# Circulation pump



## Kayne (24 Feb 2021)

Hi all,

I've got a 180 litre tank with an eheim pro 4 600 rated at 1,250lph. I know this is optimistic and is lower in reality. My tank is going to be replanted as I had a bad BBA issue and suspect flow was part of the problem as I don't inject co2. 

If I were to get a circulation pump would a 2,200l be too much or would a 900l be too little? Trying to get this right so maybe I can finally have a planted tank to be proud of.


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## The grumpy one (24 Feb 2021)

My thoughts are that you would need a turnover of 1,800 L/h in total (10 x 180 50% for the drop in performance due to media ect and then to give 5 x turnover per hour.) So you need an extra 550 L/h. What about one of these 
They pull in air before the rota and give you very small bubbles.


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## X3NiTH (24 Feb 2021)

What about a DC reef pump that can be speed controlled and plumbed internally or externally like the TMC Reef Connect ones, here’s the base 2,500lpm model, has 20 speed settings!






						1181 - Reef Pump Connect 2500 DC Aquarium Pump UK - Reef Pump Connect 2500 DC Aquarium Pump UK/EU
					






					www.tropicalmarinecentre.com


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## Kayne (24 Feb 2021)

Thanks both, was thinking of one of the small in tank circulation/power heads more than those you guys have linked. Something like a tunze or hydor koralia


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## X3NiTH (24 Feb 2021)

You’ll get more mileage out of an internal circulation pump that you can control the speed of than one with a fixed output rating, if the flow is too fast your stuck with it, if it’s too low you have to add more. Some of the Reef wavemakers have adjustable flow output and pulse modulation patterns. More expensive than a Hydor obviously. I bought the lowest spec Hydor for a 60L tank for more circulation and it was way too much flow, still sits in its box, replaced by a TMC Reef Wavemaker, being adjustable in output speed and flow pattern meant there wasn’t a tornado in the tank. Hydor are probably better suited for larger tanks like yours. You just have to suck it and see!


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## Kayne (24 Feb 2021)

X3NiTH said:


> You’ll get more mileage out of an internal circulation pump that you can control the speed of than one with a fixed output rating, if the flow is too fast your stuck with it, if it’s too low you have to add more. Some of the Reef wavemakers have adjustable flow output and pulse modulation patterns. More expensive than a Hydor obviously. I bought the lowest spec Hydor for a 60L tank for more circulation and it was way too much flow, still sits in its box, replaced by a TMC Reef Wavemaker, being adjustable in output speed and flow pattern meant there wasn’t a tornado in the tank. Hydor are probably better suited for larger tanks like yours. You just have to suck it and see!


May be a stupid question how do you use these externally?  Would it be via tubing in and out of the tank?


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## jaypeecee (24 Feb 2021)

Hi @Kayne 

I'll toss another option into the ring:






						Voyager - PROPELLER PUMPS - Products
					






					www.sicce.com
				




Although the name 'Sicce' is not on every aquarist's tongue, they make a range of products for other names that we would recognize - companies like TMC and Seachem, for example. I have one of their Voyager Nanos and it's a gem. And they are very competitively priced.

JPC


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## X3NiTH (24 Feb 2021)

Kayne said:


> May be a stupid question how do you use these externally?  Would it be via tubing in and out of the tank?



In my first post about the DC pumps yes, plumb it with tubing (flexible hose or hardline UPVC) like you would with a canister filter.

In my second post I am referring to in-tank devices like the Hydor Koralia but made for reef systems where there is more need for a focus on control of the output for speed and waveform.


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## Kayne (24 Feb 2021)

jaypeecee said:


> Hi @Kayne
> 
> I'll toss another option into the ring:
> 
> ...


Thanks I had seen them while I was looking at other pumps....they are so cheap compared to the koralias might try one of those. At least if it's too powerful or not enough I'm not spending a huge amount


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## jaypeecee (24 Feb 2021)

Kayne said:


> they are so cheap compared to...


Hi @Kayne 

Indeed. But, don't be deceived. Many circulation pumps are greatly overpriced. I also have a Sicce _Micron_ internal filter and it's a superb piece of engineering.

JPC


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## Paul Kettless (24 Feb 2021)

Also worth mentioning the AI Nero 3, fantastic little powerhead and fully controllable, has a wide stream flow and can really shift water if you want it too.


