Flow

Hi Everyone,
I have a 75 gallon tank and my pump has a control valve on it. I also have a couple of Hydor power heads. 1st, I am not sure how I should regulate the valve on the pump and next I have the power heads near the bottom pointed through a couple of passages in the live rock. This was the suggestion of my LFS. Just wondering if there is a way for me to know where to set the valve on the pump(how much flow do I need) and should I have a power head near the top of the tank like they do at the LFS for my acro? Hope I explained this well enough.
Thanks!

 

I think its explained OK

if you have a 75 gallon tank and you have SPS in there - you want around 50 x the tank volume in water turnover so a total in your tank of 3750 gallons of water movement between all your pumps and power heads

I would definietely want more flow in the upper 3rd of my tank than the lower 2/3rds and that again is a good idea as SPS corals like a lot of light and the higher in the tank they are, the more useable light there is for them


I would say you want at least 2 power heads at the top of the tank on a 75 and depending on the size of your current Power heads down at the bottom, it might be a good idea to get 2 more K2s or even a K2 and a K3 or equal

you cant have to much flow - you can have to much in any one direction - so dont point power heads at soft bodied corals, LPS etc but do try and create a gentle rippling effect even for the corals that are known for requiring less flow - as this helps them shed/ expel waste and ensures when they deflate and inflate its with new fitered water, rather than the old water they recenly expelled

you may be surpised by just how much water movement you can safely and happily keep even softies in.

Steve

 

Is this a drilled tank or do you use a hob over flow??

 

Home grown, it is a drilled tank. I am pretty new and can not draw the correlation. I know the difference but am not sure why it makes a difference, because of stationary out flow placement?
Steve, thanks for taking the time to respond it answered quite a few questions.

 

The return pump flow should be adjusted as fast as the overflow will allow with out running over. weather drilled or hob style.

 

Hi, sometimes a pic of others tanks help. My idea is to capture the current and flow of the ocean (as close as possible) and in my tank of primarily soft coral I can visually see the swaying and achieve what I want. Here is a pic of my tank.


The Koralia 3 pointing to the back wall takes care of all the back and gives good surface agitation. The larger Koralia 4 on the left is pointed to the front glass and takes care of all the front and gives good surface agitation. The two returns are directed, one pointed down in the back and the other pointed just under the surface and toward more of the center of the tank. The small Nano is pointed directly on the cabbage coral and was done for its' health (a lot of chemical warfare going on). I hope this helps.

 

Unclejed and Homegrown,
I live near Metro airport and the picture does help quite a bit. Nice setup and I think I need more flow. Homegrown, I have never been told how to set the flow on that return pump. It can really kick out a heavy flow...but then again maybe not as heavy as I think...lol. I think I need a couple more pumps up higher. 1 last question should I increase the flow a little at a time?

 

when adding power heads i like to add one at a time, if i have corals and fish already in the tank so not to stress my critters out to much. but then i like to go slow with any changes i make in my tanks .

 

I will take it slow. After reading your post I know my return pump was probably adjusted to low so I think I will open it up slowly and then add a pump at a time. Sound ok and thanks again.