?) using Durso stand pipe technology. <You may have to get your hands on the bulkhead and measure for the correct hole size since this varies by manufacturer.>
I noticed on the Durso web sight that the stand pipe seems to only come in 1". Is there a reason? 
<I don't know. "Durso" standpipes can be made from just about any size pipe. If this site is selling them, I suspect that it is an economy of scale issue.>
Will have 3/4" to 1" (preference?) return lines come up through same 5x5 boxes. 
<Bigger lines will get you more flow out of your pump. If you pump pumps more than about 500gph (at a head pressure equal to the height of the top of the tank), then go with 1", even if your actual outlet will be a smaller nozzle (SCWD, SeaSwirl, etc.). My personal preference would be to run the returns up and over the back edge of the tank. Advantages include less crowded spillway boxes, less clutter inside the tank and better access for the inevitable re-working.>
Perhaps employ a squid valve to these return lines and a sea swirl (if needed) in the middle of tank on a separate pump. Am worried about water velocity hurting critters using a squid that will isolate return pump to only one line at a time. Valid concern? 
<This is a very valid concern, but easily prevented. One or the other of these devices should be plenty on such a small tank.>
Was thinking of a pump that does around 1000gph. Good number?  Pump recommendations? Also considered just using 2 sea swirl returns, both on all the time. 
<You will probably need two 1.5" drains to handle that much flow. Also, with that much flow, you will have to be more careful of blasting corals. I like Iwaki pumps for outstanding service records, but quieter pumps are available. Blueline pumps are newer to the market, but seem to get good feed back. They are less expensive and reportedly quieter than Iwaki. Dolphin pumps are nearly silent, but not head rated and have reliability issues (seal leaks).>
2) Make a new, longer overflow wall, center back, say 16"x4", for improved surface skimming and looks. If I go with this option, I will either drill two bulkheads (1 1/2"?) in the bottom of the tank behind the overflow and utilize the Durso stand pipe arrangement, or come in from the back of the tank up by the water line with two 2" bulkheads. The return lines have the same options, up through the bottom or in from the back. My worry with having bulkheads up high without stand pipes is noise. After reading many letters sent in to you guys, it seems noise is the #1 complaint. Twin 2" bulkheads should be plenty for moving 1000gph though, true? 
<Two 1.5" should handle the flow. No matter how you plumb it, noise will be an issue. Drilling through the bottom and using Dursos is the way to go if noise is a major concern.>
3) I guess a last option would be to plumb my return line(s) into a PVC pipe running along the upper back wall of the aquarium with several outlet nozzles, allowing for greater volume of water to be moved without creating flesh tearing force. Not as hot on this idea though. Worried about looks. 
<This can be an aesthetic problem, but can also be hidden. The risks of higher velocity returns must be balanced against the benefits of the turbulence produced.>
Would any of these scenarios require added power heads? Would rather avoid them if possible. 
<Even at 3/4 of it's rated flow, a 1000gph pump will give you 15x turnover or more... plenty!>
Just bouncing these ideas around in my head, trying to think of all the pros and cons . Would appreciate any feedback you have on what might work best. 
<If noise is a serious concern, do consider running your 1000gph pump on a closed loop and only turning a few hundred gph over through the sump. You will get all the flow with little drain noise.>
PS: Am thinking of getting a new skimmer. The Aqua C caught my eye. Is it really worth the $? <AquaC gives one of the best "bangs for the buck", especially in hang on models. If you go cheaper, performance will fall off rapidly, and you will gain very little if anything by going more expensive.>
Also thoughts on a calcium reactor? Never had one. Used a drip back in the dark ages. 
<This is largely a subjective question. Calcium reactors trade high initial cost for low hassle and low operating cost. However, they are a mechanical device and need to be maintained and do break. Kalkwasser remains a great choice, and "two-part" additives are very convenient (but expensive).>
Thanks for the help, One who has definitely got the bug going again, (just ask my wife) Jim 
<Welcome back to the hobby! Best Regards. AdamC.>

My external pump is throwing sand around
Hello, all!
<Chad>
I just upped the circulation in my 75G FOWLR tank. It currently has:
4" sugar-sized aragonite substrate
90lbs Fiji live rock
Eheim 2026 canister (~225GPH)
Eheim 1262 water pump at 3ft head (probably about 700GPH).  
The 1262 is absolutely nuts, btw! I put it in a 5 gallon bucket in the shower, and it was able to throw water over the shower curtain! What an awesome hobby...
<Heee!>
Yesterday, I rigged up a 28/34mm intake and strainer from replacement parts for the Eheim 2260 canister filter, so it's 28/34 hose the whole way down to the intake on the pump. I then took a 16/22 tube, ran it into a plastic T, split it out to two Eheim spray bars on the left and right sides of the tank, and pointed them roughly at each other.
<Okay>
All the extra current certainly stirs things up. On the bottom, the sand does jump around a bit, and little bits of waste, detached algae, etc. fly in crazy paths around the tank.  The only inhabitants of the tank are a yellow tailed damsel and a tomato clown. I'll be adding some sort of starfish later after I do my homework and get the tank set up to my liking. The clown always hides in a rock now, but has to constantly flap her arms around to stay in place. The damsel doesn't appear to mind, but then again, she never appears to mind anything.  So, is this too much? It seems like the answer is always "no," but I'm wondering if maybe I went a bit overboard and did the impossible here. I'm worried that I'm going to get some fish stuck to the glass in there!
<If the water isn't clouded up, sand not getting sucked into your pumps, fish tossed out of the tank...>
Oh yeah, and, should the water flow be like this day and night, or should I turn it off at night? Or should I turn it off right now... 
As always, Thanks thanks thanks thanks!  - Chad
<Better to leave all going 24/7. Bob Fenner>

The amazing, incredible pump to/from act!
I am setting up a 40g Reef tank, with a 30g sump tank ,and I am wondering if I could use a canister filter with a flow output of 1000lph to feed the sump going through a UV into the sump then being returned to the display tank by a water pump of the same flow rate as the canister filter of 1000lph.  Your advice would be appreciated 
<Uhh, no... as you will/would soon find... there are no two pumps that will stay balanced... rely on gravity... placing the sump above or below the main tank... having the one overflow into the other. Bob Fenner>

Micro Bubbles
Dear Crew,
I'm having problems with micro bubbles. I have a Panworld 40PX dedicated to a chiller and a sea swirl and I'm not having any problems.. I also have a Gen-X Mak4 that is dedicated to 2 sea swirls and that is where I'm having my problems. I have silicone all connections, placed a sponge in the sump and I'm still getting the micro bubbles. I notice at times that I will get a surge of bubbles that will shoot out both of the sea swirls, could it possibly be the pump? This is a new set up and I do not have any corals as of yet. Will this be a problem if the bubbles do not stop? Any insight or suggestions would be greatly appreciated. Thanks Steve
>>>Steve, I have no experience with the units you speak of, so I'm going to leave this query in the In-box for another crew member to hopefully answer. What I WILL tell you though for the time being is that whatever happens, micro bubbles are not harmful to corals or other inverts despite what you may hear or read elsewhere. 
Jim<<<

