How much flow is too much?

[Lostmind]

Hi all. I have a big tank - 120gallon - but I recently picked up a sweet little 16gallon tank for my living room.

I want to keep a bta in it. possibly two clowns (is that overboard?).

My main question is:

I have a spare mag7 lying downstairs that isnt being used right now. If I use this on my tank, after head loss and such, I figure I should get about 400 or so gph out of it. Is that insane with a little 16 gallon?

Lemme know!

Thanks.

 

[Juck]

Hey,

I think 16 gal is a perfect size for 2 clowns and a BTA.

I had 200gph running through my 12 gallon cube for a while and my two Oscellaris hated it,, I think becuse there were no 'dead' spots in the tank where they could rest a bit,, they were fighting a current 24/7,,, one of them got so thin he was semi-transparent.

I think 25x volume is an awful lot of current but if you can control it and create areas of slower water then your clowns should be fine (my BTA's don't like a lot of flow either).

What lighting are you planning on?

Good luck

 

[Anonymous]

FWIW, I have 460 gph in my 6 gallon. As long as you plumb it with several outlets, and have it bouncing off LR, etc, you should be fine.

 

[Lostmind]

Wow matt that is crazy! whats that, like 80x turnover?

I am thinking to build a decent hood and put a single mh bulb in it. Perhaps a 250w... either with actinic or just go with a 20k bulb.

I know it'll heat up the tank a bunch, but I can cool the hood with quiet pc fans powered by an old rackmount server power supply that is thin and is easily mounted inside the stand...

 

[Anonymous]

The thing is, there's only 4 gallons total water volume, so it's closer to 115X...

Should be a killer tank...any pics yet?

 

[Anonymous]

Wow.. it's a wonder you don't have "The Toilet Bowl" effect goin' on there!

 

[Lostmind]

No pics yet.

We'll see - I am thinking to perhaps have an aquaclear 500 on the back and use that to put in a small skimmer and my heater (should be a chiller with the halides, but we'll see!) instead of setting up a sump.... or maybe have both. Hmmmm.

The tank is slightly bowed in the front but its almost a cube... 16" high (tall), 18" wide (side to side) and 14" deep (front to back).