60 gal cube flow question...

[Fenzinna]

I currently have a 60gal cube with a 950gph return pump and a wp25 in it. I have three corals in the tank one being a birds nests, one a red monti cap, and a rock with a few mushrooms on it. Yesterday I noticed that my bird's nest had some brown diatom/slime in the center accompanied by a few bubbles.

Based on this, it would appear that I'm not getting enough flow through out the tank. However, when I run my wp25 on ELSE mode, I bare bottom whatever corner the flow is closest to and I'm not thrilled with it.

Does my flow suffice without being on else and just stick with the current set up or should I pick up a few rw4s or even an 8 or combination of each to help get better distribution of flow without blowing a sand storm?

 

[mcarroll]

Can you post a tank pic that shows your return and flow pump placement?

 

[swayd]

I have a 60g cube with 800gph return, wp-25 (90%), mp10 (90%) and tunze 6045. I still feel like I dont have enough flow in my tank for SPS.

 

[Fenzinna]

Can you post a tank pic that shows your return and flow pump placement?

I will tonight. But the return comes from the overflow in the back right corner and is directed towards the front left.
WP25 is in the back left corner and is pointed towards the front right corner.

I have a 60g cube with 800gph return, wp-25 (90%), mp10 (90%) and tunze 6045. I still feel like I dont have enough flow in my tank for SPS.

Are you bare bottom? That's my main concern. I'm blowing a whole corner bare.

 

[swayd]

No I have about 2-3 inches of sand. I had the same problem but you have to find the perfect angles so that your sand doesn't end up everywhere. I'm sure you have a few dead spots so I would probably get another wp-25 IMO especially if you plan on keeping SPS.

 

[Aqua fire/medic]

I have 2 mp-10 set at 80% reefcrest. Both on the same side with my return on the opposite. I've had no problems with sps, all though I think one more pump would be perfect.

 

[mcarroll]

I will tonight. But the return comes from the overflow in the back right corner and is directed towards the front left.
WP25 is in the back left corner and is pointed towards the front right corner.


Are you bare bottom? That's my main concern. I'm blowing a whole corner bare.

Flow sources are only half the story (at best) - definitely post the pic.

Speaking hypothetically about an empty tank...

Having your flow sources "cross" will create dead zones and turbulence, which also reduces potential flow in "live" zones. If I were limited to your current flow sources, I'd pick another way to distribute your return flow that interfered less with your main flow pump. What might that mean? Maybe building a spray bar for the return. Maybe running both pumps alternately instead of simultaneously. Etc. The idea (and ideal) is for each pump to be allowed to have it's maximum potential. (If not, then to a degree one pump is literally working against the other.)

That's just useful theory though...what is "correct" all depends on your tank's specifics. It's true without a doubt that as your tank grows in, turbulence and the number of dead zones will naturally increase and you will very likely need more flow sources.

 

[kevantheman35]

I just bought a sicce 3.0 return pump for my 60 cube 714gph. I hope I didn't go to low. The overflow on the deepblue tanks is only rated for 600gph

 

[Onebaldman]

Unless you are talking about a true nano (To me, 20g and below), the return pump is just to cycle water back up to the tank. Yes, it does provide some water movement but not in a way that would truly benefit corals.

I have a shallow cube with 3 MP10s and a Jebao DC-9000 return pump. Before I reset my tank, I had a sand bed that "looked" good because it was finer sand but it would get blown around in the corners. When I did the reset, I went back with aragonite sand and it stays put while still being pleasing to the eye and small enough for sand shifters.

As for the flow in my tank, I'm running my MP10s at 60% max and that's only for a short amount of time. Mostly they run at 40% but cycle through different flows. What SPS I have in my tank are happier than they ever have been with less flow.

Just my 2 cents.

 

[mcarroll]

I just bought a sicce 3.0 return pump for my 60 cube 714gph. I hope I didn't go to low. The overflow on the deepblue tanks is only rated for 600gph

To service your skimmer, filters, et cetera, your return flow for a 60 gallon tank only needs to be in the 120gph-240gph range. (Actual, measured flow - including all plumbing. Not the pump's rating.)

