Some Question on a new setup

[dragonfly_sg]

I am setting up a 4'by2.5'by2' with a 3' sump. What is the minimum capacity I need for a return pump. Return height is about 1.5m/1.6m.

I am on limited budget so I am looking for a used Eheim 1262 (3600l/h) but this is difficult to find, I see some 1260 (2400l/h) available would this be enough or should I stick out for a 1262?

My eventual aim is to keep an Angel and Butterfly tank, so should I go bare bottom or have a layer of sand? If I have sand I was thinking 1/4" of fine coral sand, if thicker is better then I have to look for normal sand (coral sand = aragonite?? too expensive). I would like to have aragonite sand because it help to buffer the water, but ones gotta live within his means

Got lotsa questions but lets starts with these first.

Any other advise appreciated.

[tropic]

you can consider RIO pumps if budget. fowlr you can opt for barebottom...but will have to siphon off dertritus.

[finind]

if limited budget why not scale down?

[superior1]

I am setting up a 4'by2.5'by2' with a 3' sump. What is the minimum capacity I need for a return pump. Return height is about 1.5m/1.6m.

I am on limited budget so I am looking for a used Eheim 1262 (3600l/h) but this is difficult to find, I see some 1260 (2400l/h) available would this be enough or should I stick out for a 1262?

My eventual aim is to keep an Angel and Butterfly tank, so should I go bare bottom or have a layer of sand? If I have sand I was thinking 1/4" of fine coral sand, if thicker is better then I have to look for normal sand (coral sand = aragonite?? too expensive). I would like to have aragonite sand because it help to buffer the water, but ones gotta live within his means

Got lotsa questions but lets starts with these first.

Any other advise appreciated.

Pls kindly take note of this...

Marine tank pump rate needed is 4-6x (best) the total volume of tank water

eg. 200litre tank x 6, u need 1200l/h pump

thxs.

[Harlequinmania]

For a fish only system, it is important to have a good and powerful skimmer. If you can afford, go get a good UV or ozone which would be good to prevent diseases outbreak esp when you are keeping butterfly and angel fishes.

[jackywongto]

Pls kindly take note of this...

Marine tank pump rate needed is 4-6x (best) the total volume of tank water

eg. 200litre tank x 6, u need 1200l/h pump

thxs.

Bro Superior1,

If my memory did not fail me, i recall (as a rule of thumb) the minimum is 10x the tank size and 20x the tank size is average?

4 - 6x seems exccessively low.

PS: For a minute, I thought you were another bro in the forum. You sound so much like him.

cheers!

[Dazza]

If you need some used but still in-gd-condition equipment, Pm me as i may be clearing my store room very soon

[dragonfly_sg]

you can consider RIO pumps if budget. fowlr you can opt for barebottom...but will have to siphon off dertritus.

Yah, if I can't find an Eheim I probably look for something more economical. I am just very worried about pumps breaking down on me, that's why Eheim.

I used to have coral chips in my previous marine tank (couple of years ago which came off at a seam), I used to get a bit worried about detritus getting in an become a nitrate sink. Thats why this round I was thinking bare bottom, unless it's better to have a sand base for angel and butterflys. And yah, I am going FOWLR for now.

[dragonfly_sg]

if limited budget why not scale down?

To be honest, I am those kind that needs a lot of motivation ( in simple terms lazy )

I plan to have a bigger volume with maybe 3 juv of French, Koran and Imperator. And maybe 3 butterfly or banner. Larger volume give me more buffer I hoped.

[dragonfly_sg]

Pls kindly take note of this...

Marine tank pump rate needed is 4-6x (best) the total volume of tank water

eg. 200litre tank x 6, u need 1200l/h pump

thxs.

Yes you're right. Effectively I should have 6x ~ 8x if I can. But realistically my tanks about 500 litres, I was hopping to get 6x if possible that's why I am looking for 1262 (3600l/h) taking account of head loss I might not even get 6. That's why I am a bit apprehensive about down sizing the pump.

[dragonfly_sg]

For a fish only system, it is important to have a good and powerful skimmer. If you can afford, go get a good UV or ozone which would be good to prevent diseases outbreak esp when you are keeping butterfly and angel fishes.

I was thinking of experimenting going skimmer-less. In place I will do mechanical filtration and bio-logical (bio-media plus refugium). I want to grow some pods as I always wanted to keep a mandarin.

But if I find that can't control nitrate then I will definitely look into a skimmer. UV is something new to me, I thought they are used to control green water as in freshwater? I will look into this, thanks for the head ups.

And yes, if a disease outbreak happen in a butterfly tank, it's likely I would loose all of them. Been there

[dragonfly_sg]

If you need some used but still in-gd-condition equipment, Pm me as i may be clearing my store room very soon

Sure will keep that in mind, thanks for the offer.

