water flow?

TRH · #1 12/28/2007, 10:01 AM

Hi, I have a 75 gal reef tank and looking to get more water flow into it, I like the koralia power heads but not sure how much flow I need please help.

reeferman00 · #2 12/28/2007, 10:03 AM

go to drsfostersmith.com look up hydor koralia and it will show you all there flow rates

TRH · #3 12/28/2007, 10:07 AM

Thank you but I've been there, My question is how much flow do I need?

Shooter7 · #4 12/28/2007, 10:26 AM

I like to be roughly in the 30x volume flow range. You could go a little less for a tank with just softies, or considerably more on a tank with a lot of SPS, so it depends on what you're keeping or planning to keep. And preferrably, this should be from more than one source and widely dispersed, as opposed to having a huge amount of flow blasting from one powerhead in a narrow jet. At 30x, you would be at roughly 2250 gph.

TRH · #5 12/28/2007, 10:35 AM

Thank you very much for the info.

lark · #6 12/28/2007, 12:18 PM

I have the smallest hydor koralia, which is said to turnover 400 gph. I don't believe it, though. I can barely feel it when I put my hand in front of it. Feels like 50. Maybe that's the point -- it's supposed to be gentle. Seems puny to me, though.

Shooter7 · #7 12/28/2007, 12:46 PM

Flow, to me and as I understand it, is more about volume of water moved as opposed to an amount of force it displays while doing it. Each of my tunze 6060's is supposed to be moving 1600 gph, but it is widely dispersed and not simply blasting a narrow column of water straight out in front of it. But that's 3200 gph being moved in my 120g and while it's not blasting the tissue off of any of my corals, it's certainly making everything in the tank move around, which is what I want.

I don't have any experience with the hydors, but I have heard some comments on the thoughts that they don't push what they claim in gph. Not sure on this. However, once you get things set up in your tank and have the flow going, you check to see how what you have is keeping things moving and adjust from there.

Gooli · #8 12/28/2007, 01:08 PM

TRH...speaking from experience....i changed powerheads and closed loops so many times until i got sick of messing with it. i went to the tunze forum and asked what they recommend for my style tank and i purchased what they had recommended. I now have the flow i want and i dont need to mess with it anymore. i recommend you do the same.

Shooter7 · #9 12/28/2007, 01:10 PM

Straightforward and to the point. FWIW, I love my tunzes too, but they are expensive. I got both of mine used, though, so there's a thought for you.