POLL- Return pump flow?

[TonapahNorth]

how much return flow are you aiming for?

With variable pumps, it seems like I am always aiming for higher flow. But I’m not sure I need 3000gph that my Vectra L1 can crank out. (I’m not counting losses in head pressure or elbows and such). Just trying to make a point.

I’ve heard everything from 2x tank size per hour to 10x tank size per hour to much higher. What say you? What’s your perfect return rate are you aiming for? How many times you trying to turn your tank over per hour?

Tona

 

[Brew12]

I find much more than 4x flow to cause more problems than it is worth. Too much algae gets pulled out of my fuge at the higher flows and collects on the pump. Not to mention that I appreciate the lower flow noise. I also run gyres in my DT and don't want the return pump flow messing up my gyre patterns too badly.

I will note that I do not run the Triton method.

 

[Stephen Maggard]

I have a current USA eFlux 1900 GPH on my 215 and it runs great. If I ever replace it I think I will go with an Neptune Systems Cor20 though which will bump up the flow about 100 GPH.

 

[mfinn]

I'm in the 5x-6x times group.

 

[TonapahNorth]

I have run everything above really. I think mine runs best around the 5x to 6x mark with an acceptable amount of noise. I can add and subtract flow with the power heads if I feel like it needs it.

Thanks @mfinn

@Brew12 .. I likewise think it was an early mistake to run my L1 at full speed. It caused too many problems.

@Stephen Maggard - just as an aside, do you think it runs closer to 1500 or so with head pressure, joints in the plumbing etc? I don’t think I gain too much from adding a flow monitoring system to know precisely my return flow. But I’m guessing I have about 25% loss from the plumbing and location of my pump. I think I’m running about 1200gph (at the mid range where I set my variable control).

Thanks for the input. This is all valuable info for noobs like me. I’m still adjusting it periodically.

 

[Best Fish-Jake]

I usually recommend turnover rates depending on sump size/ design and display size. Generally for tanks less than 100gal i'd push to go closer to the 9-10x turnover rate whereas in larger tanks anything from 6-8x works fine. Sump size/ design comes into play for all tank sizes. Smaller sump, less flow and vice versa. So long as you don't have too much flow going into a fuge or past a skimmer you should be fine.
My 30g 's turnover rate is about 11x per hour and my 120g will have a turnover rate of about 8x per hour.

 

[TonapahNorth]

@Best Fish-Jake this makes sense. Its a shame I didn't know this before. From comments here, I'm assuming that Triton method recommends a certain turnover rate? Learn something new all the time. Hope this helps others. Keep em coming.

 

[Potatohead]

@Best Fish-Jake this makes sense. Its a shame I didn't know this before. From comments here, I'm assuming that Triton method recommends a certain turnover rate? Learn something new all the time. Hope this helps others. Keep em coming.

Triton states 10x

I am in the 4-5 camp. I think my tank is actually more like 6.

 

[Best Fish-Jake]

@Best Fish-Jake this makes sense. Its a shame I didn't know this before. From comments here, I'm assuming that Triton method recommends a certain turnover rate? Learn something new all the time. Hope this helps others. Keep em coming.

I'm not very familiar with the specifics as to what triton recommends for its users. Haven't had much experience with them, but i believe they give recommendations based on 'whatever you think works best for your set up' regarding flow.

Edit: or as @Potatohead stated, 10x

 

[mckinleyw]

I like the 10 times turn over myself. I look over 10 times to allow for head loss and any manifolds I add on.

 

[SashimiTurtle]

How does 20x per hour sound? I've got a Sicee Syncra 3.0 700gph on a 35g cube with the Eshopps cube nano refugium for a sump.

 

[Elegance Coral]

I have a 300 gallon tank, and 100 gallon sump. I run a dart pump at about 3000gph. I run BB with the return blowing across the bottom. Tank stays very clean. Thinking of adding a sicce 5 for an additional 1300gph.

