Flow: Breaking the rules...

[Want2BS8ed]

It has taken some time, but the correct overflow for my 120 gallon display finally arrived and my son and I installed it today.

Triton recommends a 10x turnover of system volume. With a 125 gallon tank in the basement as a sump plus 120 gallon display, let's assume 220 gallons total. That's 2,200 GPH... with the new overflow and an Abyzz A400 return pump, 2,200 GPH is doable, but is it reasonable?

FWIW, I'm also using an MRC Orca Pro I external skimmer drawing ~350-400 GPH that circulates water from the sump return back to the head end of the sump, so there is a reasonable amount of flow through the refugium even without the aquarium.

Thoughts, opinions? I have an inkling of what I think I want to (should) do, but am interested in others input.

Thanks,

M

 

[d2mini]

It has taken some time, but the correct overflow for my 120 gallon display finally arrived and my son and I installed it today.

Triton recommends a 10x turnover of system volume. With a 125 gallon tank in the basement as a sump plus 120 gallon display, let's assume 220 gallons total. That's 2,200 GPH... with the new overflow and an Abyzz A400 return pump, 2,200 GPH is doable, but is it reasonable?

FWIW, I'm also using an MRC Orca Pro I external skimmer drawing ~350-400 GPH that circulates water from the sump return back to the head end of the sump, so there is a reasonable amount of flow through the refugium even without the aquarium.

Thoughts, opinions? I have an inkling of what I think I want to (should) do, but am interested in others input.

Thanks,

M

I've got some restrictive return plumbing (inside the overflow) and I'm getting just 650gph with my Vectra L1 running at 100% power in my 120g display, giving me 5x flow.
I'm trying to up this and may try a Fluval SP6 instead which may have better head pressure.

But I think if you can at least get 5x, you'll be fine.
I believe the main reason Triton recommends such a high turnover is to make sure that parameters in the sump and parameters in the display are as equal as possible.

The big reason I'm trying to improve my turnover is to get more flow through my refugium and keep those macros moving/tumbling as much as I can.
And keep detritus from settling in there, which it does big time right now.