Turnover rate too high?

[rnegrette]

We're still in the process of getting our new tank set up the way we want it before fully stocking it, and I have a question about flow / turnover rate. Right now, I think we might have too much flow. Tank and equipment list:

• Waterbox Marine X 90.3 (60g display + 30g sump)
• Jebao DCP-10000 return pump (1720-2640 GPH)
• 2x Jebao SLW-30 (3400 GPH each)

We have both wavemakers and the return pump dialed down to the absolute lowest settings. I don't know what the minimum GPH is on the SLW-30s, but let's guesstimate it's 50% of max. So we're at 3400 GPH total for the wavemakers, plus 1720 GPH for the return, which puts us at 5120 GPH total. That's roughly 57x turnover for 90gal. Is this too much?

 

[blaxsun]

Yes. You typically want a return pump turnover of 3-5x and 10-20x for wavemakers. So 270-450Gph for the return pump and 900-1800Gph (total) for both of the wavemakers. Keep in-mind that these aren't set numbers - only suggested guidelines. Some tanks will do just fine with more turnover and flow - others not so much.

 

[rnegrette]

Yes. You typically want a return pump turnover of 3-5x and 10-20x for wavemakers. So 270-450Gph for the return pump and 900-1800Gph (total) for both of the wavemakers. Keep in-mind that these aren't set numbers - only suggested guidelines. Some tanks will do just fine with more turnover and flow - others not so much.

Thanks for the input! I might have to start looking into swapping at least some of this out.

 

[X-37B]

I run sump turnover at 2-3 times tank volume.
In tank flow is really determined by whats in your tank, rockwork, corals, sand.

 

[Chrisv.]

I think there are more factors to consider. Most importantly, 1) do you have sand that is so fine that it's being blown around?, 2) what do you want to keep?

If the goal is fancy mushrooms, you really do want to dial back that flow. If the goal is SPS, you really do want to crank it. Modern powerheads give a gph rating but that's really not the same as a traditional pi.p or powerhead that has linear flow.

In a 4 ft 90 gallon sps tank I ran 2x mp40s in reef crest mode on their highest setting for many many years. If I set up a similar sized tank I would do it exactly the same way. But that much flow would have a jawbreaker turned into jawbreaker soup in no time.

 

[ReefChasers]

 

[rnegrette]

I think there are more factors to consider. Most importantly, 1) do you have sand that is so fine that it's being blown around?, 2) what do you want to keep?

If the goal is fancy mushrooms, you really do want to dial back that flow. If the goal is SPS, you really do want to crank it. Modern powerheads give a gph rating but that's really not the same as a traditional pi.p or powerhead that has linear flow.

In a 4 ft 90 gallon sps tank I ran 2x mp40s in reef crest mode on their highest setting for many many years. If I set up a similar sized tank I would do it exactly the same way. But that much flow would have a jawbreaker turned into jawbreaker soup in no time.

Thanks. It took a couple hours, but we have the wavemakers positioned where there's some slight occasional movement across the sand bed, but nothing is being blown around.

We have nothing fancy in our plans, just basic mixed reef. Mostly LPS with some SPS for good measure.

 

[Chrisv.]

Thanks. It took a couple hours, but we have the wavemakers positioned where there's some slight occasional movement across the sand bed, but nothing is being blown around.

We have nothing fancy in our plans, just basic mixed reef. Mostly LPS with some SPS for good measure.

In this case it's all about coral placement too. It will be easy to tell which lps corals hate strong flow. They won't open properly.

 

[spicymikey]

We're still in the process of getting our new tank set up the way we want it before fully stocking it, and I have a question about flow / turnover rate. Right now, I think we might have too much flow. Tank and equipment list:

• Waterbox Marine X 90.3 (60g display + 30g sump)
• Jebao DCP-10000 return pump (1720-2640 GPH)
• 2x Jebao SLW-30 (3400 GPH each)

We have both wavemakers and the return pump dialed down to the absolute lowest settings. I don't know what the minimum GPH is on the SLW-30s, but let's guesstimate it's 50% of max. So we're at 3400 GPH total for the wavemakers, plus 1720 GPH for the return, which puts us at 5120 GPH total. That's roughly 57x turnover for 90gal. Is this too much?

This thread is several months old, but let me throw my two cents in for anyone else who might read this, or if you are still setting up.

Yea 57x for total flow/ filter may or may not be too much. It depends on how that breaks out between flow and filtering. As you discovered from the responses, you shouldn't ask about flow / filter turnover as one number. They are truly two separate things.

For flow inside the tank; I have 6 MP40s handling a 8ft tank. I run each at 5000gph. Thats 30,000gph (75x) for a 400gal system with lots of rockwork and potential dead spots. It keeps my corals healthy especially my SPS colonies. Of course positioning is still critical. You don't want to put a cynarina right next to an MP40, and you don't want a big birdsnest to far from a flow pump. So although 75x works generally well, common sense about placement is still necessary. Most people have enough flow but do not have enough pumps. Flow rate is less important than having counter flow and no dead spots. One wavemaker at the top of a tank is almost always going to leave dead spots and problems, no matter what the flow rate calculates to be.

For filtration rate, I run at 800gph (2x) using two Abyzz A200's running at 50%. Keeps everything quiet and the pumps cool. Its MORE than enough to oxygenate, filter particulate matter, support auto dosing from the sump, and keep the skimmer fed with nutrient rich tank water. Most people WAY over filter. Its usually not necessary to go over 3-4x and if you test if out you'll see you can go even lower than that and still have a very healthy tank.

Congrats with your new setup.