Thinking of trying out a ATF but first want to get my GPH right of course. The tank size is 150g. Currently I have an xp3 filter (350gph) and a fx5(650gph). I also have 2 koralia nano power heads (240gph each). So I am at 1480gph now which is barely anything. Obviously the first thing I should do is upgrade my power heads. What recommendations can anyone make for power heads or air stones/air pumps in order to make the GPH adequate for 1 ATF?
GPH Help with ATF
- Thread starter Greg31
- Start date
My goliath is in a 125 right now, and my current is generated by the following:
1 - Koralia 8 (3250gph)
1 - Koralia Evo (1050gph)
2 - Cascade 1500 canister spray bars (350gph? each)
1 - AC110 HOB filter (500gph)
He's perfectly comfortable with this amount of flow, and I honestly think he'd be fine with a bit more. I've walked downstairs and caught him camped out 3" from the output of the Magnum 8. If you've ever seen a Magnum 8 in action, you can barely keep your hand in front of it from the output. ATF are seriously strong swimmers.
I'd probably recommend scrapping the 2 nano powerheads since they don't really provide much movement, and adding something like a Magnum 8 to what you've already got. I think the 2 nanos would just get overpowered by the rest of the current, honestly. Everything else sounds good to me. I'd probably keep the mag8 on one side, and the filter returns and everything else on the opposite side pointing either downwards or back towards the powerhead but on the bottom end of the tank if possible, creating a large circular flow.
1 - Koralia 8 (3250gph)
1 - Koralia Evo (1050gph)
2 - Cascade 1500 canister spray bars (350gph? each)
1 - AC110 HOB filter (500gph)
He's perfectly comfortable with this amount of flow, and I honestly think he'd be fine with a bit more. I've walked downstairs and caught him camped out 3" from the output of the Magnum 8. If you've ever seen a Magnum 8 in action, you can barely keep your hand in front of it from the output. ATF are seriously strong swimmers.
I'd probably recommend scrapping the 2 nano powerheads since they don't really provide much movement, and adding something like a Magnum 8 to what you've already got. I think the 2 nanos would just get overpowered by the rest of the current, honestly. Everything else sounds good to me. I'd probably keep the mag8 on one side, and the filter returns and everything else on the opposite side pointing either downwards or back towards the powerhead but on the bottom end of the tank if possible, creating a large circular flow.
My ATF is in my drilled 144. The return pump is a Laguna 2000 (2000gph) and there's 1 Karalia Evo powerhead in there (1050gph) as well as an Aqueon circulation pump (1250gph).
So in total I've got around 4000gph, and he's doing fine. I should probably up it soon, since he has put on a little size this past year.
The best bang for the buck in circulation pumps seems to be the sunsun/aquatop/whatever other names they go buy. There are a lot of deals on those, mainly on Fleabay, but also on Amazon from time to time. I think the only immediate negative with those pumps is that they aren't as efficient as the Koralia's, and I'm at the point where every watt saved counts.
So in total I've got around 4000gph, and he's doing fine. I should probably up it soon, since he has put on a little size this past year.
The best bang for the buck in circulation pumps seems to be the sunsun/aquatop/whatever other names they go buy. There are a lot of deals on those, mainly on Fleabay, but also on Amazon from time to time. I think the only immediate negative with those pumps is that they aren't as efficient as the Koralia's, and I'm at the point where every watt saved counts.
i have my atf in a 340, flow is supplied by two return pumps from sump combined for total of 2600 gph... i would worry about trying to get crazy flow