Power Heads

[lenr87g]

For a 55 gallon tank how many gph do u think my powerhead should pump?Also when I get a protein skimmer that will move watter with a protien skimmer do u think I still need a power head? It seems my tank wouldnt need much since it is small compared to some massive tanks I've seen.

 

[thomas712]

For a 55 gallon tank you will want at least 550 gph running through the tank. When I had a 55 I was running 2 whisper double cartridge filters that each put out 330 gph, and 2 maxi jet 1200's power heads that put out 295 gph each. Total was 1250 gph on a 55 gallon tank for a 22 times turnover rate. A bit much really.
If I were to do it again I'd still run the whisper filters, but I'd use 2 MJ 900's instead. The 900's put out 265 gph and that would still give you plenty of flow, also the 900's use much less electricity than the 1200's.
I would not hesitate to add a skimmer to the mix, but I wouldn't get rid of a power head.
Were you planning on any type of mechanical filtration at all or just live sand and live rock? Sump or wet/dry? What else were you planning?
Thomas

 

[lenr87g]

I was planing a skimmer b/c I know that would keep my aquirum healthier, and power head of some type right now I just have rocks, sand, crused coral, and of couarse a asrotment of inverts and damsel fish since I'm new i thought I would start with the cheapest and what i've been told the most hardy fish. I've also been told tomato clowns are extrenley hardy also. Wow that semms like a lot of power I'm going to try it but hope my aqurium dosent look like a torando of fast spinning watter. Thanks for your advice since the knuckle heads at my locale pet store always give me incorrect information.

 

[thomas712]

Whoa! you have crushed coral and sand in the same tank? mixed. Bad idea.

 

[chipmaker]

I would not count the skimmer in the overall picture of water movement......I would still retain the powerhead.

 

[clamdigger]

Is there a such thing as too much water flow my yellow polyps are really moving??? I have a aquaclear 70power head(400gph) aaquaclear 50(270gph) and a aquaclear 110 mech filter think it doea about 300....55reef

 

[thomas712]

Originally Posted by clamdigger
Is there a such thing as too much water flow my yellow polyps are really moving??? I have a aquaclear 70power head(400gph) aaquaclear 50(270gph) and a aquaclear 110 mech filter think it doea about 300....55reef
Thats about right, gives you about a 14x turnover rate and should give you alot of surface movement. As long as your polyps are spreading their skirts thats should be fine. That amount of water movement is good for taking away waste and brining food to your corals. If you think there is to much surface movement then get rid of one of those filters and put a powerhead in instead.
Thomas

 

[moprint]

I have an seio 620,2 maxijet 900, and a maxijet 400, then the pump for skimmer, and an emperor 280 that i run carbon and other media in. all on my 55.

 

[lenr87g]

yikes, please tell me why crushed coral and sand in the same tank are a bad idea. B/c I've never heard that before.

 

[lenr87g]

I forgot to mention if it makes any difference the sand is on the bottom and the crushed coral is on top

 

[thomas712]

Of course it is, that is the nature of larger particles vs. smaller. The crushed coral will always trap excess food and detritus, and will ALWAYS need to be vacuumed before this waste deteriorates and coverts into nitrates. Now if the sand bed underneath does what a sand bed should then its going to get some anoxic regions or areas of no oxygen, this form of bacteria if released into the water column while trying to vaccum that crushed coral and wipe out a tank.
Make no mistake you will have to vaccum that CC and you will desturb that sand bed, and the CC will trap waste and cause water problems, least that has always been my experience. There are some folks that have never had problems with crushed coral, but they are few and far between.
Thomas