Flow in a 55 with softies

[vikubz]

I have been reading the big "Plumbing and Flow" thread and I'm wondering what would be a good scheme for a 55 gallon BB with soft corals. The main thing I'm trying to work around is that I have to have the overflow on the end, so it's a long way from the far end to get detritus all the way to the overflow.

Currently I have 3 powerheads for a total of about 600 gph, 2 with the hydroflow attachment to create more random flow.

I am thinking of getting a couple of Seio 620 to increase flow, but what would be the best orientation to keep waste suspended and out to the sump?

I was thinking of having a couple of smaller PH directed along the bottom and the 2 Seios at the top, with both of them pointed at an angle towards the overflow.


Thanks,
Mark

 

[mmkeeper]

For softies you don't need or want a ton of flow. All you really want is to suspend the detritus in the water column. The powerheads you have place in the right places near the bottom would do the trick I think. Do you have alot of live Rock?

 

[Krish]

I know with my bare bottom tanks, increased flow towards the bottom of the tank up the front glass helped keep the bottom clean of detritus and in suspension. Seio's are great powerheads that provide a nice wide flow pattern, but I'd honestly suggest nothing smaller than the 820 gph Seio. I've tried out the 620 in my 24 gal Aquapod and it didn't do much at all. My friend tried one in his 36gal and removed it as well. I've had the 820's in my 90 gal and was impressed with the flow. As for how much flow you will need, will be hard to say. I always liked the idea of two opposing powerheads at either ends of the tank pointing at the same spot in the center of the front glass where the flow colides and provides random flow, but every tank is different. It worked well for myself as well as others, but it is something you'll have to try and mess around yourself to see if it will work for you. Just a few thoughts

 

[Jim Hart]

I use a spray bar, and a couple power heads behind the lr, look at my 55 gal softie linked below. I personally like the canister with no media attached to a spray bar.

I somtimes point it down behind the lr, but its usually pointed towards the surface.

 

[brady816]

I have 2 mj 1200 and a mj 400 and im happy with it for my 55 gal tank

 

[vikubz]

I have about 60 lbs of LR arranged along the middle of the tank so that water can flow all around it. I will experiment with directing the flow more towards the bottom and see what that does.

Thanks!

 

[Sherman]

Brady, those Maxijets are sucking up 45w of electricity, 24 hours/day, and only producing a combined 696 gph. In addition, this flow is generated via tiny jet streams, rather than wide washes that actually move water through the tank. For even less power consumption, you could install a pair of Seio 1100s, and more than triple your flow (2200gph). Or, if you prefer (though I'd advise much more flow) a pair of Seio 820s would use only 36w, and generate 1640gph.

While it's popular conception that softies prefer low flow, I'm going to buck the trend here. It is my opinion that these sorts of statements were made in the days of jetstream powerheads, such as the Maxijets, or any similar powerhead. With products like the Seio, Koralia, and Tunze on the market nowadays, we're given the option of LOTS more flow, in a wide wash, for FAR LESS power consumption. More importantly for the corals, the flow is soft, but the entire tank is moving, instead of there being those jet stream currents you have to carefully aim directly at dead spots, or not at corals so you don't rip up their flesh.

I run almost 50x turnover in my little tank (Seio 820 and 620 in a 38g, in addition to others), and it has a deep sand bed. When the flow is produced in the proper fashion, you can get away with a LOT more flow than you'd think possible. I'm currently setting up a 120g, and one of the powerheads is a Seio 2600. That's 2600gph, by itself. If you stick your hand 6" in front of the powerhead, it feels like nothing's happening. However, the whole tank is moving... go figure. Again, it's a wide current.

Now to the common (mis)conception in my mind: Softies need low flow. I disagree, with qualifiers. Certainly, I wouldn't put xenia directly in front of a large powerhead, regardless of how wide the projection is. However, those numbers like "10X for a softy tank" and "25X for an SPS tank" aren't modern anymore. They belong in the archives with airstone skimmers.

I don't know how many have been afforded the opportunity to snorkel or dive the wild reefs. I was able to snorkel in Hawaii 2 summers ago, and it changed the way I view and participate in this hobby. The amount of water movement throughout the reefs was ming boggling, even in the calm waters. The water had no hesitation in throwing me around like a rag doll, and I'm a well fed American construction worker. Yet... there were softies.

I'd like to highly encourage you to check out this write up. It's very informative, very thought provoking, and may help encourage change in our aquarium flow ideas.

Water Flow is More Important for Corals Than Light, Part V
http://www.advancedaquarist.com/2007/1/aafeature#h5

 

[plack]

As much flow as you can is good for most corals. The thing I would watch is a strong current always in one direction and /or not enoughp room for them to sway back and forth without touching something else.

Typically people put 2 powerheads at the top back a foot from the ends and aim them to the middle of the side walls and prefferable on a timer so they are not both on at the same time.



Paul

 

[morgan]

in my 30gl softy tank i have a 2000lph pump with a hyro flow (very effective on strong pumps waste of time on a small pump, i also have a seios 620 and 820 and my softys loved it i gave a friend a scarphyton and he put iot in his low flow lps tank and it wouldnt open up in the low flow he had to get it in stronger flow to get it to open my other sacry gets hit every 10 seconds by the hydro flow and it loves it i reackon softys to enjoy good current so i second sherman and say get sum good flow cranking for those softys xeina likes good flow i have noticed but hard to see them clapping

 

[Sherman]

in my 30gl softy tank i have a 2000lph pump

How many gallons is that?!

LOL! Couldn't resist, in light of your other posts....

Ironically, you ARE listing gallons and liters....

 

[brady816]

sherman thanks for the imput may have to look into that

 

[morgan]

yeh i know i say gallons and liters because everything is marked differntly arghhh like if were talking tank size ill say 3 foot over 90cm cause no one will know what im on about if i said i have a 165liter softy tank no one would know what to compare it to i will step in to american measurments often i do prefer liters to gl when it comes to pumps plus it sounds like alot more
but u tell me 3 other country that use your measurment system and then maybe ill be quiet about it
i watch a vid on youtube and the guy was like a 32oz can that sounds like a bloody lot but its only 375ml

 

[Damsel13]

"They" (the American educational system in the late '60's) tried to teach us the metric system. Didn't stick, too many Dad's' teaching how to fix our Ford's using inches oh yes and the lawnmowers with gallons! I handled that chore many Saturdays. even though I am a girl. ( I'm the oldest).