Synergy Reef Overflow/Ghost

Pola0502ds · May 4, 2016

Im building a tank and pulling the trigger on a overflow but im unsure if i should go with the 16" model at 1500 GPH or the 20" model at 2500 GPH. I have a 120g tank with 30 gallons in the sump. However, i am hearing conflicting information on what the water volume turn over should be. Ive heard 10x per hour, 40x per hour, and as slow as possible because its better for the sump and filtration.

Can someone give me some good sound advice on what the turn over should actually be and which model i should go with?

I have a vertra L1 pump from ecotech and a vetrex omega 180 skimmer if that helps make a determination.

Thanks.

Chris Adams · May 4, 2016

Triton I believe suggest a 10x flow which some consider on the high end.

40x holy smokes :)

The Vectra L1 does up to 3100 so can't you use that and just dial it back?
Do you know what the slowest flow you can get with it?

Edit: sorry kind of did not answer your first question. With the 20" at least that will give you some play if you wanted to dial things up more but in my opinion the 16" should be sufficient.

Pola0502ds · May 4, 2016

I can dia it back, i can dial it back so it just trickles.

If triton recommend 10x and if i have 150 total gallons, that would be 1500 GPH and that would work.

Chris Adams · May 4, 2016

I personally have never read flow above 10x so believe you will be fine with the 1500GPH :)

Pola0502ds · May 4, 2016

Thanks chris

hybridazn · May 4, 2016

Imo I would go with the larger of the 2. You can always dial back the return and if you decide to up the flow down the road you won't have to worry about your overflow not being able to handle it.

fragit · May 4, 2016

First off, you will not have 150 gallons in your system. You need to account for displacement by rock and sand, the skimmer etc. Plus your sump should only be about 1/2 full when the system is running to account for back siphoning in the event of a power outage or for servicing your equipment. Next you will need to account for head loss, there is a good calculator on that other forum. Basically you add up all of your vertical and horizontal pipe lengths, any elbows, 45s, check valves, unions, ball/gate valves, actuators, all that stuff. These connections will reduce your head pressure significantly. Having said that, I think either overflow would work well, it's more a matter of how much surface area you want skimmed with the overflow, and what's gonna work best for you aesthetically, and with your aquascaping, and orientation of your tank. For me I will have a 120 also 48x24x24 peninsula, so my overflow will be on one of the 24" panels. For me the 16" is really the only choice because I would like a couple power heads on either side.

pickupman66 · May 4, 2016

I suggest 8-10x of flow through the sump and then 40x or more as just circulation inside the tank itself.

Radman73 · May 5, 2016

Does anyone know how they calculate the gah of the overflow? If it's 1500gph with all 3 drains at full siphon then it isn't sufficient. I'd only count on one drain at full siphon, the second a backup at a trickle, and the 3rd as the emergency backup to the backup.