Water circulation 1/29/05
I have a 29g saltwater tank, currently have 2 clowns, 1 yellow watchman goby, 1 cleaner shrimp, 3 snails, 5 hermit crabs.  Plan on adding 3 more fish in time.  I have a Rena XP1 filter, Red Sea Prizm protein skimmer, and a Rio 600 powerhead, is that enough for proper circulation or is one more powerhead needed, and if so what kind would you u suggest? 
<aim for at least 600 gph turnover in this tank. Twice that if you have messy fishes or dense rockwork>
I currently have a algae hair problem on my live rock and a lil on my sand...I think it might be because of the circulation...or am I wrong? 
<you are correct... it may be from lack of circulation in part. Increased flow keeps solid matter in suspension longer for filters and skimmers to export the matter. Do make your skimmer work hard(er) too for faster control of the algae. Read more about all of this in our archives under the topic of nuisance algae>
thank you for your help!
<always welcome, my friend. Anthony>

Circulation 1/23/05
Just a quick question, I have a 150 gal. tank but with the LR and DSB it only holds 120 gal of water. When figuring the turn over rate of water in the tank do I use the 150 or 120. 
<it really depends on the needs of the specific animals kept... and the shape of your aquascape, etc. All things that will place different demands or restrictions on water flow. Error on the safe side and give more water flow (assume tank volume size)>
Also I was reading the FAQ and saw the abbreviation for sea salt... IO... is that Instant Ocean?
<yes... correct :)>
Thanks for your help....Steve 
<kindly, Anthony>

Water flow for corals 1/14/04
I thought strong water flow was not good... Everything I read on your site said to keep it in a gentle water flow..
<Yikes... this is not the case for most any cnidarians kept. Have you been to a reef my friend? The water flow is dynamic! Bob often preaches about this dynamic. My articles/books, FAQs say the same... other reef writers too. This one is a no-brainer - water flow brings food to corals, carries away waste, etc. And is woefully inadequate in most tanks>
Should the Mushroom stay in the strong water flow permanently?
<Hmmm... you need to read/understand more about water flow... we are not talking about blasting it with a powerhead. Laminar flow is rarely needed/safe (save for planar species like Sea Fans). Instead, seek to produce surge or turbulent flow. Do a keyword search on our site here for an article called "Goodbye Powerheads". It details many of the how's and whys of water flow>
Thanks for the response to my initial email
<always welcome, Anthony>

Maddening Oolitic Dust Storms
Hello Bob or Crew,
After reading The Conscientious Aquarist and countless web articles on reef aquaria for over two years, I recently made the plunge into my first attempt at a reef aquarium.  After all, I was probably the most knowledgeable reefer who had never had a reef.  I was convinced that a DSB teaming with bacteria, micro-invertebrates, brittle stars and snails would lead to success, so I purchased ESV oolitic aragonite and added it unwashed (Don't wash it!  You want those angstrom-sized particles for biodiversity.) to my tank and two refugia.  The water clouded up big time and two days later a snail couldn't have seen its foot in front of its eyes.  (Add the live rock to the tank and it will clear.)  So, I added my Tonga live rock that had been dipped in a rainbow to the tank and the water did clear.  Now, my Tonga live rock looks like it was dipped in a mud hole and a powerhead won't clean it.<That is because you have an algae that is not coralline growing all over it.>  Then I added a small powerhead to a refugium and the water clouded up big time.<O.K. Don't do that again.  Depending on the size of the refugium a powerhead with direct disturbance will cloud your water along with disturbing the infaunal creatures that you are trying to cultivate.>  Lord only knows what will happen when I add the two Tunze air-cooled powerheads to the aquarium. Please tell me how aquarists have deep, fine oolitic sandbeds and water circulation at the same time?
Thank you,
Joseph
<Joseph, The best thing to do is to disperse the water flow and not have it directly blowing into the gravel.  What I have found that works best is to keep the powerheads near the top of the water and blow from one side of the tank to the other.  This will disperse the direct flow of the water and not disturb the gravel as much.  As for the live rock, if you keep the phosphates down and the calcium and alkalinity up the color will come back.  Good Luck. MikeB.>

Circulation, Coral Beauty color
I have had any questions for you guys. You have always been great in the past. Thanks!  I have a 90 gal with 120 live rock approx. two years old.  I have usual asst. of crabs, starfish and snails (which this population has diminished in size over the last four months). I have  one Coral Beauty, two true Perculas, one LTA, two Cardinals, one Wrasse, three Anthias and one Hawkfish. Also have an asst. of about fifteen corals. Water parameters- sg- 1.024(change 8 gals twice weekly) nitrates- <10 but not zero,  pH- 8.3 , ca- 390 and alkalinity of 10 dKH.  I have 2 sumps adding about 25 gallons to the total. There are 2 skimmers working- one no name brand which works pretty well and one aqua-c 180 which is fairly finicky and does not work as well as I had hoped.
<Mmm, should... what do you think is wrong here? Is the water level in the contact chamber within an inch or two of the collector?>
lights are two 175 10,000k halides and 2 110 VHO blue actinics. Water flow is two 275gph powerheads (planning to upgrade to two Tunze powerheads with dual controller if you think it is worth it),
<They're very nice units, w/ or w/o a controller... might upgrade as the older ones fail>
  two mag 350 carbon filters changed every four to five weeks and one little giant 3 which I believe is about 900gph. I also have a little giant 4 with two 3/4" outlets (about 1400gph) that I run sporadically to increase the flow.
Finally my questions. The first is that it seem between some of the rocks and corals it looks like spider webs are in there. Is this a problem?
<Perhaps an indication of too little circulation... I would direct, dedicate some flow to the region>
Second question which seems more important is that my two year old Coral Beauty over the last three to four weeks seems to be losing its blue color in its front over its mouth and around its eyes. He seems happy and eats well. They are fed Mysis and brine shrimp, flakes, seaweed wafer and dried seaweed. What is his problem? Thanks.
<Perhaps "just age"... You might try adding a vitamin soak to these foods, perhaps some new live rock. Bob Fenner>