 

[vertigo01]

3 -4 times through the return.
Trying to match the return with the skimmer flow.
I leave it up to the powerheads to make up the difference.

 

[Reef Jeff]

On my 125 gallon mixed reef I'm running 10x per hour (that's 10x actual after accounting for head pressure). Been running it that way for 20 years. I have heard flow in sump past skimmer should match skimmer. I tested down to a flow of 3xs and up to 12's. Turns out it didn't matter...Made no difference in what the skimmer pulled or how fast it caught up with waste removal.

I run dual returns and that provides great flow to both sides. Hits front pane, sweeps down and back up to overflow boxes at each end. I also run two large Hydors behind a wall of rock so detritus gets swept out front and up.

I recently posted that I wanted to add flow with some gyres, so I borrowed two from a friend to test. Even on low it was more flow than I needed especially for the LPS and softies, so I just went with two smaller Wavemakers on the SPS's and now I'm good to go.

 

[mort]

I run algae refugiums so I like a lower turnover but I supplement this with extra flow through the algae bed which gIves it a bether chance to do its thing. I don't run a skimmer but if I did I would want slightly more flow so it didn't just cycle the same water constantly.
I see no benefit to having really high flow as it doesn't really do anything for a normal tank apart from use up electricity.

 

[Greybeard]

Prior to this tank, I've always been fine with 3-5x/hour...

This tank, I set up with the intent to use the Triton system... I'm slightly over 10x. 7 months in, I'm not using Core7 anymore, I had some problems with it, and went back to Kalkwasser for Calc/Alk/pH maintenance and bi-weekly 10% water changes. Still, I'm not unhappy with the 10x turnover rate, and haven't lowered it any. Calurpa based ref is doing very, very well, I'm feeding way more than I'm used to, and actually considering dosing Nitrate, since it's always unmeasurable.

 

[Sallstrom]

I'm working at a public aquarium, mostly with coral tanks which were designed before I started(some larger ones from 1986 actually ). The overflows are not built to manage 10x the tanks volume, so we have to settle with what's possible. I think the average turnover is about 0,5x/hour.
And it is possible to run a coral tank, even with the Triton Methode, with that low turnover. I promise

/ David

 

[Chris Villalobos]

I tried for x10 turnover but couldn't achieve it because of the diameter of my return line. I would have to cut a bigger bulkhead or have dual returns. The most I can achieve right now is around x7.

 

[Cment]

Im right around 5x and think its plenty. I feel that most of your flow should come from you wavemakers in the tank and not your return.

 

[Greybeard]

I'm certain that 10x isn't 'required' for Triton, but that's what they're recommending, so when building the system, that's what I targeted. 2x H2Overflows, supposed to handle 1200gph each... pump is rated at 1900gph, and I have minimal head pressure. 2' or so of lift, minimal elbows... it's a pretty short, direct return system. I figure I'm getting north of 1500gph actual throughput, with a display size of 140g. Have I measured that? No.

I'm no longer using Triton, or, I suppose you might call it a Triton 'hybrid'. Still, there's nothing wrong with flow, and since I designed the system to operate quietly at this turnover rate, I can't see any reason to reduce it.

I'm unsure how much the flow rate has to do with it... there are certainly other factors that contribute, but I've run macro algae refugeums in the past, and have never struggled to keep nitrate above zero before. Quite the opposite, really... I have always struggled to reduce it in the past. This fuge is perhaps a bit larger than ones in the past, slightly more than half of a 55g aquarium. Perhaps a bit better lit (2x 24" T5's with 6500k bulbs). Skimmer is a Vertex 180i, and produces far better than anything I've had before. Got a little bag of Seachem Denitrate in the sump, about a liter of media. I've reduced that, I had 4 liters of media in there, cut it in half, hoping to raise nitrates, then cut it in half again. Hasn't had any effect. Still unmeasurable nitrates. I may well remove it altogether and see what happens.