My hex has me perplexed -- need some flow advice

[mikeyj]

First, I'm a soon to be noobie (should this go in the "new to reef" section?)

I picked up an 85 gal Oceanic glass hex tank for cheap to set up as a viewable on all sides (read NO powerheads) reef tank (mixed corals w/ a few fish). Plan is for a custom sump/refugium (approx 25 gal) in the stand below. I had the bottom drilled for three 1" bulkheads located in the center of the bottom with the idea of two as overflows to sump down below and 1 as return to tank (up from bottom to water surface, 30", for siphon break and u-turn back down for distribution. Basically I'd have four 1" pipes grouped together to stack a live rock around forming a tapered column in the middle of the tank.

The two overflows are to help keep it quiet as tank will be located in living room. With a total volume of about 110 gal (less sand & lr) and 10 to 15x turnover, I'm looking at 1100 to 1600 gph. The stand is only 30" tall as is the tank, so with a couple of valves, elbows etc. am I looking for this flow at 7-10 ft of head?

I was thinking of bringing one 1" return into one end of sump so that only half the flow will travel through refugium section with the other drain feeding a skimmer section before recombining in common section for the pump suction. Is 500 - 800 gph too much flow through a 16"w x 20"l x 10"d refugium?

Any recommendations on water flow rate and specific external quiet pump of appropriate size would be appreciated.

Thanks in adviance for any help.

[Snailman]

mikeyj

[welcome]

[mikeyj]

Thanks for the welcome mat Snailman. Any chance of getting this re-posted in the New to Reefkeeping section. Not much response over here?

Thanks

[Scuba_Dave]

Have you thougt about hiding some powerheads in the stacked LR? I saw this on a 125g recently - they blended in with LR & you had to look to notice them. That is what I would do. Or a closed loop system.

[mikeyj]

Thanks for the suggestion S.D.

I'd be leary of buried powerheads from a critter clogging / maintainence issue. It'll be difficult to monitor or access anything behind the LR column due to the overflow/return pipes. Plus this would put PH wires directly underneath single 250W MH. I'm trying to minimize the amount of mechanical equipment in the tank for asthetics & maintainence.

I like the closed loop idea, but that would mean additional holes in the center bottom of the tank. I'm already afraid of structural integrity with the three 1-3/4" holes I've drilled.

Thanks again for replying.

BTW - I notice in your sig that you've got a 60 hex w/ 250 w mh(I'm planning on a single 250w mh 10k w/ 2 75w vho actinic) . What are the dimensions of your 60 and how does that set up work for you?

mikeyj