Circulation Issues in a 100 Reef Ready
I've really been thinking about redoing my 36 gallon reef tank. 
<Sounds great! Ryan helping you today> 
I had considered buying a whole new setup then something occurred to me.  I currently have
a 100 gallon acrylic tank that is setup as a marine fish-only tank.  I feel the tank has nice dimensions for a reef, 60x18x20 and all ready has a built in overflow.  Now here's the problem.  I got a great deal on the tank as it was incorrectly ordered by a local fish store.  The overflow has a 1" drain and a 3/4 " return.  I currently have a Mag 9.5 as the return pump and the flow is adequate for a fish-only setup.  Unfortunately there are no slots cut in the top of the tank to allow for powerheads.  So on the opposite end of the tank I have thought about drilling two small holes in the top in between the edge of the tank and one of the removable tank covers.  There is 3 1/2" in between the edge and the lid so my thought was to drill two small holes to allow the hanging of two powerheads.  I have looked at the Tunze 6080 which claims 2250 GPH.  Do you think it is feasible to drill the top? 
<Yes, but keep in mind that this strip provides much of the tank's support.  Small as possible.>   
Will two of the Tunze pumps plus my return pump give me adequate flow for a reef? 
<Yes, that sounds like a great circulation plan!> 
This appears to be the easiest way to get the water really flowing? 
<Yes, use the controller to have variable currents!  Great product.>  
Any ideas would be appreciated.
<If you're a DIY type, do a search on Anthony's Return Manifold as well- Less pricey, much of the same wonderful water movement.  Good luck! Ryan>

Circulation Issues in 55 Gallon
Good morning and seasons greetings to all. <Hi! Good morning! Ryan with you today.>  I have a few questions for you concerning water movement throughout my system. 
<Surely.> 
Over the past few months I've been working to upgrade my system (new 440watt VHO lighting,  20 gal refugium, 30 gal sump, DSB, 100+lbs of live rock) and he last part I am addressing is water movement (main tank is 55g).  I currently have a RIO 3100 pushing water from my sump back t main tank and would put the
volume at 300-400 gallons an hour (had to adjust because my over flow can not keep up when running return at 100% capacity). 
<Even 20% is realistic when accounting for head, algae growth.>   
I bought a RIO 2100 this weekend and installed it (rated at 690g an hour) and I like the capacity but I'm not thrilled with the movement because there are several dead spots in the tank where I've noticed a lot of detritus has accumulate (note, this was installed in main tank to replace small powerhead).
  To combat this,  I'm tempted to install ¾inch PVC piping around the top of my tank and drill 1/4inch holes at the four corners and connect the RIO2100 to that so that I could have each of the holes push water to the opposite ends of the tank in an effort to keep detritus in the water column (have a AQUAC-Urchin on order). 
<Yes, Anthony's return manifold works great!> 
Does this sound like a feasible plan or would you recommend an alternative? 
<You could also use a pair of Maxi-jet 1200's to help as well.  Or try the Rio Seio...>  
I thank you in advance for you assistance.
<Good luck! Ryan>
John

How much water flow for a 72 gal?
Adam! Thanks for your response.
By 20L, I meant a 20 gallon long aquarium. Sorry for the confusion. << Okay, that sounds better. >>
Since then space constraints have limited me to a 15g refugium. Isn't 800gph in a 15 gallon refugium too much? Shouldn't I keep the flow low? << Well you don't want the water blowing all your algae around in your sump.  But on the other hand the refugium only helps out because it is connected to the main tank.  So to get benefits from it you need that water turning over. >>
BTW, I just ordered a Tunze stream 1600gph pump. I'm planning to have two Seio 620s on one end and the Tunze at the other -1600gph meeting 1200gph somewhere near the middle of the tank. The Tunze has a 2" outlet, and the Seio's 1.5" outlets. As a result the output velocities will be close.
I could use the Mag3 from the Remora Pro to pump water from the refugium to the display. With a 4' head it's good for at least 200gph, and the skimmer can be powered by a Quiet one 3000 rated at 780gph. << Sounds good. >> I hear these pumps don't like back-pressure and tend to overheat. Any truth to that? << All pumps have that problem, but if you are restricting the output and not the input I think you'll be fine. >>
This will result in a total flow of about 3600gph for a 72G. Is that too much for just Xenia and Capnella? And the fish? I worry about the clown...
<< You can never have too much flow. This sounds great. >>
Thank You for your time!
Narayan
<<  Blundell  >>

New tank
Hi! <Hey Claudia, MacL here today with you>
My cousin's tank crashed so he sold me his 450 Liter tank (120 Gal?).  The problem is that I need to make a sump for it for filtering purposes (to put the skimmer, activated carbon, etc...) but there is no space for the overflow because of the hood (worst case scenario I can cut the hood), also I have heard that some of these overflows don't work that good when there is a power out (there are lots of them here). I considered two powerheads of equal strength one to take the water from the main tank and one to return it but, question one: will the water flow for
these powerheads be the same? <The flow should be the same but the rate may differ because one is going up and one is going down.> or will they eventually differ because one of them has more pressure than the other (because they are at different heights). question two: what if one of them breaks down?  Somehow, this solution with the powerheads doesn't seem like a solution at all. Other than the overflow or a hole cut in the tank (impossible according to the glass expert) is there any other way I can have a sump? <I'm surprised a glass shop couldn't cut a hole in it. I've had pretty good success with overflows. You can use cut off valves.>
The way I have it on my 26Gal is that I had a hole cut in on of the corners which solved my problem and to me that is the safest way so far.
please help...
Cheers,
Claudia

Circulation confusion?
Hello Bob,
Thank you and your crew for all the past help. After spending many hours on your site I am not very happy with the set up my LFS sold me.<I am sorry to hear that.> I could have spent half the amount of money and had a much better set up. Oh well. I have a 90 gallon tank with a small external pump and two maxi jet 1200 for current. I have too many dead spots and think I'm really starting to upset the tank by trying to rearrange things every day for better water movement. So I decided to buy a larger external pump and see if I can do away with the ugly powerheads. ( I tried to hide them behind the live rock but then I don't get enough movement in front of the rock) My question what is the best way to set up my return lines? I am going to add another overflow box to the other side of the tank to handle the extra flow (pump is rated for 1,200 GPH). I can not set up a manifold system be cause I have a glass canopy. Do you think it would be better to run the return lines to opposite ends of the tank and point them together or use a deep spray bar? I have visited many LFS and they ALL seem to have the same setup. A couple of return lines from the main pump and power heads at the lower portion of the tank. Is that the only way to get total circulation? Thanks again.
<Hello, MikeB here to help today.  If you want to add another overflow that is good just make sure the sump can handle that type of water flow.  As far as the power heads go, here is what I suggest.  Purchase a large powerhead (Rio 2100 or larger) and put a tube and T section on the end of it.  Place the pump on the bottom under some live rock and then use the T section diverter to pump the water out from behind the live rock.  That will help with the circulation and the "dead spots".  Good Luck MikeB.>

