I recently set up a 75 gallon aqueon tank. How important is the turnover into the sump and back for a tank this size? i have a Sicce Syncra Pro 1000 gph return pump but it is set at its lowest speed only because the tank is in my bedroom and I am doing everything I can to limit noise. Its very quiet at its lowest setting but quite loud with the vibrations at its highest setting. But feeling the return it doesnt seem like very much water is coming out of it, so the lowest setting is probably around 400 gph i would guess. I have one Skimz ss18 powerhead rated for 4800 gph and one Skimz ss6 rated for 1600 pgh so I think I have very strong flow within the tank. Is that more important than turnover into the sump? I recently got my refugium going and it dropped my nitrates from 20 to 5 in about a week, so it seems like that and the skimmer are still able to take care of the tank. Is there a downside to having poor turnover but strong powerheads? I have ten fish but no coral yet since its only about a month old, but I plan on having a mixed reef. Any thoughts?
How important is return pump flowrate?
- Thread starter eacass02
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JCTReefer
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I would say you’re right in line with a lot of people’s flow rate through the sump. Right at 5 times tank volume per hour. Most shoot for about 3-5 times. I have about 4 times turnover per hour through my sump. Now if you add in the total GPH circulation wise in the the tank, I’m at about 40 times per hour. My tank is LPS/softie dominated. Flow is definitely important for your Corals and overall system health. Just depends on what you’re going to be keeping really. Sps dominate tanks tend to fair better with High flow. Rock layout makes a difference too. We want to avoid any dead spots of course. Keep detritus suspended. As long as you have good turn over in the tank, I don’t think it necessary to have huge amounts of flow through the sump. That’s just my 2 cents!! 
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JCTReefer
Valuable Member
Here you go!!!
www.reef2reef.com
Large Build - POLL- Return pump flow?
how much return flow are you aiming for? With variable pumps, it seems like I am always aiming for higher flow. But I’m not sure I need 3000gph that my Vectra L1 can crank out. (I’m not counting losses in head pressure or elbows and such). Just trying to make a point. I’ve heard everything...
www.reef2reef.com
Sicce indeed do make noise, they are an AC pump and by no means the "dead silent" pump that many claim. However is yours touching the glass, is the tubing transferring vibrations to the glass or cabinet, these things will amplify the AC pump hum.
mfinn
likes zoanthids
Tanks will do just fine at 10x the tank volume to 3x the tank volume.
I prefer the area around 5x. Give or take a little.
IMO the slower flow works for me. I have a ton of flow in the tank so any uneaten food, detritus is in the water column and is transferred to the sump where it can settle and is in one spot to be removed during water changes.
Slower flow is quieter, depending on the pump of course.
Fast or slow or inbetween, it all works. Make it work for you.
I prefer the area around 5x. Give or take a little.
IMO the slower flow works for me. I have a ton of flow in the tank so any uneaten food, detritus is in the water column and is transferred to the sump where it can settle and is in one spot to be removed during water changes.
Slower flow is quieter, depending on the pump of course.
Fast or slow or inbetween, it all works. Make it work for you.
