Need advice on power heads

[leftyblite]

I was just given an early birthday/christmas present from my family consisting of a 150G tank with canopy and stand. I'am planning on eventually making it into either a fowler tank or a reef tank. This is going to take a while(3-6months) since I still have to save up for everything else. I'am planning on putting live sand and approx 150lbs of live rock. I'am also planning on using a refugium filter and a protein skimmer. My question is this......How many power heads do I need for this tank to make it run properly? Any help would be appreciated!! Thanks. :joy:

 

[crzyfshygy]

Awesome present

Well it depends on what type of tank you want to keep. Reef tanks need lots of flow. I heard 25x GPH is good. I could never see how to get that much but now I have it. Not including your return pump, which you should get atleast 5x out of that, you could get these powerheads called SEIO, they make a bunch of different models. The slowest one flows 620GPH, and the outlet is really large. about the size of a tennis ball. The biggest one does 1500GPG that would do 10x in your tank, but it doesn't have all the head pressure so it good. I would 2 1200's and 1 820 plus your return would give you about 25x GPH. They run about $50-100 a pc. I have one and love it. The next tank I get will be a 150 and I will use the SEIO or the Tunze. FOWLR will need a little less flow, but remeber you can never have to much!

 

[leftyblite]

Thanks for the info crzyfshygy. I'am leaning towards the reef tank so your recomendations really help. I've been wanting a large tank for awhile now, so it was surprise when the whole family chipped in and gave it to me. I want to make sure this is done right even if it means waiting a little longer. I was told by my LFS, the keywords are patience, patience, patience!!!