Enough Flow?

[barker_23]

Hi all,

Just a quick newbie question, i am putting together a rio 180, i have ggot quite a bit of equipment now. for turnover in the tank i have purchased a hydor koralia 2 and a tunze 6025. I am looking at buying a tunze 6045 but wasnt sure if it would be an overkill or not?

I have an arcadia 4 x T5's luminaire. I understand that if i was to keep some SPS corals i would need this extra flow. But could i keep these under my t5's?

Hope that makes sense?

Any feedback would be much appreciated

 

[SkiFletch]

Maybe, what's the depth of the tank (top-bottom)? And you say you have a koralia 2 AND a tunze 6025 currently and want to know if you need a tunze 6045 to have sps?

 

[barker_23]

thanks for you reply ski.

the tank is 50 cm deep, what kind of corals would i be able to keep under those lights?? (4 x 39w T5's)

Also i was going to add a 6045 but i wasnt sure if it would be an overkill or not? Dont want to be blowing anything away!!

Thanks mate

 

[SkiFletch]

So in numbers I understand its 50gallons and 19" tall. I'll assme 39watters are 36" long tank with ~1200-1300gph worth of flow currently (mid 20s in turnover). I'd say if you added the 6045 you could probably get away with easier SPS (pocillipora, millepora, stylophora, youngei, and plating montipora). Just make sure they stay high up in the rockwork (think 12" or less from surface)

 

[barker_23]

Cheers ski much appreciated.

Whats your personal, expert opionion on external filters, been to my LFS and they said i would need one, not sure if it was just a selling technique though?

Thanks

 

[shibby]

i used one on my rio180 untill i broke it .... its good for carbon, polyfilter, rowaphos and all that so can be useful

 

[SkiFletch]

IMO they're by no means necessary from a biological filtration standpoint if LR is used. As shibby said, they can be good to use for chemical filtration (carbon/rowaphos/etc), and some people have used them well to create benthic (no-light) zones where filterfeeders grow naturally and thrive. They can also be beneficial for creating flowrate.

Basically though I tell people you don't need one to start a tank, and unless you have a compelling need for chemical filtration, there's no reason to buy one for your tank.