Just how important is flow in our tanks, both sump and display? | - The BRS/WWC System Ep10 | BRStv

[randyBRS]

The Flow episode is finally here!

Hey everyone. We've had a ton of questions about the turnover rate that WWC uses in their display tanks as well as the amount of flow in the display to create those epic tanks.

Today we have our longest BRStv episode to date and this one is all about flow!

 

[Maxwell Richard]

4x

 

[ca1ore]

Question makes no sense. If the question is about how many times turning the display over per hour, then 4x - 1,600 for 400 gallons of water.

 

[hart24601]

Great video and I like the max flow and effective flow as it’s something I have thought about for a long time. Been a fan of 100x max plus for several years now with 75x plus effective amount for sps although it can be hard to place LPS if you want any of those with that flow!


I have always been happy with 3x sump flow. Never saw reason for more.

 

[Gregg @ ADP]

I don’t think turnover rate is nearly as important of a consideration today as it was 20 years ago.

Back then, filtration wasn’t so great, and water flow options within the tank were limited and not very effective. The # of times the tank turned over per hour had a functional relationship with the overall flow in the tank, so it was important.

Today’s skimmers and reactors are so much more efficient and effective. Then throw on a refugium. Then tack on a gyre or two.

Also, filtration is a continuous process that has to be measured in the aggregate. It’s not like when you have a filter system, dirty water goes in one end and clean water comes out the other.

Rate, if you think about it, is arbitrary. A tank can turn over 1 time/hr, or 10x/hr, and the end result will be just about the same. Water flows through slowly but has longer dwell time. Or water flows through quickly and most of it isn’t actually ‘filtered’.

As long as the water movement in the tank is good, and filtration is good, turnover rate is kinda moot.

 

[feloracing26]

12X

 

[Gregg @ ADP]

I probably should have watched the video before I posted that big dissertation

 

[saltyhog]

Sump? I don't think it's terribly important, just as Randy says. Mine is on the high side at 7x my total volume.

Flow in the tank? I have 85x potential flow but in reality probably half that with my pump programs.

 

[davocean]

Great informative vid.

I've always done 3-5x for return and about 50x turnover on mixed reefs, much higher for sps

 

[balkin]

I've never really tried to meet any given number, for my sump I like a decent amount of flow but understand that it's where most if not all actual filtration happens (Skimmer, Socks, Pads). As for the turnover in the display I position my vortechs to supply as much flow as I can without blowing things away!!

 

[jantje]

return pump is 6000 liter on a RSM 650 tank.
Inside tank flow is 20.000 liter, the flow changes every 3 hours...15.000 from left to right and the same time 5000 from right to left.
This changes after 3 hours, 15000 from right to left and same time 5000 from left to right.
This cause a very nice random flow and a good vortex to the bottom which also changes a bit.

 

[Waters]

I just adjust my flow based on my livestock.......I go as high as I can without making the fish and coral uncomfortable.

 

[TLeTourneau]

I shoot for about 4.5x for the return, for the display I just told Apex the tank volume and the wavemakers to include and it figured it out.

Neptune WAV's (the drops to 0 are feed cycles):

Apex return flow meter:

 

[Gino]

Back in the days as some one explain above we used to turn it as much as possible. I think it's relative. It's depends on what you use for filtration. Nowadays I shoot for at least 7x up to 10x through the sump. I adjust depending on how much nutrients is managing overall, trying to find the finest export spot maintaining my pharameters, not to clean water, not to dirty. I don't run on algae problem, cyano, or anything and my pharameters are rock steady, beside I don't have to be adding chemicals or anything to get those numbers. Of course I dose what my tank consume (Ca, Alk,Mag, trace elements) by the way I don't do water changes, no need to. But it's something that I have done since my beginning back to the 80's.
In the display tank It's a different story. I move as much water as possible, How much? I don't know... but a lot, just to maintain detritus floating and exporting it to the sump without revolving everything around or disturbing the tissue of corals especially LPS and softies. I got 4 1800 g/h pumps at full blast in a wave maker plus whatever my return is pushing through the returns with jet nozzle to increase flow.
Reef keeping is easy and simple but it could be as complicated as you want it to be.