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## ceg4048 (25 Feb 2021)

Kayne said:


> I've got a 180 litre tank with an eheim pro 4 600 rated at 1,250lph. I know this is optimistic and is lower in reality. My tank is going to be replanted as I had a bad BBA issue and suspect flow was part of the problem as I don't inject co2.


Hello,
        If we were to follow the 10X rule of thumb a 180l tank would be happiest with 1800 l/hr "rating". Having said that it is certainly possible to get by with less. While insufficient flow is one cause of CO2 related algae, there are other factors such as too much lighting, poor CO2 timing, poor placement of filter outlets, too much media and so forth. Without understanding the details of your particular case it's unclear which category your tank fell in - perhaps some combination of these.

You may wish to consider getting a couple of small internal pumps totaling 900 l/hr rating such as the popular Koralia mentioned by X3NiTH instead of a single large circulation pump in your video. Even so, the way you configure the filter outlets & pumps will help to determine success.

Cheers,


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## hypnogogia (25 Feb 2021)

I can vouch for the Sicce Voyager Nano pumps - great little pimps that are quiet and reliable.


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## Kayne (25 Feb 2021)

ceg4048 said:


> Hello,
> If we were to follow the 10X rule of thumb a 180l tank would be happiest with 1800 l/hr "rating". Having said that it is certainly possible to get by with less. While insufficient flow is one cause of CO2 related algae, there are other factors such as too much lighting, poor CO2 timing, poor placement of filter outlets, too much media and so forth. Without understanding the details of your particular case it's unclear which category your tank fell in - perhaps some combination of these.
> 
> You may wish to consider getting a couple of small internal pumps totaling 900 l/hr rating such as the popular Koralia mentioned by X3NiTH instead of a single large circulation pump in your video. Even so, the way you configure the filter outlets & pumps will help to determine success.
> ...


Thanks, I believe it was mainly a flow issue. Although I had some BBA issues before I moved house it wasn't overrunning the tank and I was using a filter with only 400l stated flow. When I moved that filter gave up the ghost and I ran the 180l on two internals and BBA took over everything. 

I can't solely blame flow as I know during that time my maintenance was lacking so I would have had detritus build up too.

I've since had the eheim for almost 2 years so my flow is definitely better but want to make sure there's plenty for reintroducing plants. Media wise it's standard eheim set up. 

I've gone for a sicce as the price is really good. If it's not right at least I haven't spent a huge amount on it. As I've found many times before there is a lot of trial and error. I've read previous posts here on flow and I've got a spray bar across most of the rear facing towards front glass and my plan is per other posts to add the pump in the middle under the bar to push the flow in the same pattern.


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## ceg4048 (25 Feb 2021)

Kayne said:


> I've gone for a sicce as the price is really good. If it's not right at least I haven't spent a huge amount on it. As I've found many times before there is a lot of trial and error. I've read previous posts here on flow and I've got a spray bar across most of the rear facing towards front glass and my plan is per other posts to add the pump in the middle under the bar to push the flow in the same pattern.


Hi, OK fair enough. It's good that you did the research. I'll just add that the standard Eheim media stuffing is not really a good idea. That configuration is fine for fish only tanks, but you will get a LOT more mileage out of your filter if you only use a third of the media, especially the noodles, which are the worst enemy of flow rate. They are actually designed to reduce flow. A simple foam block or pad is an adequate replacement for the noodles and does not incur nearly as much flow penalty.

Cheers,


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## jaypeecee (27 Feb 2021)

hypnogogia said:


> ...great little pimps that are quiet and reliable.


Hi @hypnogogia 

I wouldn't know! 

JPC


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## Kayne (1 Mar 2021)

ceg4048 said:


> Hi, OK fair enough. It's good that you did the research. I'll just add that the standard Eheim media stuffing is not really a good idea. That configuration is fine for fish only tanks, but you will get a LOT more mileage out of your filter if you only use a third of the media, especially the noodles, which are the worst enemy of flow rate. They are actually designed to reduce flow. A simple foam block or pad is an adequate replacement for the noodles and does not incur nearly as much flow penalty.
> 
> Cheers,


Thanks for your advice. Now I've got the pump in I will definitely bear in mind if there seems to be any issues going forward that I can remove some of that media. When I set it up I didn't bother with the floss they put in either to keep flow as high as possible.


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## hypnogogia (5 Mar 2021)

jaypeecee said:


> Hi @hypnogogia
> 
> I wouldn't know!
> 
> JPC


I do like my typos sometimes!


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