How much current for a 10 gallon tank?

[snowslide]

Alright... after just about 10 minutes of testing, I have come to the conclusion that a Maxi-Jet 1200 is probably a weeeeeee bit too much current for a 10 gallon tank. :eek2:

Does anyone have any recommendations and/or available smaller pumps that they are not using, that would work on a 10 gallon tank? It needs to also aerate the tank as well. (Later on when I really want to get this tank going, I will do some reading up on closed loops)

Right now, I am just wanting to get this tank cycled so that when southdown reaches OK, I can put all my critters in the 10 gallon, until my DSB is installed in the big tank.

[Don Davis]

I've got a Maxi-Jet 800 that I use for mixing water every great once in a while. How long would you need it for?

Don

[DrkShadow]

I've got an extra MJ600 that would probably work ok. I reduced the # of PH's in my tank.

[snowslide]

Don,
I would need it for a minimum of 4-6 weeks assuming that we actually have SD within the next 5 weeks. Would prefer to introduce my bio load slowly back into the tank. I know Dr. Ron says that even the smallest amount of bacteria can reproduce instantly, but I would rather not take my chances. :D

DrkShadow,
How much would you want for your PH?

I take it that all PHs have an air valve that can be used to aerate the tank? I just thought it was kewl that my MJ1200s had the option to pull in air, or close off the valve. Its the simple things in life that impress me. :D

[OscarBeast]

I use a penguin bio-wheel mini, a red sea prizm, and two 45GPH statuary pumps.

Depending on what you are going to have, you won't need much circulation. If you are just going to have some LR and your one leather, then you won't need but a minimal flow.

The flow from a cheap HOB filter would probably work for a temp job.

[snowslide]

Thanks for the suggestions, OscarBeast!

Didn't even think about a prism. That probably would be a good skimmer for a tank this size. You don't recall the gph on those?

Do you have a closed loop on your setup? Or have you done any research on these? I was thinking if I eventually make this tank permanent, that I might wanna do something like this. Get a bit larger water column to make a good frag tank!

[OscarBeast]

No I don't have a closed loop. I really don't have a need for one. How is a closed loop going to increase your water volume, other than what your pipe holds? Either I don't know exactly a closed loop is, or you are mixing a closed loop up with something else.

I don't know what the GPH of the Prizm, or even if it is listed. The only thing I think is listed is that they are from up to 90-gallon tanks. I don't think anyone would use them as the main skimmer on something this big, but they work great for a 10-gallon tank.

[snowslide]

I figured any added piping would give you that much more water in your tank. Depeding upon the diameter of piping used, it could be beneficial.... just seems like a small water column in there! :D

That and the most beneficial feature of the loop would be positioning the current streams from your outtake pipes. Guess I may not be too concerned after I have seen a smaller PH. All I have seen is those darn MJ 1200's which I think are some where between 250-300 GPH, and that is just overkill!

[rldavis]

Snowslide,

I might add that's it's not necessary to "aerate" a tank with air bubbles. It actually makes it kinda ugly looking. The aeration that needs to occur is any type of surface turbulence, which can be achieved by using a power head (with no air injection), a hang on power filter with no media, or of course a HOT skimmer. :D If I were you, I'd keep the bubbles out.

HTH,
Becky

[OscarBeast]

You could use another tank to increase your water volume, if that is what you wanted.

You can get little pumps to work as PHs as well.

You should check out www.nano-reef.com and see how everyone there sets up their tanks. There are all kinds of solutions out there.

[snowslide]

I guess I don't really understand how surface turbuleance can aerate the system, that is with just using a PH. Are you saying that if I have the PH pointed up enough, it will create the waves needed to aerate the water?

It makes since with the HOT filter/skimmers because that water comes back into the tank rather forceably, but to accomplish that with a PH would cause major splashing wouldn't it?

It sounds like I might be aerating right now. Can you help me understand this a big better. BTW, thanks for sharing, Becky. I never really thought about the true physics to it before. Just knew my HOTs were aerating.

OscarBeast,
It is very apperant that I need to do a bit more research on the topic of nano tanks before making the plunge. I will PM/email you to make sure things are in order before all my critters make the huge exodus from the main tank!!!

[rldavis]

I'm not a physicist :D but I've read in enough places and heard from enough people that all you need for aeration is surface turbulence. You don't necessarily have to point the PH at the surface, just place it a few inches below the water line and it will do the job you need. A skimmer obviously will help aerate your water too, of course it uses bubbles, but it's not in your tank. I actually believe that too many bubbles in your tank can be more harmful than beneficial, for instance bubbles get in your tank, they start to collect and go from small bubbles to big bubbles. There are some corals that will just up and die on you if that happens, like the plate or brains. Don't get me wrong, a few bubbles won't hurt anything, but too many will.
You might also want to factor in that your tank will equilibrate itself with your room as far as O2 and CO2 go, if there's enough oxygen in the room, there should be plenty for your tank. This gets really really hairy to explain, but too much CO2 in your room can also lower your PH.....You can read some stuff in Randy Holmes-Farley's forum (Chemistry) and learn more about this if you feel like it. Believe me, it's really complicated.:eek: Hopefully my husband's presentation on PH and Alkalinity will be posted in the website's library soon and you can read that. All the information was gathered from Randy's articles and put in the best laymen terms possible. I'll post here when the article gets there so you can check it out.
A couple of links to some good information:
http://archive.reefcentral.com/vbulletin/showthread.php?s=&threadid=104747&highlight=aeration
http://archive.reefcentral.com/vbulletin/showthread.php?s=&threadid=101414&highlight=aeration

Becky



:D