400gph or 660gph for a 20 gallon????

b0bby1 · #1 10/03/2007, 02:45 PM

what should i go with for my 20 gallon tank flow wise? im debating between a 400gph system or a 660gph. i keep zoas, rics, acans, chalices, and montis.

fishdoc11 · #2 10/03/2007, 07:49 PM

Need a little more info on tank setup to answer the question. Is there a sump? Is this flow in the tank or a return pump? What types of animals are you trying to keep? What specific pumps are you looking at etc......
Chris

Justin James · #3 10/03/2007, 08:44 PM

400 gph. Thouse corals will do fine with a 20 x turnover. Now if it were all acros i'd say go for the 660 gph but the zoos and the rics might get too much so stick with the 400.

dendro982 · #4 10/03/2007, 08:48 PM

Pump- or powerhead dependent: I have Koralia1 powerhead, 400 gph, in 12g NanoCube, plus its own stock pump as a return pump from a sump. No problem, more or less soft flow.

But the Maxi-Jets 200+ gph would be destructive in these settings.

If it is return pump from the sump, you probably can do wider outlets or more of them and use 660 gph of dissipated flow.
Just a thought.

pledosophy · #5 10/03/2007, 08:48 PM

I'm at 700+ gph in my 20g and the zoo's and rics are fine. When I was at 1200 gph it was to much for them.

Curious if you are asking about a return pump or a powerhead. I found IME that the MJ's out of the box were to narrow of a flow, but the Seio's were cool. I cut the nozzle off the MJ's to help break it up a bit and am still happy I did. The MJ 1200 out of the box was too much for my SPS in such tight quarters. Blew the flesh off, literally.

m2434 · #6 10/03/2007, 11:00 PM

In my 20 I'm running ~500GPH total. I started with 600+, but my hammer coral was not happy. I got a sump and moved the skimmer to lower flow in the display and everything is doing great. Many of the corals on your list can handle higher flow, but I'd be esspecially cautious with the rics...

b0bby1 · #7 10/04/2007, 03:31 PM

no sump, just an aquaclear50 not sure how many gph that has. but i get decent flow from it already.

b0bby1 · #8 10/04/2007, 03:38 PM

ok, my filter currently gives me 200 gph. i get a really good flow from it too. the only sps i want to keep is montipora which dont require much. i just look on liveaquaria and saw a nano koralia. which is 240 gph. i think thats what im gonna go with.

hypertech · #9 10/04/2007, 04:34 PM

I've got a 660gph return on mine but I put it through a hydor flo which cuts down on the output a lot.

Then, I added the koralia nano and I think its perfect. The nano actually says 265GPH on it.

b0bby1 · #10 10/04/2007, 06:33 PM

thanks, im for the help hypertek. i just placed an order on liveaquaria for one.

davidryder · #11 10/04/2007, 06:46 PM