Magnet fittings changed that, clinging on forever yet being easy to detach and move. I highly recommend them — and get them while you can as the cost of magnets globally is rocketing. Five things to look for in a circulation pump. Anything from Tunze, as its pumps are whisper quiet, very efficient and run forever. The company came up with many of the features I now consider standard, including wide outlets, long cables, wave makers and magnet fittings.
The products are very good on all hobby levels. EcoTech Marine also contributed massively to pump technology progression with its VorTech range. These pumps come infinitely controllable as standard, have a unique two-part pump with only the impeller and cage actually inside the tank, and integrated wireless technology enables pumps to talk to and control each other — and pumps and their Radion lighting to communicate too. These items have all the entire box ticking features you would want.
Without a magnet fitting, yet very good in all other areas, is the Newave range from Aquarium Systems. They offer high output, low energy consumption and good value.
The Seio Prop range also ticks all the boxes and I choose these in preference to the bulkier Super Flow Pump from Taam — the same manufacturer. Why not take out a subscription to Practical Fishkeeping magazine?
See our latest subscription offer. So if you are designing a larger system, it will definitely pay to do some research. To learn more about pump terminology and design check out sights such as www. The majority of reef aquarists will use either external pumps outside the aquarium or internal pumps, know as powerheads. These pumps come in all sizes and flow rates. Power heads: There are a few brands, such as tunze , that produce air cooled pumps that mount above the aquarium.
Although these are very powerful and do not heat the water as much as submersed types, they are quite expensive. When attempting to ascertain how many pumps you will need and how large they should be it is prudent to first look at the types of corals that you would like to keep, and from what area of the reef they are commonly found. Scientists have used flow meters to find out what sorts of flow rates are common on various areas of natural reefs.
These flow rates are given in inches per second which is a measurement of velocity. These velocities do not mean much to the general hobbyist since most of the pumps that we use are rated in gallons per hour. Dana Riddle published an interesting article on water motion in the reef aquarium and arrived at some guidelines that I have found match my experiences. He suggests that aquariums with soft and large-polyped stoney corals should use 1 powerhead equivalent to that of a Maxi-jet rated at 1.
For aquariums that contain SPS corals use 1 powerhead equivalent to a Maxi-jet rated at 2. There are a number of submersible pumps on the market today and, like so many other aquarium products, I recommend consulting fellow hobbyists and your local fish store for advice.
Regardless of the type of pump that you choose there are a few things to remember. Always have some sort of protection securely mounted on the intake of the pump. A prefilter screen or sponge will prevent animals and debris from being sucked up to or in to your pump!
Just be sure to make this prefilter easy to access for regular cleaning. It is important that the pumps you select are water cooled not oil. This way you never have to concern yourself with a potential contaminate. Also, since these pumps are water cooled, they will produce some heat.
At this time I prefer the Maxi-jet line by Aquarium Systems for tanks less than 40 gallons. They are small, powerful, and relatively inexpensive. If you are keeping a larger aquarium over 40 gallons then you may want to consider using a closed loop system. Basically this is when water is taken out of the aquarium and fed directly into an external pump and then returned to the tank.
The return to the aquarium can be through a hole that is drilled into the side of the aquarium or simply over the back with a plastic pipe. Technically, a canister filter is a closed loop, but for these discussions I will be referring to circulation pumps only. Some advantages to this method are:. In an attempt to create a more natural type of water flow i. Less laminar and more surge-like aquarists have developed a variety of methods and devices to randomize the currents produced by aquarium pumps.
This device gives power to the circulation pumps at random intervals thereby creating more random water patterns. This reduces the number of areas without good water movement AKA dead spots.
This new powerhead by tunze uses a propeller to create a current that has a broader stream than other impeller driven pumps. This design allows these pumps to move a large volume of water without the potentially damaging affects of a narrow discharge. These units also have an accessory controller that allows you to vary the speed of the motor, thereby providing a more surge-like environment. There are a few potential drawbacks to these devices. Some pumps do not fair well with being turned on and off continually and will fail prematurely.
Also, some powerheads have a noisy rattle during start-up and the use of a wave maker may drive you out of your living room. Be sure to seek out specific product testimonials from fellow aquarists or your local aquarium shop before putting one of these systems together.
To determine if your fish tank has enough flow, start by adding up the water flow created by powerheads, return pumps, power filters, and canister filters in the display tank. Flow is usually measured in gallons per hour. For example, GPH of flow through a 75 gallon aquarium is 20 times turnover per hour. Most fish only aquariums should turnover 10 to 20 times per hour to keep detritus from settling. Aquarists keeping SPS coral or running low nutrient systems may prefer flow rates of 40 to times turnover.
Whatever system you run, remember to take substrate into consideration. They are dependent on the flow of water to get them the nutrients they need to thrive.
Flow patterns are important but as long as all the water is moving, you are looking good. You want to avoid dead spots at all costs in your system. SPS corals are a lot more demanding but the range in which the flow rate exists is much larger than the other flow patterns. Make sure you are researching the species of SPS coral to see if they exist on the higher or lower end of the water turnover rate.
We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon. Content on Reef Tank Resource is copyrighted. Reproduction without permission is prohibited. All trademarks property of their respective owners. Share on facebook. Share on twitter.
Share on linkedin. Share on pinterest. Staff Writer March 18, Image Credit: Ecotech Marine. Types of flow in reef aquariums. Laminar or constant flow The most basic way to create a flow pattern in your tank; The Laminar flow uses powerheads to create a single constant flow of water. Turbulent flow The most difficult type to make without the right equipment; Turbulent flow creates random flow patterns that make dead spots nearly impossible in reef tanks.
How much water flow should a reef tank have? Can you have too much flow in reef aquariums? What's the problem with dead spots? Do I need a powerhead for my saltwater tank? Hydor Koralia Gen 3. Maxspect Jump Gyre. Ecotech Vortech MP What size powerhead do I need? How many powerheads should you have in a reef tank? Where should powerheads be placed in a reef tank? What is the best powerhead for water movement in a reef tank? What is the difference between a powerhead and a wavemaker?
What is a circulation pump? Final thoughts. Did you find this article helpful? Recent Posts.
0コメント