Re: 375g setup
Hi Anthony,
<Out till 12/12>
Thanks for the tip - I will follow up with him. When you commented "you don't follow", I was asking if switching the 2 DSB's would have any effect or make a difference (i.e. Thalassia in the refugium with sugar fine sand and the Chaetomorpha with fine sand in the tank).
<Might indeed make a positive difference>
Also, I wondered if this was going to be quite enough tank turnover...other than sea-swirls is there anything else that can perform their function? With their 1" max input it's going to take a lot of them ($$$$). Would I just plumb some of the additional returns as "direct" and aim them away from any specimens to avoid uni-directional flow ?
           thanks,
              Greg
<Best to make, place a manifold of a few discharges... with one through-put to a few, or even an "over the top" arrangement to return water from a strong pump source outside this size system. Bob Fenner>

Flow rate
Is flow rate of a tank determined by the return pump?
<To the largest extent, yes>
I know that in order to keep the sump at a certain level, the drain line to the sump has to be larger than the return line, for example, a 1" drain with a 3/4" return.
<Yes> |
If this is true, does installing a pump with a larger flow rate increase the flow rate of the aquarium?
<Can, should, yes>
What is the recommended turnover rates for different types of aquarium setups?
<As a general "rule of thumb", more is better... ten, twenty times turnover for most all>
Thanks for the info. I am getting tired of working in my trade.
It has become very stressful and I do not enjoy it anymore.
<Very sorry to hear... but glad to realize that your awareness>
For the past 7 years I have been gratified with my aquariums and have been doing much research online with things pertaining to this hobby. In the past year I have been thinking of performing a slow (a little at a time) change in career to designing  and constructing acrylic aquariums, refugiums, wet/dry filters and terrariums. I  know I can do it and I know I would love it.
<Outstanding. Welcome to our trade. Bob Fenner>

Circulation problems
Adam!
  It's me again! One of my 3 SEIO 620 pumps died today -after a mere 3 months of operation. I just gave it a proper burial, and would like to do the same to the other 2 by the end of this year. These two are over 6 months old... First, I don't think with the swivel nozzle they were putting out anywhere near the claimed 620 gph output -about half that sounds reasonable.
Second they vibrate a lot. I have a bunch of dead spots in the rear corners of the aquarium with this scheme...
  My goal is to eliminate dead spots that are inherent with 2 power heads -very poor circulation just under the power heads... Plus I don't want noisy ugly powerheads anymore. I seem to have two choices.
Choice A: A pair of Tunze Turbelles stream pumps at either end of the aquarium, each rated at  1600gph. Sounds good on paper, but I may still have dead spots under the pumps and they will still be unsightly.
<< Yes, but dead spots aren't bad as long as you have a high volume flow and the surface of the water is moving. >>
Choice B: Manifold return with a 900gph Eheim pump - Maybe two of them in parallel -they cost about the same as the Turbelles. The problem here is that I have a 72G bow front tank and since they don't sell curved PVC pipes at Home depot, I won't have a closed loop! ...just an 'E' shaped manifold with the tubes running along the back and sides and one under the center brace! And the total circulation numbers will still be a lot less than the Tunze, especially since the Eheims will have a 5-3 foot head to work against. At this point they are down to 750 gph.
<< This is only partially true.  They have that 5 feet to work against, but they also have 5 feet of water above pushing down with positive force.  They lose (if built properly like a closed loop) very little pushing power.  I think a closed loop system is the way to go.  You don't need curved pipe, just build it like you would for any other tank. >>
Occupants are 1 Kole tang, 1 Ocellaris clown, 1 Fridmani Pseudo chromis, 2 Lysmata Amboinensis, 1 small xenia (in QT) and 1 Capnella (in QT), plus live rock critters.... No additions are planned, except maybe more Xenia if this one grows.
What do you think? As always, I'm grateful for your assistance.
<< I would check out some online diagrams and search for closed loop info. I think you'll be happy you did so. >>
Narayan
PS: If you are ever in the Rhode Island area, please feel free to call 401-886-XXXX...
<< Will do. Thanks >>
<<  Blundell  >>

Circulation problems continued....
Thanks Adam!
  My only concern with dead spots is that crap accumulates there, Cyano grows there and just below the surface the sand is black and smells like H2S. << Well it isn't bad for detritus to accumulate, nor for some Cyano to grow.  But the H2S is usually a bad sign.  So I'm surprised by that. >> With good flow all three don't happen. BTW, I'm replacing the Remora with a Remora Pro. Hope this helps with the Cyano without skimming too much. I want some dissolved organics for the desirable algae and coral. << Yes, it is good though to remove much of the nutrient load.  Having everything suspended (since you don't have dead spots) allows for good skimming action.  I'd also consider a filter sock.  I don't use one, but it may help here. >>
Narayan
<<  Blundell  >>

Will pumps kill pods from the refugium?
Thanks Adam! I'll pass on the dragonet. I still want to set up a refugium at some point though -it would be nice to have live food so I can leave the tank to take care of feeding the fish for days at a time when I go on trips.... << Yes refugia are wonderful. >> I just hadn't considered under the tank refugiums. Wouldn't the
pump kill the pods first before pumping them up to the display? << No, they go right through the pump.  I'd say 90% of refugia are under tanks with pumps pushing the water back up. >>
Narayan
<<  Blundell  >>

Circulation Question
Good Morning WWMC:<Good Afternoon>
After reading all the great articles on water circulation. I realized my pump may be under powered for my tank. I have a 90 gallon with a overflow box running off an Iwaki MD20rlxt (with two Rio 1200 power heads) I would like to upgrade my external pump and remove the ugly powerheads.<Ok, but what you have is sufficient.  Unless, you have a lot of fish (large bioload) in the tank.> I was considering a Pan World Magnetic water pump (1270 gph) or the Poseidon Titanium aquarium water pump (1225 gph Comes with a 1" barb fitting. Not sure how I would use that with my bulkhead fitting)). Do you have any suggestions or can you recommend a different pump? <I always considered Iwaki one the best.> Also would I have to increase the size of my overflow box to keep up with the pump? <I don't know the size of your overflow so I can't really answer that question.  But, probably you will have to increase it.>
Thanks again for all your help!
<No problem, one thing you should consider is the size of your sump.  It is possible to overwhelm the water flow through the sump and making it work inefficiently.  If you want to increase the water flow one suggestion would be to get a big pump (Rio 2100 or larger) and Tee it off in different directions in the tank.  It sounds like a good set up and

