Turnover...in your opinion, how much?

[forddna]

Someone on here said 20x is a good starting point. I just bought two powerheads to start my tank, and those 2 alone give me 20x. Now I need to buy a return pump, and I would like opinions before I buy one. How much more turnover would you recommend, if any?
Again, this is a 120g that will slowly become a reef.

 

[mojo46825]

You bought two Koralia 4 if i remember from another thread. THat will be alot of flow. You will most likel have to match return pump with your fuge/sump/wet dry. At least make sure it isnt too large. See what you overflow is reated for and that would be a goos starting point. Will it be a submersible pump or external? all depends on your setup. I am goin on a limb here but i am going to say you will need something like a MAG Drive 12 or a Pentair Quiete One 6000. Both are good pumps I am running a quiet one 4000 on a 65. More people will chime in and share there opinions as well I am sure. Hope this helps.

 

[trippkid]

Really depends on what you plan on keeping, 20X's is a good general turnover(flow) rate for softies and LPS, if you were keeping mainly SPS, 20X's would be the bare minimum, more like 30X's to almost endless I suppose. I run about 3500gph total water movement in my 120, it is a mixed reef, but mostly SPS. I will be adding more current within the tank, when I get the closed loop built, I'm still on the fence with it a little, maybe just add another modified Maxi-Jet or 2.
As far as a return pump, something like a Mag Drive 12 or 18(would be better) for a submersible type return pump, or maybe something like an Iwaki MD 55RLT, or something comparable for an external type pump will work just fine for you.

Matt

 

[brandan]

For the sump only, 5-6x turnover. So you are lookin about 600gph, after your head loss. You do not need a lot of flow through the sump.