55 Gallon Dilemma

[csmith]

So I'm finally ready to get back to my tanks. First is my 55 gallon, but I have a few questions before I get started. I'm wanting to go with a wet/dry, with minimal lighting, CO2 injection and just HC for now. A friend of mine sold me an Ecotech MP40w, but given the specifications (claimed 1,000-3,200 gallons an hour) I'm a little concerned with the ability of this thing to annihiliate my tank. Would it move too much water in my tank to be of use? I'd like future fish and shrimp to live comfortably.

Moving to the wet/dry, I have limited knowledge on the subject. I've come across the CPR line of overflows and wet/dry filters and figure they'd be as good as any. Again, the output is a concern when (possibly) combined with the MP40w. Could I get away with the 600 GPH set (my first choice), or would I have to downsize to the 300 GPH? I understand the more filtration and water movement the better, but how far can I actually go without making my own hurricane? The tank is only 13 inches wide, after all.

 

[Biollante]

68 X Water Turnover per Hour, Not Bad

Hi,

I must say the MP40wES may be just a little bit of overkill, 18-58 per hour turnover, I must admit even I have not ventured much above 35-37 per hour turnover.

Many of the fish really like the water flow; turbulence in the tank is the larger problem, if there is a problem at all. You may need to add some driftwood or large rockwork to break up the flow a bit with only 4 feet of tank.

Definitely consider drilling, Glass Holes are a good bunch.

The 600 GPH set is really only 11 per hour turnover that range would be my choice.

With the MP40wES throttled down, I think it is workable; people tend to under estimate real world flows and the ability of the systems to adapt to higher flows.

People are often surprised by how well the fish and plants do in higher flows, do the arithmetic sometime and calculate turnover per hour required to mimic even a lazy stream.

Then again, selling and/or trading down to the MP-10 is an option.

Biollante

 

[dutchy]

Good advice Bio gave. The MP40 is way too much for your tank, even on it's lowest setting. if you are stuck with the MP40, you could try to limit it's flow by covering the sides somewhat. This will restrict water entering behind the propellor.

 

[shoggoth43]

A little on the high side.

Think of it this way, a 1mph stream is moving at ~1.5 feet per SECOND. You have a 4 foot tank. If this tank were a chunk of river you pulled out it would have a complete water change in just under 3 SECONDS ( 4 feet divided by 1.5 feet per second ). Or, if you moved it to the short side in the current, under 1 second ( 1 foot divided by 1.5 feet per second ). So, 20 x that 3 seconds is one minute ~ 20 x 55 gallons ~ 1100 gallons / minute. This is the water flow you'd have if you had an imaginary 55 gallon tank shaped box in a 1mph stream. If you move to the short side, then you'd be ~3300 gallons / minute. We're actually low on the numbers due to rounding. But that's all nice even flow going in one direction across the whole tank which you can't easily do in a typical aquarium.

The flow AMOUNT is fine and since we got the same theoretical numbers in one minute in a stream than you did with the VorTec in an hour you can see you're nowhere near what nature can pull off. The way you'll end up with it in the tank is a different matter. The "box in a stream" idea assumes all the water goes in one direction. For your Vortec, the water needs to go in at least two direct streams. Pointing left ( probably down the middle and maybe top ) and water returning to the right probably down the front and back glass and along the bottom or maybe top and bottom ). These are going to be slightly higher speed because of it and likely quite turbulent. This should help get flow to everywhere in the tank.

Put some "stuff" in there to give the fish places to rest and they should be fine. I've got two Koralias in my 120 now. One is a 750 and the other a 1050 gph ( at least that's what Koralia says they will do) and lately they're clogged with leaf litter due to an inoperable CO2 system. This is plus the ~600 gph from the wet/dry. So that's what 2400 gph on a 120 which is x20 turnovers when everything is good? The discus don't seem to care. The angels certainly don't. The tetras go pretty much wherever they want as do the cories. If anything, I'm not sure that I have ENOUGH flow in the tank to get everywhere. The only time anyone seems to notice is when chasing food, or when one goes broadside to a Koralia and ends up a foot or two down the tank before swimming out of the stream.

-
S

 

[csmith]

Thanks for the answers, gents. I thought the mp40 would be a bit much, but was hoping I was wrong. The drilling does seem like a good idea, but I'd have to uproot everything in the tank and I'd rather not go that route. For now an overflow box'll do. I've gone from HOB's to canister's to this, so I'll chalk it up as trying out the entire range for now. I'll either put the Vortech up for sale or outright trade it for an mp10. More to come.

 

[Gerryd]

I'll either put the Vortech up for sale

Let me know if you do..............