power heads

emmett0122 said:
i thank you for all the input. when i say i have 600 too 700 gph flow out of my return i have already down sized it i have a 1000 gph return pump with about 50 gph going to my skimmer my pump rating is as follows 1' 1000 gph 3' 900 gph 5' 800 gph i go up 4' or less to my tank so not counting the skimmer thats 850 take the skimmer out now i have 800 acount for 90's i say 600 to 700 thats flow not velocity so now we start talking science when flow is restricted velocity increases so its going to cause more movement in the tank right now i have to have my return pointed into my rocks or i blast my poor clowns that is why i feel i should count that as flow in my tank
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Good, you do understand. Can you imagine if you had everything perfect to websters way of reef keeping! 1 fish in a 1000g tank with 2500lbs of lr and a powerhead every 3 inches. You need to understand what is happening in your system and adjust from there. When your hobby consumes half of your energy bill for the month, what is your carbon foot print on the worlds reef? I know this is all basic knowledge and im not going to repost any information i found on the internet. What im tring to say is just keep it basic, you can put all the science into it and have no better results than someone who does nothing besides waterchanges. Im sure that is a science too!
 
Emmet0122, I understand that's how much is coming out, but you still don't count it. Don't ask me why, you just don't. Nobody does. There's a few things in this hobby that just don't make sense.

Mario, if half your bill is from fish, you have a rather large tank or you never cook, watch tv, flush the toilet, etc... Your fridge uses more electricity in 1 day than anything in your tank does the whole month except your lights. So please stop trying that as an argument. A 100w fluorescent light will use approximately $2.70 in a month if left on 10 hours every day.

Back to power heads, do whatever you want, I'm sick of arguing. All I have to say is that's a setup that A LOT of people use and Mario is still trying to argue with his point being what he does, not EVERYONE ELSE.
 
im not trying argue just want the facts when i question something its because i am trying to understand it. my tank isnt something i take half heartily i want the best environment i can provide but i need facts to that other then opinions i do like the input people give. right now money is my biggest factor with my tank i dont have a lot of money to pour in to its taken me ten moths to get to where im at today and i have already had a total tank lose once not to me doing but i think my tank was tampered with cuz i went away for the weekend before i life tank parameters were all good when i came home i had a dead sea hair and a dieing hermit parameters where still good in the tank at that point the tank was 3 months old this is something i dont want to happen again it just sets you back and cost money i dont have so please dont think i question stuff just to be a buthole cuz that is not the point
 
I've had those problems too. It sucks. But I'm trying to help and I would personally disregard what Mario says because if what's in his tank works for him then great, but he's an exception. Look around here at some 55 gallon builds and see their setups for yourself.
 
kbuser92 said:
I've had those problems too. It sucks. But I'm trying to help and I would personally disregard what Mario says because if what's in his tank works for him then great, but he's an exception. Look around here at some 55 gallon builds and see their setups for yourself.
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How am i an exeption? Its all about running costs, that is my point. Just because you go bigger doesnt mean better. I spend 30 bucks a month just on my tank in water, sewer, and electric. Yes my fridge is electric, but my stove, on demand hot water heater, furnace, and dryer are all gas, but thanks for pointing out, i should probally eat at home more. 360 a year is my operating costs and then start adding filters and biomedia, food is too an expense. But you are right, i know nothing and am by far an expert. I use my info ive recieved and monitor my tank and go from there. You are the only true expert, so i am going out tomorrow and get a 6000gph powerhead for my tank to fit in like everyone else.
 
kbuser92 said:
I've had those problems too. It sucks. But I'm trying to help and I would personally disregard what Mario says because if what's in his tank works for him then great, but he's an exception. Look around here at some 55 gallon builds and see their setups for yourself.
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well its like this there are more then one way to have a successful tank this i know but i dont like anyone putting down anyone eles it all comes down to the tank and the person keeping it and doing the the best you can with what you have im going to start with 1 750gph and see what happens if its good then great if no ill go from there i would really more people to chime in on this as far an "exception" i was on too my tank was cycled to 14 days most takes 4 to 6 weeks so this is where im going to start and go from there good bad or ugly but im sure it will be good i have nothing in my tank that i will hurt as get the flow right so thanks for the input put people need to keep an open mind and know that this is no a black and white hobby
 
Nobody's tank is an exception.

That being said, with powerheads (and with only reading half of the posts because bickering) you're better off using a few smaller ones rather than one really big one. This way you can spread them around your tank.

A basic set up is three. One on each side (with one pointed at the surface to give you a nice ripple for oxygen exchange), one on the back pointed toward the front glass. You could also do one behind the rocks to prevent detritus from settling (although I remember from your other post that you vacuum your substrate frequently, so I'm sure you get behind the rocks, too).
 
Im sorry if that came across as putting antbody down, that wasn't my goal. My point was strictly that 1) if operating costs are a concern, get a smaller tank or switch to freshwater because an extra powerhead isn't going to make a difference. My 3 tanks and all electric budget is $65 a month and it went up $.30 with an extra powerhead and 3x the light when I bought a new fixture. And 2) that you need more flow than you think because some is lost due to "false advertisement", lack of cleaning, age, etc...

For a mixed reef, the most common recommendation is 30x turnover and a 55 would be 1650 gph. So 2x750ish and 1x1050ish would gross around 2500 gph, but actually yeildg 1500-1800 gph a +/- ~8.5% flow.

And Mario, pleas ed don't put words in my mouth. The article posted was about 3000-5000 gph pumps, but I never once said anything about NEEDING one that large, unless by implication if you have a tank large enough to justify one.
 
i am not worried about the cost of running the pump that has no play in anything. my point in asking about this is that i went over sized on my sump pump in hopes of cutting back on pwer heads to help save cost there. and i have delt with fresh water tanks most of my life we had 8 fresh water tanks in my house at one time the smallest being 10gal and the biggest a 70 gal not really into fresh water tanks.

erin i do understand alot of people dont count the return right now i only have my return as flow in my tank. it is at one end and my HOB OF is at the other end. i have to point my return down and aim it in the rocks cuz if i dont, sence i dont have counter flow. i blast my clowns and they wont move but i still have good surface movement.

are there cheep but good power heads. and would i be better off moving my return to the center of the tank and spliting to go both ways?
 
i should add before i built my new overflow box i had to turn back my return because my ovbeerlow wouldnt handle it. and when it was turn back the clowns would swim thru it now the dont go near it
 
I just kind of glanced over what your return was.

I would count that. Do you have it coming back in with just one lock line? Maybe do a T and split it up.
 
i have a 1000 gph return pump and i dont use lock line i used 3/4" pvc and shaped a piece so it looks like a flat nozzle here is a pic
 

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sorry for the drip marks on the outside of the glass just did a water change friday nite and i have cleaned the outside of the glass and its bugging me lol
 

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