10 Gallon SPS Tank Flow Rate??

[Bluesop7]

Im not new to reefing but am new to the nano side of the hobby and am at a loss as to some of the unique aspects of keeping such a small tank. I have most of my tank constructed but need advice on what sort of return pump to use. To start with my display tank is going to be 10 gallons with a 10 gallon sump/refugium. The display will be drilled for two one inch bulkheads for draining purposes. For lighting im going with a single double ended 150 watt phoenix 14k bulb without any supplental lighting. Im going to have 10 pounds of sand in the display along with about 10-15 pounds of live rock. Im going to be keeping only SPS and one clam in the tank so as far as flow goes, the two bulkheads will drain to the sump and go across a couple of baffles and then get jetted back up into the display via a SCWD.....the only question is how much flow would be ideal?? I want alot of flow but of course not enough to kick up any sand.

[bad badger 1]

sounds grate good to hear you are having a large sump/fuge! 30x turn over an hour or more(more if normally better) is normally considered what sps should have! kicking up sand can be as much to do with flow pattern and direction if it blows the sand move the angle of the pump out lets .

[Bluesop7]

Thanks bad badger! Thats about what I was thinking. Is there such a thing as too much flow with SPS? Indirect flow of course...

[bad badger 1]

no problem! not as are as i know i guess it mite not be good to have a extreme amount of flow all the time but unless its making the sps’s fall over or bits drop off no and its probably nearly imposable to get flow this strong in a tank i guess in really high flow you mite have problems with polyps not fully expanded! but the real answer is no! iv seen tanks with 100x flow! the limiting factor is what affect the flow has on other stuff like fish, any other corals and sand.

[yuridelima]

Would you take pics of how you set up that sump of yours? or draw something and post it here? I'm at the process of making a sump/fuge of 10 also which will be connected to a 24G AP but I have not idea how to get it accomplished.

Thank you and good luck on your set up.
Yuri.

[herostar]

I would think you're going to want a return pump that's about 600-700 gph. You're going to lose some of that due to the height the water must be pumped, and the SCWD will take away a good deal of the flow as well. I'd say with 2' of head you're going to have about 400 gph into the tank.

[reefman13]

I would run a mag 5. Assuming that you have about a two foot head, that will run at 415 gph, which should be fine.