And would you happen to have an Eheim 1262 pump tuck in there somewhere ..... Just trying my luck

[superior1]

If you need some used but still in-gd-condition equipment, Pm me as i may be clearing my store room very soon

Me looking for a used 3000 litres /h pump, how u happen to hv one in yr store, in good working condition ???

thxs.

[superior1]

Bro Superior1,

If my memory did not fail me, i recall (as a rule of thumb) the minimum is 10x the tank size and 20x the tank size is average?

4 - 6x seems exccessively low.

PS: For a minute, I thought you were another bro in the forum. You sound so much like him.

cheers!

Too high flow rates 20x or 10x,... yr fishes will get sea-sick, and vomit in the tank

thxs.

[Jameshong]

Too high flow rates 20x or 10x,... yr fishes will get sea-sick, and vomit in the tank

thxs.

My 3ft is using Ehiem 1262 before and flow is just nice so IMHO...4ft should for for 1264 instead !

[Ketchup]

I actually think Jacky is right.. i rem the flow rate should be at least 10x

[desideria]

haahah 10x or 20x flow rate will not result in 'sea sickness'... it's just how many times your water volume is "turned around" in the tank. 4 - 6x is too low la.

MOre like if you put in 6 MP40 VOrtechs then maybe you'd get seasickness!

My 4 x 2.5 x 2 is using 2 return ehiem 1264

[superior1]

haahah 10x or 20x flow rate will not result in 'sea sickness'... it's just how many times your water volume is "turned around" in the tank. 4 - 6x is too low la.

MOre like if you put in 6 MP40 VOrtechs then maybe you'd get seasickness!

My 4 x 2.5 x 2 is using 2 return ehiem 1264

Sorry my bad.

The correct flowrates shld be 6-10x according to the expert (see link)

http://saltaquarium.about.com/cs/beginnerscorner/a/aa081399.htm

[jackywongto]

Sorry my bad.

The correct flowrates shld be 6-10x according to the expert (see link)

http://saltaquarium..../a/aa081399.htm

Just some food for thoughts.....

- when was that article written? Does that theory still stand today?

- his tips is based on what type of tank? Fowlr, mix reef, SPS?

- he is an expert? He just wrote an article on calculating tank turnover rate. Well maybe he is but On the basis of that article, a statement like" the correct flow rates shod be 6-10x according to the author of this article" would be more appropriate.

It is no good to just read an article and take excerpts of it at face value.

Can do more research on SRC (previous postings) and other forums like RC.

Lots of interesting topics and discussion there.

Can also have a chat with some of the sponsors here.... ML, DeLighting, reef depot etc, they are more than willing to give valuable advise.

Cheers and happy reefing.....

Sent from my iPad2 using Tapatalk

[superior1]

Just some food for thoughts.....

- when was that article written? Does that theory still stand today?

- his tips is based on what type of tank? Fowlr, mix reef, SPS?

- he is an expert? He just wrote an article on calculating tank turnover rate. Well maybe he is but On the basis of that article, a statement like" the correct flow rates shod be 6-10x according to the author of this article" would be more appropriate.

It is no good to just read an article and take excerpts of it at face value.

Can do more research on SRC (previous postings) and other forums like RC.

Lots of interesting topics and discussion there.

Can also have a chat with some of the sponsors here.... ML, DeLighting, reef depot etc, they are more than willing to give valuable advise.

Cheers and happy reefing.....

Sent from my iPad2 using Tapatalk

It's alrite,... my fishes are very happy with 6x flowrates (FOWLR)

[dragonfly_sg]

I guess the general consensus here is that the more times the water is turnover the better it is.

Now the question is WHY ? What does the turnover do (objective)?

All the things I can think of that could be serve by higher water circulation, I can think of better way to do it.

Anyone want to have a go ?

IMHO I think there should be some circulation, that means a minimum circulation but excessive effort wouldn't improve the benefits. But I am here to learn (and maybe share a bit of my limited knowledge) so I would really like to hear from everyone.

[Jameshong]

I guess the general consensus here is that the more times the water is turnover the better it is.

Now the question is WHY ? What does the turnover do (objective)?

All the things I can think of that could be serve by higher water circulation, I can think of better way to do it.

Anyone want to have a go ?

IMHO I think there should be some circulation, that means a minimum circulation but excessive effort wouldn't improve the benefits. But I am here to learn (and maybe share a bit of my limited knowledge) so I would really like to hear from everyone.

Water movement.

[finind]

Too high flow rates 20x or 10x,... yr fishes will get sea-sick, and vomit in the tank

thxs.

at least got headache

[dragonfly_sg]

Water movement.

Thanks James, indeed I did came across the doc on wiki and some others on the web.

But our discussion here and in some document seems to mesh up the return flow and water flow within a system.

IMHO we should not attempt to used a return pump with the sole intention of powering our water flow in our tank. Partially maybe as a side effect, but we have wave makers and other equipment that are better at it, independent and consume much less power.

Anyway I do agree that if we take internal equipment (such as wavemakers) and return pump into account, most tank should easily have up to 20~30x l/h of flow.