how much is too much?

jasin401 · 10/31/2011, 10:41 AM

i just replaced the return pump and added a circulator for my 29 gallon biocube. the pump is maxi900 and the circulator is a hydor mini nano 425. i have prexisting mini feather dusters, two clowns, snails and hermits. plan on adding a watchman goby and pistol shrimp. along with an assortment of corals later on down the road. as of now i think i could have gone bigger in the gph area, id like to see more flow. but i also dont want to overdue it, so how much is too much flow in a 29 gallon biocube? i think the pump is around 230 gph and the circulator is 425 gph. i know idealy i would like to have the mp10 or mp40 but thats out of the question for right now. maybe another nano or korialo? any info would help.
ty

Po Sei Don · 10/31/2011, 10:46 AM

The best way I think is to look at your livestock. If the corals are flowing gently in the water flow, probably around just right. Extra detritus on rocks is also an indicator of too little flow. If the corals look sucked in and hardly venturing out, might be too much. I have a 24 nano with a rio 10. My in-tank powerhead is a Koralia 425 gph. I think the water turnover is pretty good.

bnumair · 10/31/2011, 10:47 AM

on a 29gal tank u have 230+425=655 already. if u decide to do hardcore sps then u will need to add more movement. but at this time u should be ok.
my GF has a 30 gal tank with 425 plus 2 nano and mag9 for return and she does SPS acros

PoeticInjustice · 10/31/2011, 01:15 PM

I also have a BC 29 and maxijet900 is a downgrade from the stock pump. I have replaced mine by maxijet1200 and it has more flow than the stock.

jasin401 · 10/31/2011, 01:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PoeticInjustice

I also have a BC 29 and maxijet900 is a downgrade from the stock pump. I have replaced mine by maxijet1200 and it has more flow than the stock.

thats what i thought. lfs told me differently. idk why he gave me this info. he has the larger 1200 on the shelf also and sells bio cubes in the store. i will see if i can return it and upgrade to the 1200

PoeticInjustice · 10/31/2011, 01:27 PM

Here are the rated flow of the pumps:
MJ900: 230 GPH
BC29 Stock: 243 GPH
MJ1200: 295 GPH

Btw, I have MJ1200 and Koralia Nano 425 on my tank and I still see some deadspot. I would assume it's because of the positioning of the nano as my clown seems to be having a hard time swimming against the current lol

rovster · 10/31/2011, 06:14 PM

Depends on what you want to do, but in my BC14 I have MJ900 return and 1 each Koralia 245 and 425. I thing the MJ 1200 is a more appropriate return for the 29. I would say a MJ1200 and a K425 would be a minimum, and add from there. An MP10 would be kickarse!

mike&kel · 11/01/2011, 12:52 AM

Yeah I love my MP10! Well in our red sea we had the about 500gph flow including the nano hydor. Clowns and anemone loved it. Sand was fine after some adjustments in the angles. Wirked fine for 2+yrs Hope that helps some.

firebirdude · 11/01/2011, 07:27 AM

I ran a BC29 for about 3 1/2 years. Mine was drilled and had a sump in the stand. So I can't compare return pumps with you, but let me just say my return flow out into the cube was more than I ever had with the stock pump. In addition, I had a Koralia K1 and an evo 1050 in there. WAY more flow than anyone has mentioned so far. My corals loved it. Packed with SPS and LPS.

That was taken before I added the 1050, so you'll just have to take my word for it. I put the 1050 in the top middle just to the right of the purple monti and then moved the K1 to the bottom right pointing upward. And yes I know the coral placement is a little wack in that pic. Think I had just gotten that blue milli and was trying to find a stable home for it on a rock... don't remember.

jasin401 · 11/01/2011, 06:36 PM

thank you for all the info. im going to look into and research circulators. are any of them flow adjustable?

firebirdude · 11/01/2011, 06:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jasin401

thank you for all the info. im going to look into and research circulators. are any of them flow adjustable?

None of the ones under ~$200.

