flow rate

[NOVAZER0]

Hello everyone. i can say that i have learned a great deal so far searching the forum, and i want to thank you all for the vast amount of knowledge here!

But there is one question i do have. I'm planning to start out with a 120 gallon tank with a 30 or more gallon sump. My question is when i figure out the flow rate of the pumps i will need, do i take into account just the water in that tank or a total amount of water (tank + sump = 150+ gallons)? i would think it would be a total amount of water. But it doesn't seem like this is what is done with the information i have read.

[Poseidon]

Hate to generalize, but the MORE THE BETTER!

I have about 2600 GPH flow in my 90 + 30 gallon sump...

[GaryZ]

I was hoping someone would say that. Pardon the threadjack NOVA, but I thought maybe I had too much flow after Reefland (forgot his real name......Scott?) questioned my sump/fuge setup. I'm up around 4000 (even though that number still sounds huge to me) for a 130gal tank.

[GaryZ]

Ok, I'm an idiot. I just looked closely at my pumps and their pumping litres. So my 4000 litre pumps are only pumping 1056.80gal. So now I gotta wonder if this is enough.

[charlie]

Ok, I'm an idiot. I just looked closely at my pumps and their pumping litres. So my 4000 litre pumps are only pumping 1056.80gal. So now I gotta wonder if this is enough.

For a 130, I would think that you would want to turn that thing over at least 15-20 times per hour.
For instance, I am turning my 400 gallon system over 25-30 times an hour, and I think I am still short of flow.
Also remember, it is not really how much flow you have, it is how random you can make the flow!!

[NOVAZER0]

well it looks like i will be refiguring out the flows and pumps i'll be using.... when i finally set up the tank they will most likely have discontinued the pumps i thinking of using. thanks for the info.