Surge device questions 10/26/04
I had written to Anthony before regarding my plans for a greenhouse. Two questions-
surge (like in the Borneman flush device) seems very inexpensive to do- and could be powered by air.  The energy cost would go down as the frequency of surge goes down. Is it really necessary to have frequent surge?  
<it is not necessary or even practical. They work poorly foremost when scaled down to hobbyist size applications (versus public aquaria size as wit Carlson surge devices). They wreak havoc on protein skimmers (from the variable water level) and create some dreadful salt creep to excess. Create simple random turbulent flow instead>
Would most of the benefits, in some cases, be obtained from a surge every few minutes, or even longer?
<a novelty if you ware willing to work for it>
also, regarding water movement by a blower- it seems like the movement would be just as efficient by open bubblers as with lifts, assuming the bubbles aren't too close to the corals and irritate them.  Why bother with lifts?
<allows for directional focus of the energy/flow>
Thanks! Charles Matthews
<kindly, Anthony

- Flow rate Discussion -
Hi,
I recently asked a local pet store about flow rates and such, and when it came time to discuss the sump and skimmer, he basically said that the amount of overflow from the tank into the sump is NOT that important, but rather how much water the skimmer can process. Is this correct? <Well... in one way, both are related... if a sump only sees 100 gallons in an hour and the skimmer can process 200 gallons an hour, then the skimmer's limiting factor is the flow rate of the tank.> In other words, he said that if a skimmer can only handle, lets say, 350 GPH, than this is all that is really required to flow from the tank into the sump. <Well... there's no harm done by moving more water through the sump and past the skimmer than the skimmer can process... there are other benefits to be had from high flow rates besides what the skimmer can provide.>
I have a 75 gallon reef and was worried that my flow was too low. I have 750 gph going into the sump, thru a Euro-reef CS6-1 skimmer and returned by a Mag 9.5. I also have 3 Rio Powerheads in the tank in which I am planning to get rid of once my OceanMotions quirt arrives....in which I will utilize it with another Mag 9.5 into a closed loop set up. (the OceanMotions squirt looks pretty awesome by the way...) <Am not familiar with this product but your current setup sounds like a 75g fish only I ran for quite a while... no worries.>
Is the local pet store correct in his assessment about skimmer/overflow volume? <Not exactly.>
I told the owner that I have been at your site almost every night reading and learning, and... this same local pet store advised me (while in a conversation) that I "Read too much and I should just listen to him as he has been doing salt water tanks for over 20 years"  How can a person read too much? <Well, I don't one can read too much... and I've been doing saltwater fish for roughly 20 years myself and I still barely know anything. I think it is possible for one to have one year of experience 20 years over which is very different from 20 years of growth and learning.>
Mike
oh....thanks by the way......great site. I just take you for granted these days. Sorry....
<Cheers, J -- >

- Saltwater Aquarium Questions, Extensive Follow-up -
Alright, I'm back for some more knowledge.  I must say this site is pretty incredible.  Every time I come to it for one reason, I end up finding something else that I might have wondered at one time, or discovering things that I might have been doing wrong all along, and the correct way to them.  Alas I am still left with a couple questions.  Just so you know, I'm doing my best to compile a list of questions to send at once instead of firing off every time one comes to mind. <Are you also doing your best to look through WetWebMedia for these answers? Chances are they are already there...> Hope this helps the burden I can imagine you are under for responses.
First, you mention that mixing the crushed coral and the live sand is your preferred substrate. <My "personal" preference, yes.> I hadn't even thought of that, so I did some looking up on the topic (www.wetwebmedia.com of course), and came across a bunch of different issues that I'm now faced with.  I read keeping the size of the substrate relatively similar was important.  Well, with crushed coral, wouldn't that automatically throw out Aragonite (spelling?)? <Crushed coral is aragonite... is an overloaded word that simply means calcium based. What most folks might consider "aragonite" might be a smaller grain size, but essentially is all the same stuff.> I looked at a bag of that in my LFS and it is like flour!  Would that still be an option? <Sure.> If so, I can definitely see is going straight to the bottom of the coral.  Wouldn't that be a bad thing? <Not necessarily.> Does size really matter....sand size? <Think some folks make a bigger deal out of it than necessary.> I also read that sand bagged with water is a bad choice, or not the best rather?  Agreed? <Is perhaps a waste of money, and hardly "live" as the label implies.> The live sand would also help buffer my low PH (7.7) right? <Any calcium based sand will help in the buffering department, it does not have to be live to provide this benefit.>
Then moving into the External Overflow.  I've been reading a lot about CPR Overflows since I don't have any holes in my tank.  Out of all that I read on this and the LifeReef version, I didn't see anything saying whether they are recommended or not. <Well... short of having holes drilled, you don't have many other options.> I know they wouldn't be above having an actual reef tank with the hole there, but as an alternative since I've already got my 125 gallons tank up and running. <Well... the presence of a drilled hole in a glass box doesn't necessarily make it a reef tank, it's more about the contents of the glass box.> I've read a lot about how they're going to flood the room if the power on the pump goes out. <Most of the good overflow boxes don't break siphon but do require regular maintenance to make sure this doesn't happen.> I thought it would automatically break the siphon and then start it again when the power is back on. <No... if the siphon breaks, then you're in trouble... the CPR has a fix for this by attaching a powerhead but I've see this system fail too. Best thing to do is have multiple overflows for redundancy.> Did I miss something? <Try to find one at a local fish store, once you see it, you will understand.> From what I can imagine, it would continue to flow water into the sump until the water level was below the intake from the tank.  As long as my sump is large enough to hold the difference right? <Correct.> The second issue I was reading about on these, was the sponge filter on the overflow growing bacteria in it. <It must be cleaned regularly.> How would this be a bad thing? <It could clog.> Wouldn't it just be doing what the canister filter is already doing in addition to what the water is going to go through when it reaches the bio-balls? <Canister filters must be cleaned too.>  Speaking of bio-balls, is there a recommended amount per gallon? <None if possible.>
Onto another topic, just to confirm what I've read.  It IS recommended to "blast" the live rock periodically with a power head to remove all the detritus (spelling again?) that has built up on it? <Could use a turkey baster... doesn't need to be "blasted" but dusted off would be fine.> I've noticed when I have to move a rock a small cloud of "debris" comes off, so curiously I pointed a power head at it, and wow.  If using the live rock as a filter media, I can imagine this building up over time, so would it be necessary to "rinse, or blast" it occasionally or will the "live" part of the rock take care of all that stuff? <Some but not all... regular maintenance is required.>  Either way I should probably get at least a couple crabs or shrimp right? <They typically won't keep the rock dust free.> A coral banded or a cleaner? <Cleaner would be best.> Think my dragon wrasse will leave them alone? <No, they will be a costly snack.>
My clown fish are still going at it. <You must separate them.> They've effectively torn the heck out of each others fins.  Which one do you think I should take out? <Your least favorite.> If I get a mated-mate to make the pair for my gold striped maroon clown, would he leave the percula (spelling still?) alone, or would both maroons go after the other one? <Probably the latter.> If I get rid of the maroon I can have more than 2 percula's though right? <Yes.> The other way around doesn't work though right, only 2 maroons at a time? <Maroon clowns are classic bullies, and if they don't mate up you may be stuck with only one.>
One more.  I might be moving into a house so of course everything will have to be torn down and then reset in the house.  This is theoretically (spelling) going to kill/change most of the bacterial organisms living in the tank.  It will be close to a completely new set up in the house right? <Depending on the duration of the move, it is quite possible to have your tank up and running without having to re-cycle it.> Meaning that if I manage to successfully transport my livestock, they'll go into shock when I replace them in their homes.  Am I right? <Only if you are careless or haphazard.> Do you have any recommendations for this process? <Please read the FAQs on Wet Web Media... many Q&As on moving tanks.>
Ok I lied, a couple more.  I don't know how able you guys are to give personal opinions on specific brands, but does the Seaclone 150 skimmer suck? <Well, essentially any answer I give is a personal opinion. So for that matter, any skimmer is better than none - are there better skimmers than a SeaClone? Absolutely.> I have had it setup now for almost 3 weeks and I don't think it's produced anywhere near a full cup of waste yet. <All tanks are different but this is a notoriously low-yield skimmer.> My tank cannot be that clean, however, what it has produced, has completely removed the brown algae from the glass.  Something my lazy snails have never come close to doing.
I know it is highly improbable that'll you'll know off the top of your head from a description, but it's worth a shot, especially if it's bad.  On parts of several pieces of live rock, I have this clear "gel" looking substance forming, even balling up in one place looking like a white cactus.  My dragon wrasse always kicks up some coral which some lands on rock and sits for a while.  Well this gel has engulfed and completely formed on top of the crushed coral preventing it from falling off now.  Sound like anything familiar? <Could be one of any number of things.> I'm only running about 80 watts of 12K actinic light, which is still getting the coralline going, but not nearly enough light for corals.  There's also 2 clam like things in a little crevice of my live rock that just sit there and open and close, like it's eating particles that float by it.  No way it's a clam right? <Could be a bivalve of some type... could be a barnacle.> One never opens but the other is constantly doing that.  They're about the size of a shirt button.
Alright, I'm sure I've kept you on your toes enough for one day.  My apologies for the lengthy battery of questions, but once I start, like I said, I just keep finding more and more things that I'm curious about and wanting to expand my knowledge on, even if they don't pertain to my setup.  I'm even thinking of taking a marine biology course.  Sound helpful? <I wouldn't hurt although most 100-level marine biology classes are especially difficult as it's meant to weed out individuals who aren't super-dedicated to the subject matter. Ask around before you spend the money.> Maybe even a part time job at a LFS or Sea World! <That would probably provide much more practical knowledge and experience.> Sounds fun now.  What kind of requirements do you think they'd have? <Depends at which one you apply... Sea World will most likely be more discriminating but both will likely welcome individuals with enthusiasm and a desire to work.> Well thanks again for the help in advance.  I can definitely speak for EVERYONE when I say it is greatly appreciated and gives great peace of mind on some issues.  We're just trying to raise the little ones (fishes) the best we can.  They grow up so fast these days....oh sorry.  The End.
<Cheers, J -- >