FWIW, 600gph is the rating on the drain, which means up to 600gph won't cause a big problem. It does not mean that you should try to run 600gph through it.

In general, once you get north of 50% flow on a gravity drain, noise starts to become an issue...possibly bubbles too. Maybe other issues.

So, it's not necessary and can even be detrimental to run too much flow through your sump. At minimum, it's most definitely wasteful in that a cheaper (smaller) pump could do the job.

Unless you are talking about a true nano (To me, 20g and below), the return pump is just to cycle water back up to the tank. Yes, it does provide some water movement but not in a way that would truly benefit corals.[...]

Right-on. (Great sig!)

 

[kevantheman35]

To service your skimmer, filters, et cetera, your return flow for a 60 gallon tank only needs to be in the 120gph-240gph range. (Actual, measured flow - including all plumbing. Not the pump's rating.)

FWIW, 600gph is the rating on the drain, which means up to 600gph won't cause a big problem. It does not mean that you should try to run 600gph through it.

In general, once you get north of 50% flow on a gravity drain, noise starts to become an issue...possibly bubbles too. Maybe other issues.

So, it's not necessary and can even be detrimental to run too much flow through your sump. At minimum, it's most definitely wasteful in that a cheaper (smaller) pump could do the job.




Right-on. (Great sig!)

Where are you getting the 120-240 number from? just curious. I was planning on running close to 500 through this system. If I could run that much lower I may be able to run my manifold off the same pump

 

[CausticGuy]

I just bought a sicce 3.0 return pump for my 60 cube 714gph. I hope I didn't go to low. The overflow on the deepblue tanks is only rated for 600gph

I'm running a Sicce 2.0 on my 60. It seems to just fine. Most recommend lower flow through the sump so all that water doesn't pass by your reactors, skimmer, etc.

 

[mcarroll]

Where are you getting the 120-240 number from? just curious. I was planning on running close to 500 through this system. If I could run that much lower I may be able to run my manifold off the same pump

As a rule of thumb, your sump flow can match your skimmer's water flow. (Which varies with air flow on most skimmers.) Unfortunately, not many mfr's publish this number (a notable few do though!) so you may have to figure out a way to measure yours, or guestimate.

If you have to guess, in general, this flow rate fits the equation of 2x-4x your display volume. (Or should.)

500gph-900gph pumps will generally do the job for most medium/small size tanks, depending on how simple/crazy your plumbing is, but it pays to use one of the online head-loss calculators to at least make a close guess.

 

[Fenzinna]

Hmm... So then my return is too much? I have a dc3000 as well that I could slap on their instead.

 

[mcarroll]

Hmm... So then my return is too much? I have a dc3000 as well that I could slap on their instead.

Have you checked a head-loss calculator, or can you describe your plumbing? Be specific: how many 90°'s, how many feet, size adapters, etc.

 

[Fenzinna]

I have not but there aren't any 90s. It's all flexible tubing. There is 1 90 at the top of the return into the tank.

 

[Fenzinna]

Sorry... the return goes up maybe 4.5ft.

 

[mcarroll]

How about tubing size and any adapters?

 

[Fenzinna]

heres a picture of the sump. Return is clear and overflow is the larger solid gray tube. There is a t that I have open that loops back to first chamber.

 

[mcarroll]

Sicce pump specs

It's a little hard to tell what's going on in that sump pic, but I'd feel comfortable assuming six to seven feet of head-loss - 5' of lift + 2' for plumbing/friction loss.

According to that chart, the 3.0 in your scenario should be delivering just over 500 gph - about double the max you should need.

If you throttle the Sicce down to about 50% output* you'll save power and probably be fine with this pump.

They don't make a next-size-down from the looks of it (the 2.0 delivers only 66 gph in your scenario), so I can't suggest a better model.

* You'd have to be able to measure the actual flow to know. It's not too difficult for me to measure my drain water - YMMV.