Optimum flow for a RSM250?

[GregT]

I'm thinking of adding a 12,000L/hr Powerhead Wavemaker Double to my tank that has stock pumps + a tunze 6025.

I have LPS and SPS and a sand bottom.

What's the optimum flow please?
cheers
Greg

 

[Mischko]

Should be about 8 to 10 times the water volume in the tank per hour, as far as I can recall, no?

 

[GregT]

thanks Mischko,

I'm sure I've read of reef systems exceeding 30X.
I'm wondering what 250 owners have experienced when they've added lots more flow?

 

[Mischko]

Should be at least 10 times the tank volume per hour. More won't hurt unless you have pumps 'blowing away' your corals, now that wouldn't make sense of course. The 130D and 250 tanks have the pumps for having that value already. If you use way bigger pumps the problem then would be how to direct the exhaust of water into the tank and not have such a strong current in the tank having your corals virtually blowing away by the water stream.

 

[imaccat]

Greg, I think the 12000l/hr is similar if not more than my Vortech mp40 on full power, but I never run it at full power as some corals close up and the sand starts to get kicked up a lot, so unless the speed is adjustable I would have thought it would be too much. I guess it also depends on the direction you set the pumps at and the breadth of the flow coming out.

 

[FCatCH76]

I swapped the original pumps for a Rio1100+(300 gph), Tunze Silence .20 (634 gph), ecotech mp10 at 60% (850 gph) power and my sump system at 300 (gph). Divide all that by about 70 gallons of water and you get roughly 29X turnover.

 

[reeferman]

it all depends on what species of corals you keep.sps require higher flow than lps and softies.

 

[GregT]

Thanks
I was watching an online auction for a dual powerhead/wavemaker unit rated at 12,000 litres per hour while I decided based on feedback what to do - and my wife hit buy now - so I'll be able to give some feedback on higher flow rates - and securing corals!

 

[ukoldschool]

I know this a bit old, but in my RSM 250 ive got a newjet 3000 and a newjet 2300 (3000lph and 2300lph) as replacements for the crap stock pumps both on full all day - the 3000 exits via a hydor flow rotating deflector so im sure the 300lph rating is reduced via that...
plus i have a tunze 6025 (2800lph) on all day on the top left of the tank towards the front pointing at the surface, and another tunze 6025 on the top right which is on a 15min timer on/off during the day and off at night...

so when theyre all on I have 10900lph turnover in about 200 litres of water which is 54x.....

 

[pocketreef]

I use 2 Tunze 6055 controlled by my profilux GHL. I normally run them below 30%, 100% only during storms and 2% at night.

 

[GregT]

Thanks pocketreef and ukoldschool,

I think I try'll putting the new powerheads on a short timer alternating on and off. It'll be 15,000 L/hr or @ 78x per hr when it's on full.
It's a good excuse to rearrange some corals and I think I may need to remove some of my finer sand.
cheers
Greg