Going For Flow! (Circulation Ideas)
Hi,
<Hi there! Scott F. with you today!>
First....thanks for "being there".
<You're quite welcome! We're thrilled to be here for you!>
My question is this. I have a 75 gallon tank in which I currently only have 120 Fiji rock, a blue mushroom rock, and a single Spotted Hawk...(cool little guy)  My rock is cured, the water has cycled, and is begging to be stocked...I'm rarin' to go...but have a concern about flow.
I have a single Mag 9.5 supplying a manifold (thanks Anthony) with 5 water outlets. Pretty good flow.
<The manifold concept is a great idea!>
The overflow is a lone 1" hole drilled in the back of the tank (glass) going down into a 30 gallon sump/refugium with a Euro-reef skimmer. Also, in the display tank are 2 Rio 800's (200 gph each) on opposing sides creating turbulence,  and a Rio 400 circulating the water behind the LR.   I'd like to "lose" the Rio's in favor of a closed loop system which brings me to my query....
  First...is the water flow adequate for an "all purpose" (livestock has yet to be determined...I'm learning about this) reef with maybe a few fish?  After reading your site...I feel it is borderline at best.
<I'd shoot for 20 times plus tank capacity for good all-purpose circulation...Some SPS freaks go for 30, 40, or even 50 times per hour!>
So, here is my thought...
I unhook the Mag 9.5 from the manifold which is coming from the sump, use a SCWD device instead to feed 2 supply lines  to the tank, one in each corner facing front.  And since I have the manifold already in place, I could get another Mag 9.5 or some such equivalent pump (your thoughts on pump size here please) and use it with the manifold.
<Good thought. Perhaps a MAG 12 would give you a little extra flow with a minimal additional investment>
Does this sound like a plan? Or...should I leave the manifold as it is with the water from the sump...and use the SCWD device on the closed loop?
<It sounds like a fine idea to me. The nice thing about the SCWD is that it does not use any additional electricity!>
I am searching for the most efficient method. Currently, adding it all up, as it sits...1 Mag 9.5, 2 Rio 800, and 1 Rio 400 equal roughly 1300 GPH (assuming the Mag 9.5 is putting out 800 gph with head height figured in) Thanks so much....
Mike in KC
<Your scheme sounds fine, Mike. If you're like me, and you can't handle lots of powerheads and stuff in the tank, you may want to consider powerful external powerheads, such as Tunze Turbelles. Yes, they are not cheap, but you can get up to 960 gph out of one pump with really low electrical consumption, and amazing reliability! Alternatively, you could employ a set of Tunze Streams (internal), and just get INSANE flow (up to 3200 gph per unit)...Again- very expensive, but easy to use and seriously powerful. Lots of options. Perhaps the easiest option of all is to modify that manifold to have a few more outlets, and use a more powerful pump...Do a little chatting with other hobbyists to see what they've done. You'll find that there is no one "right" way to do this, but a lot of cool ideas. Good luck! Regards, Scott F.>

