Tank turnover ?

[seancj]

What amount of tank turnover is appropriate for a discuss/tetra tank? My tank is 240 gallons. I have experience with reef aquaria in which I once had almost 8,000 gph going through this tank. I'm pretty certain that a discuss/tetra tank would require quite a bit less, but not sure just how much.
Does the current need to be random and alternating or will a typical laminar flow design work okay?
Thanks for the help.

[Consigliere]

Up to about 10X turnover per hour seems to be on the high end of normal with probably average about 4X -6X. Also will depend if you are planting and how much bioload there will be.

[shoggoth43]

10x seems a good number for planted. Most river systems don't have large waves crashing back and forth so I'd probably stick with a constant type of current and then let any eddies in the flow provide any chaotic flow. Turnover doesn't have to be through the filter or massive speed. Koralia pumps are good for gentle high flow movement.

I'm running two Eheim 2028s through spraybars and a Rio 400 on a 45 gallon grow out tank. The discus in there are fine with the current. When they want to rest they know there the calm spots are and will dart out in front of the nozzles when they feel like a bit of exercise. I would guess there's 80gph or more from each of the 2028s and the rio should be pushing 100gph as well. So conservatively there's probably something like 8x turnover or more in there.

I suspect people baby discus a bit with slow flow. 10x flow side to side gives one length of the tank in 6 minutes if the whole column of water moves. For a 4 foot tank that's not a fast flow, something like seven seconds per inch. 18"/second is ~1mph so we're nowhere even close. Of course we aren't going to get that nice even flow, but still...

-
S

[seancj]

Thank you both for the reply. I'll shoot for around 10X turnover and keep the flow somewhat laminar.

[Wahter]

I like 10x too if possible.



Walter

[pcsb23]

Mine are about 3 times an hour - if that. :)

[Elite Aquaria]

Mine are also around 3x

[Dkarc@Aol.com]

3x/hr is sufficient for nitrogen processing, given that the filtration is proper. Anything higher is wasted energy, unless stocking densities call for it. Keep an airstone or two in the tank and 3x/hr will be great.

-Ryan