Powerhead Lph

[weezawoo]

Looking at getting my PH's now. Glad I waited as APS are doing 10% now so even better!
Can you have too much flow?

My tank volume is 380ish I think. So I need 20x turnover. I was averaging it on 400l. So aiming for 8000lph. Including my sump it would be about 580l so would need 12000lph.

Firstly do I go by total volume or just tank volume?

There are 5000lph or 3000lph. Am I better getting 3x 3000lph or 2x 5000lph?

What would you reccommend?

Thanks

 

[jameshughes1989]

What coral stock do you plan to keep? A lot depends on that as different corals need different amount of flows. I read somewhere as a guide that sofites is 20x, LPs is 40x and SPS like 60x. Dont know how accurate that is though. I run mine with about 40x turnover and I have a mixed reef, seems to work well.

Calculate it on tank volume as it is the flow in the tank you are working out but still remember to calculate the return pump as flow too. A lot of people seem to have around 30x flow even for softies if they can get away with it. Can help to reduce the possibilty of nuisance algaes and to distribute nutrients around the tank.

You'd probably looking at around approximately 7600lph- 11400lph. Just an example. Also, it is best to get multiple smaller powerheads than one or two biggers ones as you will get less dead spots and have the ability to create a more random flow.


Hope that helps,


Cheers

 

[weezawoo]

Thanks James!
I don't know what corals yet. I know in the end I will try some. I haven't even done research on the difference of them, just focusing on getting it set up first!
I could always add more at a later date.
Its a 6foot tank so maybe 3 would be better. I don't know what the return pump lph is as it came with the tank, I just know it is an eheim. This is why I wasn' including it in the calculations lol!

The 3 x 3000lph would be 9000lph, do you think thats ok to start with?

Thanks!

 

[jameshughes1989]

No worries. If you arent going to be looking at corals right away the only reason you will need flow is for filtration purposes around your live rock. 20x turnover would be sufficient for this then. How are you running the return back into the tank? ie spray bar?

What are the dimensions for the tank? I imagine the 3x3000lph would be fine. Just try to make sure there is no dead spots and it'll be fine.

 

[woody88]

No worries. If you arent going to be looking at corals right away the only reason you will need flow is for filtration purposes around your live rock. 20x turnover would be sufficient for this then. How are you running the return back into the tank? ie spray bar?

What are the dimensions for the tank? I imagine the 3x3000lph would be fine. Just try to make sure there is no dead spots and it'll be fine.

+1 while the tank is gonna be a FOWLR setup then 20x min would be fine.
Personally I'd disregard the flow your return pump produces and allow for 20x from your powerheads.

Regarding your pump tho, is there a model number or any type of serial or code you could google to see what it comes up with?

3 x 3000lph powerheads would give you a touch over 20x turn over + what ever flow the return pump produces so it sounds fine to me.

 

[jameshughes1989]

Personally I'd disregard the flow your return pump produces and allow for 20x from your powerheads.

Why would you not count the flow from the return pump? I run a 2000lph on a 110 litre tank. I dont know how much it would lose from the head loss but say for example its approx 1000lph. This in turn gives me approx 9x turnover from just my return pump.


Cheers

 

[weezawoo]

There are no numbers just Eheim right across it. Bit annoying really. I will double double check in morn.

Tank is 6ftx18x18. If only it was 2ft each way lol! I have 50kg of LR coming but was planning on putting 40kg in the tank and the other 10kg in the sump, purely so there is still enough space for flow etc in the tank.

The only thing I might do would maybe try some frags in there before I go out and buy some lovely corals and the tank not be good enough, but again wouldn't be until its right and for a while.

What kind of positioning should I go for with the PH, if there was 2 I would put one either end but how would I do it with 3?
I am thinking return by spray bar would be better, it would be in the centre of the back purely as my outlet holes are either side at the back top corners.

 

[woody88]

If you concentrate the flow from your return pump on agitating the water surface to maintain good ph then you could have 1 powerhead either end of the tank facing toward a central point at the middle of the tank and another powerhead also in the middle creating flow towards the same point. That should create random flow which should cover the majority of the tank.

Its trial and error I'm afraid to see if you get any dead spots in your tank, wether or not re positioning of the ph's is required.

 

[weezawoo]

Ok thank you! Will get them probably in couple weeks.