Goin' For Flow (Pt. 2)
Scott,
<Hi there!>
Thank you for such a timely response.
<You're quite welcome!>
I guess I've confused myself though...so maybe to clear things up in my mind, I'll re-phrase the question in a more simple manner?!?  Here goes.... You think it would be better to unhook the Mag 9.5 from the manifold and use the manifold for a closed loop utilizing a Mag 12? Then, use the existing
Mag 9.5 in the sump to return the water with a SCWD inline with 2 returns....
<Yes. I really like that configuration/idea!>
Would you place 2 returns in each back corner facing approximately 45 degrees to center? Colliding at the front of the tank...??
<Good idea. I like the idea of currents and flow converging at some point in the tank to create chaotic flow.>
How does the water behind the LR get circulated adequately? I left about an inch and a half from the back glass to leave room for flow. Simply aim a manifold fitting or 2 back there?
<A good idea. You'll also be surprised how effectively the water can move into all different corners of the aquarium when rockwork permits, and when the flow is chaotic...>
Have you heard of anyone using a OceanMotions Squirt instead of a SCWD? here is a link: http://www.oceansmotions.com/
<I have a friend who uses the OceansMotions units and loves them. Both devices have their fans and detractors. I'd choose the one that is most easily adaptable to your situation.>
The cost is way more than a SCWD....so I was wondering if it was worth the investment?
<Again- both are great units...I'm a Sea Swirl fan myself, but there are many ways to accomplish flow. It's really a matter of figuring out both your budget and the requirements of your animals, and working from there.>
Thanks Scott...I really want to set this up right so my animals will thrive right out of the gate....
<I think that you're on the right track! With the good planning that you've done thus far, you're going to be successful! I really think that either of these devices will work well for you! Good luck! Regards, Scott F>

Need more circulation?
First of all Thank-you for such a wonderful informing site, I've spent hours reading and thinking "Oh that's what I did wrong" when I initially set up my 30 gal reef (softies and zoos). Now to my reason for writing. I have a 125 gal. (up and running for 6 weeks), 2" of crushed coral topped with 3" of Florida live sand and 240 lbs. of Florida LR (all covered with the wonderful specimens that inhabit the gulf). Filtration is through a 60 gal converted tank that I baffled and partitioned, skimming is done with an Aqua-C 240 with a Dolphin 1200 pump, about 1/3 is partitioned off with 3" of crushed coral, 3" of Florida live sand and 1" of Kent Bio-sediment and 30 lbs. of live rock. I also have a CPR hang on refugium with 1lb. of Mineral mud and 1/2" of Florida live sand. Lighting is 3 250 watt 12000k sunburst and 2 96 watt actinic, sump has 2 55 watt PC and refugium has fluorescent only.
<< Sounds great.  I think this is just what I would have advised on all areas. >>
For livestock I have various types of encrusting sponges, native corals and anemones, sea squirts, feather dusters, Christmas tree worms and several types of macro algae and sea weed and a lot more that is indigenous to the Gulf. I have added a Candycane coral, green open brain, birds nest, cats paw, green bubble and white bubble coral, and a couple of mushrooms and gorgonians. Fish are yellow tang, powder blue tang, Fiji Foxface, sailfin blenny, orange diamond goby (loves the substrate), Mandarin goby (rock is covered in copepods and he has a full belly), one black and one orange false perculas. Cleaner shrimp, coral banded shrimp, 30 hermits, 30 Astrea snails, 3 emerald crabs and 10 olives snails (sand sifters), spiny oyster (home to the mushrooms)
My return is at 930 - 940 gph through a sea swirl, 2 power heads at 240 gph each and a W2k wavemaker rated at 4000 gph and a small amount from the hang on refugium. Will this be ample circulation for sps or should I consider increasing the overflow and return? or adding a manifold? << You don't need more flow from the sump, but adding a closed loop or just powerheads in the tank is probably a good idea. >>
<<  Blundell  >>

Flow rates 10/14/04
I add my many thanks to a great website and source of information.
<much appreciation>
I am planning a 70g reef tank for invert (soft corals) and fish and 30 g sump. It appears I need between 700 - 1400 gals per hour.
<a good/safe range indeed>
I plan to build a "Calfo" manifold on the return for circulation. My question is the number and size of the drain(s) from the overflow and return pipes to be able to achieve that flow with a good pump;
<it depends on what you have access to and/or want for bulkhead sizes. Three to five 1" bulkheads... or two to three 2" bulkheads, etc. Simply see what you can get drilled then obey the manufacturers rec's on flow rates>
how many and what diameter pipes do I need for water to drain from the tank to sump through the overflow.
<drill enough 1" or 2" bulkheads to safely handle 2000 gph to be safe here>
I am thinking of the Oceanic 72g bow, but it has one 1" pipe from the overflow to the sump and a 3/4" diameter pipe for the return.
<beautiful tanks... but staggeringly undersized drainage for reef tanks to be healthy IMO>
Oceanic tells me that their one inch drain pipe going to the sump from the overflow can handle 1000 gph (?).
<I frankly don't see how that's possible. 300-600 is the normally accepted range... and even the high end of that is scary (high and noisy)>
The WWM FAQ have quoted 300 or 600 gal/h for a 1 inch pipe.
<indeed... do look at some of the calculators on big message boards for this (practical info) and again - do trust the actual bulkhead mfg rec's>
I do not want to buy a reef tank that will not allow the proper circulation. Should I use two 1 inch drain pipes from the overflow(s) in order to get the 700 -1400gph flow rate or should I use a larger drain pipe(s).
<I am certain two 1" bulkheads will not be able to handle that flow quietly if it even can at all (flooding)>
Also (sorry) should the total diameter of the drain pipes be equal to the total diameter of the return pipe lead from the pump?
<no... the return is/will be smaller>
Thank you for your help. I am starting the new book by Calfo and Fenner. Chris
<thanks kindly :) And do look into a local aquarium club for additional support and the chance to see some local tanks in action. Much information and experience to learn from in such places. Reefcentral.com has an extensive list of reef clubs. kindly, Anthony>

