If i have a 225G what kind of flowrate will i want from my overflow box?

mailoo · #1 07/07/2006, 07:21 PM

If i have a 225G what kind of flowrate will i want from my overflow box?

the tank is 60x30x30

bertoni · #2 07/07/2006, 07:28 PM

There are lots of opinions. I would probably target about 700 gph through the sump. Some people go higher for more circulation, although that can lead to bubble problems, etc. Closed loops and powerheads can always be used for more circulation.

sjm817 · #3 07/07/2006, 07:33 PM

One thing that is seldom mentioned when asking this question is sump/fuge size and design. I would give you a different answer with a 30G sump Vs a 100G sump.

mailoo · #4 07/07/2006, 07:57 PM

i would say about a 50g sump

sjm817 · #5 07/07/2006, 08:10 PM

With that, shoot for ~ 600 - 700 GPH or so.

staticfishmonger · #6 07/07/2006, 09:21 PM

its really up to you, some say having more flow than the skimmer can process is to much, others use the sump as the main source of flow for the tank to avoid having powerheads.
i have a 125g with a 45g sump, i use a mag 24 as the return and the main source of flow for the tank. i have also had sumps where the flow was closer to that of the skimmers GPH, and i cant say if one is better than the other.
i would think you deffinatly want to be at or above what your skimmers gph is and after that it is just how much flow do you want. im my opinion you almost cant have to much flow.

Good luck.

mailoo · #7 07/07/2006, 11:07 PM

i have a 900-1200 GPH skimmer being fed by a 1250 GPH pump.

So i want about 1200 GPH flow from the overflow... which means if i am buying a lifereef overflow (http://www.lifereef.com/siphon.html) ... means i need the double version not the single version

am i reading that right...

sjm817 · #8 07/07/2006, 11:12 PM

1200 GPH skimmer? What is it?

dots · #9 07/07/2006, 11:14 PM

That is a good question, someone the other day was saying that
4x of turnover through the sump per hour.

When I was setting mine up, I was told 10x and have had great results.....

What is the "rule of thumb"

4x=900gph
10x=2250gph

Of course we are limited on what you can get into the sump......say 2-megaflows for instance, at what are they rated again 600gph, so 1200gph +/- which is 5.3x?

mailoo · #10 07/07/2006, 11:21 PM

Skimmer is a Kent Marine Nautilus EX 24
http://www.kentmarine.com/aquariumfilters/ex.html

Only just fits under my stand as its 24 inches high.

sjm817 · #11 07/07/2006, 11:31 PM

That is an injection skimmer. It may use a pump that is rated for 1200 GPH, but nowhere near that much actually goes through it. A 1200 GPH pump pumping though an orifice will only move a fraction of that amount.

mailoo · #12 07/07/2006, 11:34 PM

Not even sure i am going to put it under the stand... if its got to be raised in the sump its not going to fit..... lucky its external...