gph for sump on a 20 gallon?
- Thread starter mrmaroon
- Start date
mr . salty
Active Member
You would want to have at least 7 times the total water volume per hour.So I would guess that a 150gph would be minimum.Maybe it would be better to get like a 200gph.That would be 10x turnover per hour...The main thing to be careful of with a tank that small is that you are not making TOO MUCH CURRENT.So a spray bar on the return would be a GOOD idea.
lancer
Member
If you are using this sump with any kind of ls/lr 150 gph is way too much. Try to aim for 50-60 gph, that is what I have for my sump made with a 15 gallon tall. You can restrict the flow back up if your pump is too strong. In your tank I would add several powerheads for flow up there but not in your sump. I have about a flow of about fifteen times the volume of my 46 gallon reef, more considering all of the rock and sand in there. ( 700 gph total ) If you need more answers on proper flow check out the December AFM. Lancer
mr . salty
Active Member
That is the diference between a SUMP,and a REFUGIUM.I believe that the question was for a sump.A sump is usually defined as a "main filter unit" or a place to put skimmers and heaters,thus requiring high water flow.A REFUGIUM is a place to grow macro algae,and keep live rock and sand for the purpose of denitrafication.That is why they(refugiums) require a very low flow rate.Matjtitus,was asking about a SUMP..If he asked for info about a REFUGIUM,my answer would have been diferent...