Poll: Flow turnover rate

[Krish]

The question always comes up as to what is considered good flow or how much is needed for a tank. There are many variables out there that can affect how much flow a person needs. What works for one tank may either be too much flow or too little flow in another person's tank that is of the same size. There are variables like:

-Aquascaping which will play a role in flow pattern
-If you are running a sandbed and trying to avoid a sand storm
-What type of corals you have as some require more flow than others

Just to name a few. So with that said, generally speaking, what would you consider a good target turnover rate to shoot for if you were giving advice to a newbie? Any discussions on this poll of course is always welcomed so post away.

Edit: Maybe the next poll we can do, "What is your turnover rate?" This way we can see what people actually run in their tank's that works for their setup and not necessarily what you would suggest someone new to the hobby as a starting point.

 

[Krish]

Just to toss this out there for those un-sure how to calculate your turnover rate, you will add up the flow all of your pumps put out and divide it by your tank's total volume so say for instance my old 38 gal I had 2 closed loop pumps putting out 1506 gph each and a sump return putting out 950 gph so that would be 1506 + 1506 + 950 / 38gal = 104.2x turnover rate.

 

[NC2WA]

To me, this is a "depends" answer as most answer are in this hobby. LOL LOL.

Depends on what type of tank it is (FOWLR, Reef, Mixed, etc..), what type of corals are in the tank, sand vs BB, etc..

Personally, my tank is mostly FOWLR so I have a medium amount of flow..when I see a fish being blown away by a closed loop I know I have too much flow in the tank

 

[Krish]

To me, this is a "depends" answer as most answer are in this hobby. LOL LOL.

Depends on what type of tank it is (FOWLR, Reef, Mixed, etc..), what type of corals are in the tank, sand vs BB, etc..

Personally, my tank is mostly FOWLR so I have a medium amount of flow..when I see a fish being blown away by a closed loop I know I have too much flow in the tank

Haha!!

Yea, this is why I said generally speaking and why I listed the variables that can affect things. Alot of people new to the hobby want something they can go by as a starting point. Same thing with like liverock. You will hear,"Buy 1-2lbs per gallon". This isn't gospel or the only way to go about it as some rock is more pourus than others so you would need less of one type of rock in some cases than you would need of another. Then there is a case of bioload and how much you are trying to support so this poll is more of a "generally speaking" poll to give newbies an idea of a good starting point so they don't have to dive into the hobby completely clueless on flow. You tell them get about 30x turnover rate and they have a base line/starting point with something to work with which they can always add to later if needed or so.

 

[IPisces]

I am running 3 powerheads moving 1400gph each + approx 300 gph from my return pump in my 75. So I guess thats 60x's turnover? I am keeping leathers, sps, lps, mushrooms and zoas.

 

[10gnano]

I'm running two powerheads at 750gph each and a return pump at 265gph on my 30 cube. Roughly a turnover of 58.83x.

 

[rukis]

krish, this is awesome, i just learned something new! so i found that i only got 20.9 going.. sounds like i need to step my game up... +1 for this thread, this will defintely help alot of newcomers...

 

[Krish]

Glad it helped!! eace:. I see most are voting for what they have and not what they usually suggest lol. I guess once they list what they have then it's just as good. I had about 105x turnover rate in a 38 gal with a combination of corals found here like gorgonias, zoanthids, palys, a ricordia etc.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[NC2WA]

Krish,

Im surprised the zoas stayed attached to the rock with that flow rate (105X)

 

[IPisces]

Krish,

Im surprised the zoas stayed attached to the rock with that flow rate (105X)

Me too!

 

[spllbnd2]

Just as NC2WA mentioned, It all depends on the tank set up. :lol: I have a somewhat low flow in my softies/Xenia species tank, but in my mixed tank I have a ton of flow, comparatively.

My next tank I am going to aim for probably more that 50X turnover.

Cheers,
Alex

 

[Krish]

Krish,

Im surprised the zoas stayed attached to the rock with that flow rate (105X)

Me too!

Never under estimate crazy glue!!

 

[NC2WA]

didnt know crazy glue was in the ocean ?

 

[pitkat]

Wow, just worked mine out to 120x Thats not including output from powerheads:shock: Looks like i may have to throttle the pumps down a bit when i get this tank up and running lol

 

[Krish]

Wow, just worked mine out to 120x Thats not including output from powerheads:shock: Looks like i may have to throttle the pumps down a bit when i get this tank up and running lol

You are my hero!!! :hail: :lol:. Could you list your specs for us!! I'd love to know what you are running in what sized tank!!! That's insane in a cool way!!

 

[pitkat]

You are my hero!!! :hail: :lol:. Could you list your specs for us!! I'd love to know what you are running in what sized tank!!! That's insane in a cool way!!

LOL, Just checked my math, it sucks I put in 30,000 instead of 3000 x by a tank volume of about 250 gal. The tank is 60x27x 40 deep. going to be running a Barracuda gold with a 10 foot head, with 2 Vortech mp 60's. (Not sure wether to use MP 40's or 60's. ) Would like the 60's but cost may be a factor. If you add the 60's in it would give me about 72x . Still sounds a little high to me, lol

 

[akunochi]

I am running 2 MP40W ES, 2 MP10W ES, and a Reeflo Dart with 2 exits... so in the 200 cube I am running about a 81x turnover but am using the Gyre effect to increase the effectiveness based on my atoll rockwork.


In my 75 gal tank I had almost 166x turnover at one point just prior to upgrading.

 

[pitkat]

I am running 2 MP40W ES, 2 MP10W ES, and a Reeflo Dart with 2 exits... so in the 200 cube I am running about a 81x turnover but am using the Gyre effect to increase the effectiveness based on my atoll rockwork.


In my 75 gal tank I had almost 166x turnover at one point just prior to upgrading.

wow, thats a lot, May be i will be ok with what i have, Will find out when it's up and running. Going to be a few months yet

 

[trido]

I voted 50x mostly because I keep SPS as a majority.
I used to run over 20,000 GPH in my 210 at a 95x turnover rate and felt that it wasnt enough flow for the amount of corals I had in the tank. After some thinning and reaquascaping I backed my flow down to a 9000GPH at 42X and it was finefor the way the tank was set up.

In my current 29G I started with only 700GPH at a 24X turnover but only planned to keep LPS and softies. A friend asked me to babysit a bunch of SPS so I increased the flow to 1900GPH at a 65x turnover and for the last six months corals are growing fine. But due to coral growth Im finding it isnt enough and there are more and more dead spots so plan to increase the flow up to 2500GPH at 82 turnover in the next few months.

 

[Aquanaut]

IMPORTANTLY, not to forget to allow for "head rise reduction and portal division too! Most pumps claim their gph output at zero head rise, so there is a head loss calculation to allow for. R-I-G-H-T?

Reeflow Gold Superdart 4300gph + two Korallia 4's 1200gph each - headloss and elbow restrictions and exits = 6117gph - 300gal processing Totals = +20x turn over rate
But, it's how you apply it that keeps the detrius from collecting, try elevating the reef on stilts while using moderate fluctuating flow (wavemaker pulse timers). I haven't had to rake the bottom for months!

Just to toss this out there for those un-sure how to calculate your turnover rate, you will add up the flow all of your pumps put out and divide it by your tank's total volume so say for instance my old 38 gal I had 2 closed loop pumps putting out 1506 gph each and a sump return putting out 950 gph so that would be 1506 + 1506 + 950 / 38gal = 104.2x turnover rate.