Greetings from San Diego

bk6662

Reefing newb
Hello everybody,

Looks like I finally found a forum that works! :) I am just getting back into s/w, after a 10-year break. I had a CPR MicroReef that was fun, challenging, but being 6 gallons was quite limiting. I just found a used 60-g "cube" with a built-in lighted refugium (or is it a sump?), stand, for a price I couldn't pass up! So I will be asking lots of questions to get it going.

The store talked me into a pump that, upon closer examination, I found out is a "Pond Pump". Is that ok?

Also I've never set up anything with a return before - don't know where to start. (For example; where do I attach the skimmer? The pump? How does the plumbing all go together?)

I'll leave it there for now. Please let me know if you have any recommendations where to start. I do understand the principles (cycle time, water chemistry, so far) but I think I need a refresher course! :)

Brian
 
Welcome to the site!

Most if not all pond pumps will work fine in SW. I'm currently using a pond pump that I picked up from Lowe's as my return.
 
Thank you for the references!!

Ok here comes my first question. I'm stil wondering if the local shop sold me the correct pump. According to the "Basic Equipment List":

One of the most common questions regarding flow is “how much do I need?” This can be answered by considering what you want to keep in your tank. The basic rules are:



Live rock with soft corals – 20x your tank volume per hour
  • LPS and SPS corals – 40x your tank volume per hour
So a tank of 20 gallons containing live rock, soft and hard corals could have 2 powerheads each with a flow rate of 40 gallons per hour.

So my simple math skills tell me that 40X20 = 800gph. But in the example they say 2 powerheads, each at 40 gph (total 80gph) is optimal. This is 4X the tank volume - not 40X the tank volume. Am I misunderstanding?


They sold me a pond pump (Pondmaster model 5) that pumps 500gph. So it's roughly 8.5X my tank volume, per hour. Is that adequate (assuming I want to keep LPS and SPS corals), and also is that the proper type of pump for my aquarium? I don't want to start off with the wrong equipment!


Thank you!
Brian
 
Thank you for the references!!

Ok here comes my first question. I'm stil wondering if the local shop sold me the correct pump. According to the "Basic Equipment List":

One of the most common questions regarding flow is “how much do I need?” This can be answered by considering what you want to keep in your tank. The basic rules are:



Live rock with soft corals – 20x your tank volume per hour
  • LPS and SPS corals – 40x your tank volume per hour
So a tank of 20 gallons containing live rock, soft and hard corals could have 2 powerheads each with a flow rate of 40 gallons per hour.

So my simple math skills tell me that 40X20 = 800gph. But in the example they say 2 powerheads, each at 40 gph (total 80gph) is optimal. This is 4X the tank volume - not 40X the tank volume. Am I misunderstanding?


They sold me a pond pump (Pondmaster model 5) that pumps 500gph. So it's roughly 8.5X my tank volume, per hour. Is that adequate (assuming I want to keep LPS and SPS corals), and also is that the proper type of pump for my aquarium? I don't want to start off with the wrong equipment!


Thank you!
Brian
I believe that 40 may have been a typo and it was supposed to be 400 gph. 8.5x your total volume will be fine, you don't want all of your flow coming from your sump. You'll have to add powerheads into your display tank to supplement it. I can't be totally sure but, I believe that's the same pump I've been using and it's worked out fine for me so far.
 
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