10/31/2011, 10:41 AM	#1
jasin401 Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2011 Location: Providence Posts: 252	how much is too much? i just replaced the return pump and added a circulator for my 29 gallon biocube. the pump is maxi900 and the circulator is a hydor mini nano 425. i have prexisting mini feather dusters, two clowns, snails and hermits. plan on adding a watchman goby and pistol shrimp. along with an assortment of corals later on down the road. as of now i think i could have gone bigger in the gph area, id like to see more flow. but i also dont want to overdue it, so how much is too much flow in a 29 gallon biocube? i think the pump is around 230 gph and the circulator is 425 gph. i know idealy i would like to have the mp10 or mp40 but thats out of the question for right now. maybe another nano or korialo? any info would help. ty

10/31/2011, 10:46 AM	#2
Po Sei Don Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2011 Location: Southern California Posts: 239	The best way I think is to look at your livestock. If the corals are flowing gently in the water flow, probably around just right. Extra detritus on rocks is also an indicator of too little flow. If the corals look sucked in and hardly venturing out, might be too much. I have a 24 nano with a rio 10. My in-tank powerhead is a Koralia 425 gph. I think the water turnover is pretty good. __________________ Steven SFVR Member 24 JBJ Nano Ocellaris Clowns, McCosker's Wrasse, Yasha Shrimp Goby

10/31/2011, 10:47 AM	#3
bnumair Dr. Reef at ur service Join Date: May 2009 Location: Tulsa, Ok, USA Posts: 7,751 Blog Entries: 15	on a 29gal tank u have 230+425=655 already. if u decide to do hardcore sps then u will need to add more movement. but at this time u should be ok. my GF has a 30 gal tank with 425 plus 2 nano and mag9 for return and she does SPS acros __________________ Water Quality: NO3 0,Phos 0,Cal 440,Alk 7.5,Mag 1300 "Reef Fast, You Crash, Reef Slow, You Pass" Mike's Reef 3:16 Current Tank Info: 350g DT,95g sump, 50g Frag tank, 4800gph return 4x Sea swirls. 6x AI Vega Color. 200# Pukani rock, dual recirculating skimmer, Biopellet, GFO Carbon rx's, Cal rx. Closed loop. 1.5hp chiller, genesis renew. Apex & RKE Last edited by bnumair; 10/31/2011 at 10:59 AM.

10/31/2011, 01:15 PM	#4
PoeticInjustice Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2011 Location: Northern New Jersey Posts: 86	I also have a BC 29 and maxijet900 is a downgrade from the stock pump. I have replaced mine by maxijet1200 and it has more flow than the stock.

10/31/2011, 01:27 PM	#6
PoeticInjustice Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2011 Location: Northern New Jersey Posts: 86	Here are the rated flow of the pumps: MJ900: 230 GPH BC29 Stock: 243 GPH MJ1200: 295 GPH Btw, I have MJ1200 and Koralia Nano 425 on my tank and I still see some deadspot. I would assume it's because of the positioning of the nano as my clown seems to be having a hard time swimming against the current lol

10/31/2011, 06:14 PM	#7
rovster Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Miramar, FL Posts: 7,518	Depends on what you want to do, but in my BC14 I have MJ900 return and 1 each Koralia 245 and 425. I thing the MJ 1200 is a more appropriate return for the 29. I would say a MJ1200 and a K425 would be a minimum, and add from there. An MP10 would be kickarse!

11/01/2011, 12:52 AM	#8
mike&kel Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: fresno, ca Posts: 131	Yeah I love my MP10! Well in our red sea we had the about 500gph flow including the nano hydor. Clowns and anemone loved it. Sand was fine after some adjustments in the angles. Wirked fine for 2+yrs Hope that helps some.

11/01/2011, 07:27 AM	#9
firebirdude User and Abuser Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Oklahoma Posts: 1,836	I ran a BC29 for about 3 1/2 years. Mine was drilled and had a sump in the stand. So I can't compare return pumps with you, but let me just say my return flow out into the cube was more than I ever had with the stock pump. In addition, I had a Koralia K1 and an evo 1050 in there. WAY more flow than anyone has mentioned so far. My corals loved it. Packed with SPS and LPS. That was taken before I added the 1050, so you'll just have to take my word for it. I put the 1050 in the top middle just to the right of the purple monti and then moved the K1 to the bottom right pointing upward. And yes I know the coral placement is a little wack in that pic. Think I had just gotten that blue milli and was trying to find a stable home for it on a rock... don't remember.

11/01/2011, 06:36 PM	#10
jasin401 Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2011 Location: Providence Posts: 252	thank you for all the info. im going to look into and research circulators. are any of them flow adjustable?