Big Tank Flow Rate

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dimfer

Gambusia
MFK Member
Dec 8, 2005
490
3
16
Canada
what is the ideal flowrate for bigger tanks (1200 gals)? I am using Sequence Dart (3600 gph) which I thought is more than enough, but a recent conversation with a guy who seems to be very knowledgeable suggested to me that I need a lot more, maybe another 2 - 3600 gph pumps.

bio-load would moderate to heavy.
 
the more the better. big tanks need more current to keep some of the waste suspended for easier cleaning. if you could do a total of atleast 5 times turn over rate or higher, i think you would be okay. that would be equal to 6000 gph, you 3 3600 pumps would be plenty that would give you about 10800 gph turn over. thats 9 times turnover.
 
Turn over rate has been discussed alot on what is the ideal speed, I was under the impression that you should go as high as 10 times an hour, but I know there are guys/girls here that will turn the tank as little as I think 3 times an hour. I would go in the 5-7 times an hour and maybe add some power heads to help with current.
 
Dr. Joe will be stopping in shortly to point out that high turnover does not nessesarily mean high current. ;) I return my water to an under gravel system and I have zero current.

And 3 to ten turnovers is considered acceptable. Tanks of all stocking levels have been succesfully maintained at these rates. As long as you have space in your filter for sufficient bacteria to grow, the colony will keep up with the waste. In other words, if you have low flow, the bacteria colony will grow to accomodate the waste load.

The flip side of the debate is that if the water flows too fast, the bacteria can't catch the waste out of the water collumn sufficiently. I am not so sure about that argument but the bacteria can certainly get it on the next pass.
 
CHOMPERS;947706; said:
Dr. Joe will be stopping in shortly to point out that high turnover does not nessesarily mean high current. ;) I return my water to an under gravel system and I have zero current.

And 3 to ten turnovers is considered acceptable. Tanks of all stocking levels have been succesfully maintained at these rates. As long as you have space in your filter for sufficient bacteria to grow, the colony will keep up with the waste. In other words, if you have low flow, the bacteria colony will grow to accomodate the waste load.

The flip side of the debate is that if the water flows too fast, the bacteria can't catch the waste out of the water collumn sufficiently. I am not so sure about that argument but the bacteria can certainly get it on the next pass.
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good point Chompers, that's why you are one of my idols. And I was thinking along this line too when I designed my system. I have total to 4 cubic feet of Kaldness filter media, system designed as moving filter system.

and yes, the guy suggested 10 turns/hour.
 
I've never had a need for more than 3X with a lot of biological media. I think that the 10x rule applies when you're using HOB filters. High turnover rate will increase mechanical filtration and do little else but waste power IME (if you have sufficient bacteria).

My 300 and 265 (although no where near the size you're planning) are heavily stocked and turn over ~3x per hour. Tigs and rays and test kits approve, so that's all I need.
 
on the 5000 i have about 400 gpm or 24000/5000 is about five turns....

some goes thru mechanical filters and back to the tank
and some goes to the mechanical filters then to bio and then to the tank.

working very well for me....the are alot of options when running multiple pumps.....
 
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