Brand New 8 gallon bio cube

[Katrina71]

Ball valve will work just fine for the return shut off. I like using the Spears gate valve to regulate the drain. They turn so smooth and are built very well.

I prefer DC return pumps. They are adjustable so you could get one slightly overpowered and turn it down to suit your tank. They also slowly ramp up when you turn them on from say, cleaning or feed mode, so they don't all of a sudden spit the full flow of water out all at once. It doesn't water hammer (big slug of water rushing thru empty pipe, you should hear 24" steel pipe hammer and shake back and forth :eek:;Nailbiting) your plumbing and there are less micro bubbles blasted into the water on start up.

Smart. Thanks Robin.

 

[Katrina71]

Smart. Thanks Robin.

How many gph would you go with?

 

[Katrina71]

@sfin52 I forgot about factoring the loss in. So used to an AIO.

 

[Fin]

For "oh crap moments," definitely a ball valve. You want it quick and easy to stop the water fast. With a gate valve you might have to make a dozen or so turns to shut off the flow. Ball valve is one turn and off. If you use one of the inexpensive ball valves from Lowe's or HD, be sure to turn it on and off every now and then. When you leave them in one position, they can freeze up and be at least difficult to turn after a period of time.

 

[SashimiTurtle]

How many gph would you go with?

10-15x tank volume minimum... 60 gallon tank... you'll want 600-900gph. But you have to think of head pressure. I think the Jebao DCP5000 would be a good fit. It's 1450gph.

Jebao DCP Sine Wave Water Return Pump (DCP-5000) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01MTVIZSF/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_08eyCbFP62ZP9

 

[Katrina71]

10-15x tank volume minimum... 60 gallon tank... you'll want 600-900gph. But you have to think of head pressure. I think the Jebao DCP5000 would be a good fit. It's 1450gph.

Jebao DCP Sine Wave Water Return Pump (DCP-5000) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01MTVIZSF/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_08eyCbFP62ZP9

Wow I would have underpowered that by about 200gph. More is more. Within reason. I owe ya!

 

[SashimiTurtle]

Wow I would have underpowered that by about 200gph. More is more. Within reason. I owe ya!

The good thing about DC is you can dial it back if it's too much. I have my DCT6000(1585gph) at 60% on my 90g. I could run at 100% but the water splashing thru the over flow is too loud... lol

 

[Fudsey]

I'm confused.... I thought 10-15x also includes powerheads???? I have 4-5x from sump...

 

[Katrina71]

I'm confused.... I thought 10-15x also includes powerheads???? I have 4-5x from sump...

If it ain't broke...

 

[Katrina71]

The monti skeleton. Best way to remove?

 

[Katrina71]

I think my husband secretly likes the tank. Almost.

 

[SashimiTurtle]

The 10-15x flow is for filtration to be able to do its job. You want the turn over up so socks/skimmer/chaeto/reactors have a chance to touch as much of the tank water as you can in an hour. More than that you start blasting water past them without being able to get the job done.

Lightly stocked you can get by with less...

For powerheads, it depends on what type of coral you keep. Obviously SPS demand more flow, upwards of 50x tank volume.

 

[SashimiTurtle]

The monti skeleton. Best way to remove?

Vinegar soak, then razor blade off the glass.... careful broken fingers heal. Served fingers are a bit more complicated.

 

[Katrina71]

Vinegar soak, then razor blade off the glass.... careful broken fingers heal. Served fingers are a bit more complicated.

I have superglue. I'm covered.

 

[Victoria M]

Look at the first post in my thread. A small pump, a little tubing and vinegar in the bottom of of the tank. Voila! Melts it all for!

Wait! Here you go!

 

[SashimiTurtle]

If it ain't broke...

Exactly, I have 60% of 1585...

1585×.6=951

Minus head loss that's 800-900 ish... on a 90 display. Huh I thought I was lower than that. But if your tank is running fine on lower turnover I wouldn't change it. Stability is key, not hitting X number because that's what everyone says you need. It's just a good target.

 

[Katrina71]

I find with stability, lots of concrete things are not so solid.

 

[Fudsey]

I'm not worried about my turnover but I was under the impression that if you do more than what your skimmer pump can handle, then your just over doing it....?

 

[Katrina71]

I'm not worried about my turnover but I was under the impression that if you do more than what your skimmer pump can handle, then your just over doing it....?

I can see the logic behind that

 

[Victoria M]

I'm not worried about my turnover but I was under the impression that if you do more than what your skimmer pump can handle, then your just over doing it....?

Yep. Except the water that moves is a benefit. So long as you are not blasting your corals you are not harming anything either. But I believe a match of the skimmer rate to the tank to sump rate is a good place to be too. Many ways to skin a cat! Lol