HOB filter return flow?

[King_Acidic]

So I went to my barber yesterday and while I was getting my haircut we were talking about saltwater aquariums (he has 150+g in the shop with 75g sump) and we ended up talking about filtration. On all of my freshwater tanks, I've tended to over filter them just to be safe and I mentioned to him that I was thinking that I might do the same with my first saltwater build. I've pretty much settled on the idea of a Seachem Tidal and was thinking of using the 70g version from the start but my barber pointed out that the return flow from the 70g version might be a bit too much for a 29g setup. Anyone ever had too much return flow from a HOB?

 

[ShepherdReefer]

The way I read this, the barber is saying that the 70-gallon sump has too much flow for the 29-gallon tank? The sump has nothing to do with flow only the return pump. Most say that you need 10-times the flow of your tank but I know many others who only use 5-times. 29x5=145 gph. I could be reading this wrong...hopefully, not.

 

[vetteguy53081]

Shouldn’t be an issue as long as return pump isn’t distributing more water than is coming in

 

[King_Acidic]

The way I read this, the barber is saying that the 70-gallon sump has too much flow for the 29-gallon tank? The sump has nothing to do with flow only the return pump. Most say that you need 10-times the flow of your tank but I know many others who only use 5-times. 29x5=145 gph. I could be reading this wrong...hopefully, not.

The75g sump is on his tank in the shop. He's been into SW tanks for about 10+ years so we occasionally will discuss tanks and such while he is cutting. He basically said that the waterfall effect from the 70g HOB that I'm planning to use on my 29g might be a bit too much flow for a 29g tank and that it might injure some corals and such.

 

[Rubberfrog]

The way I read this, the barber is saying that the 70-gallon sump has too much flow for the 29-gallon tank? The sump has nothing to do with flow only the return pump. Most say that you need 10-times the flow of your tank but I know many others who only use 5-times. 29x5=145 gph. I could be reading this wrong...hopefully, not.

OP is talking about a HOB filter, sized for a 70 gallon, on his 29 gallon aquarium.

How many GPH is the HOB rated for?

 

[King_Acidic]

OP is talking about a HOB filter, sized for a 70 gallon, on his 29 gallon aquarium.

How many GPH is the HOB rated for?

350 GPH with adjustable flow control. Here's the exact one I was looking at: https://www.bulkreefsupply.com/tidal-75-hob-power-filter-seachem.html

 

[Rubberfrog]

350 GPH with adjustable flow control. Here's the exact one I was looking at: https://www.bulkreefsupply.com/tidal-75-hob-power-filter-seachem.html

Pros and cons
Con: That is more than 10x turnover, but that's not necessarily a bad thing.
Pro: The flow out of that will be nice and wide, not a narrow jet stream shooting across the tank.

 

[King_Acidic]

Pros and cons
Con: That is more than 10x turnover, but that's not necessarily a bad thing.
Pro: The flow out of that will be nice and wide, not a narrow jet stream shooting across the tank.

I definitely don't want a jet stream shooting across the tank. (Currently trying to resolve the same issue on my 55g freshwater as it seems to keep some of the smaller fish towards the bottom of the tank rather than being able to free swim the whole tank. Never had that issue with the previous canister filter I was running that had a raindrop sprayer bar.) What situations would make a more than 10x turnover a bad thing?

 

[Rubberfrog]

You could have a million x turnover and be ok, if your fish can handle the flow. Some fish don't like that much flow, some coral don't like it, etc. You wont have the same flow in every area of your tank though.

 

[King_Acidic]

You could have a million x turnover and be ok, if your fish can handle the flow. Some fish don't like that much flow, some coral don't like it, etc. You wont have the same flow in every area of your tank though.

Got it. I think based on the other hardware I have in mind along with the depth of the 29g, I should be safe with the 70g filter.

 

[Rubberfrog]

Be sure to keep us posted on how it turns out. Your experience can help someone else make this same decision in the future.

 

[King_Acidic]

I definitely will!