Circulation Query
I read all 7 Circulation FAQs (amongst many, many others), and found a few that were close to my setup, but I could use a little reassurance (My reef seems to teeter totter on the edge of destruction, or at least my fear is that). This site is a wealth of knowledge, and the whole crew's reposes are a joy to read and a good smile! Please comment on any spots you see I need improvement.
I have a 37g (30x12x22) with 45lbs Fiji rock, CC substrate, 3 Spotted Cardinals, 1 yellow goby, Emerald Crab, Arrow Crab, assortment of snails/hermits, a green brain (on the substrate) and a Hammer coral (on the top 3rd of the rock). In addition I have a mechanical filter that I run only when needed (320gph), an internal Berlin 60 protein skimmer, and 65wPC 10000k/Actinic combo. I read much about circulation, and so I picked up 2 maxi-jet 1200s yesterday and placed them in apposing corners to up the flow ante. I have them apposing, and seems to create a nice random chaotic flow on the hammer. It is not being beat down, but it gets a good whiff every 10-15 seconds. The Brain also seems to jiggle on occasion.
But WOW with almost 16x turnover, this tank looks like Hurricane season in the tropics (Which has been accurate for this year). The fish have been pretty wide eyed since I placed the new power heads into battle. I assume they will adjust, but for this small of a tank, am I asking for trouble? Seems like feeding with that much circulation would be un-doable; I guess I should cut them off at feeding time?
Also please, any tips on methods and times for feeding the Brain coral and the Hammer (I've been dosing DT). What do I look for? The brain seems to have shrunk in size. I placed a piece of raw shrimp on one of the mouths of the brain, but it didn't do anything with it. As for the Hammer, where and when do I feed it?
Be chatting, ;)
Billy
Dallas, TX
>>>Hello Billy,
I'm a bit confused. On one hand you say your hammer coral isn't being "hammered" by the current, and on the other hand you compare it to a hurricane? The bottom line is that if your tank inhabitants are not being stressed, it's not too much current. I'm not in front of your tank observing things, so only you can make this call. Euphyllia (hammers, torches, frogspawns) do not like strong, direct current. You will get better polyp extension in mild currents. If it's tentacles are half retracted, it's too much.
Fish are usually not an issue in this area, although there are exceptions.
Euphyllia will take direct feedings, but you have to experiment with food types. Some will take silversides, other's will not. Some will take shrimp, etc. Just drop the food item in the tentacles once a week or so. They don't eat phyto.
Cheers
Jim<<<

Circulation Clarity
Hi crew,
<Scott F. your Crew member tonight!>
Who might be looking at this question today? Awesome, I know everybody there is more than fully capable of easing my mind and I thank you. I am trying to understand something about powerhead placement and what one is trying to achieve. I have a 38 gallon tank with two Maxijet 1200 running. I have them positioned opposing each other, so I believe I have random turbulent flow.
The surface of the water is nicely agitated. My question is about how to tell if I have them positioned right so I have no dead spots. how would I know for sure?
<Well, one of my favorite ways is to throw in a pinch of frozen food and see "where it goes". A very easy way to observe your flow patterns.>
Would I see slight movement of the sand in all areas?
<That depends upon where the flow is directed. If you have powerheads bouncing flow off of the front glass, you will probably see some disruption of sand. Otherwise, a more reliable method is the one I described above>
Or am I mainly concerned about moving the water and try to leave the sand still?
<That is my goal!>
To me-I feel more comfortable when I see the sand gently moving a little, but the sand eventually settles and finds a home to sit still so its hard to see if the flow is still there.
<Well, if sand is moving and settling- you've definitely got some flow in there. It may simply be randomized, swirling around in different areas, broken up by rockwork, etc.>
I really don't like to have to move the powerhead nozzles all the time to know for sure. I really don't want to get involved with a wavemaker for this small tank and I believe that I have enough circulation in there with 15+ turnover per hour with just the powerheads alone. I attached a little diagram showing the layout of the PH's. Have I got it more or less correct?
<As long as you don't have laminar flow blasting the tissue off of corals, you're on the right track!>
The main reason for asking this is that I have some Diatoms building up on the sand and glass, and with the Aqua-C remora skimmer going (which right now is only producing white-ish foam not the dark coffee colored stuff yet as the tank is quite young)
<Give it time and some adjusting- it will pull dark colored skimmate even in a relatively "clean" tank...>
and I want to make as extremely hard as I can to give the diatoms and blue-green algae a loosing battle. Hope you can help and thank you.
Cheers
Mike
<The diatoms are generally caused by silicate in your source water. This can best be addressed by pre-treating your source water with an RO/DI unit with a high silicate rejection membrane. Circulation will definitely help with other forms of nuisance algae, but there is simply no substitute for high water quality, both with source water and in the system. You have a great approach here- get in the habit of performing good, routine maintenance procedures: Keep the skimmer well adjusted, clean, and productive, make regular water changes with quality source water, etc. Good luck! Regards, Scott F.>

To Flow or not to flow 9/13/04
Hello to the WetWebMedia Crew!
<cheers :)>
You have been so helpful with all the other little bumps I have hit I decided you would be the first people I ask for a recommendation on flow improvement. I have an 80 gallon AGA 48"X18"X21"tall and I am upgrading it to handle SPS.  I currently run a MAK4 (1120 GPH-head loss-SCWD loss=?) from my sump to a SCWD (squid) up to two sets of Loc line jets on each side of the tank.  The flow was fine for softies but I worry it will not be enough to keep my SPS happy.  
<agreed... garden reefs need about 10-20X water flow... but SPS tanks generally need a minimum of 20X. So... your 80 gallon tank needs at least 1600 gph... closer to 2000 gall would be nice>
I have considered a spray bar but have heard stories of frequent cleanings and increased backpressure leading to burst return pipes.  
<true>
I was wondering What you would recommend to boost/maximize my flow?   
<please do check out: http://wetwebmedia.com/pbh2oret.htm>
Do you recommend Sea Swirls?  
<yes... they are very fine products>
If I could avoid another couple hundred dollars in pumps that would be sweet as my new hood broke the bank!  Any suggestions would be much appreciated!
<the above link is a very inexpensive and effective means of delivering water flow. Best regards, Anthony>

How much flow for a 38 gal?
Hi guys,
I never get tired of reading and reading as much information as I can on you site. I have a 38 gallon FOWLR tank 12 X 36. Aqua-C remora Skimmer with MJ1200, Aquaclear 150 and 200 running. I have two powerheads, one Maxijet 1200 and one Maxijet 400. I have great circulation without having a sand storm and the water surface is nicely agitated. the powerheads are located high in the two top back corners facing the center front-ish of the tank which seems to provide some degree of current everywhere in the tank. I added my first fish. A false Percula Clown. He seems to be in good spirits and is checking almost everything out but has an affinity for the back of the tank behind a rock. I found him the following morning up by the top of the heater in the back corner. << Doesn't it seem like they always do that. >> I can only assume its because there isn't as much water flow there because the temperature is great 79-80. He also seems to have great difficulty swimming through the direct flow of the MJ1200. I am wondering if I have to much in there for him. I do have a second MJ400 which I use for my pre-mixing tub that I could replace the 1200 with. do you think it would be a good Idea to lesson the water flow or should I stay with the MJ1200. << No, you can't have too much flow. >> He seems to relax a bit when I turn off the MJ1200 and leave the other 400 on only but I don't think that's enough circulation in the long run. Any suggestions or should I just leave things as they are and let him get used to things and learn to ride the flow? << Yep do that. Just leave it all alone. >> In a nut shell, Do I stay with MJ1200 and MJ400 Powerheads that are in there now. Or would two MJ400's be sufficient for circulation. 
Thanks for all your help << The more circulation the better. >>
Mike
<< Blundell >>