View Full Version : Rtr's Oerugf Flow Rate?
Dragon Queen
11-25-2005, 9:56 PM
How do you figure how much gph to use? Currently I have 2 Penguin 660s on a 29 gal, at 170gph each with about 3" of gravel including the plate, just the regular rugf currently. In the next few months I am doing a 20h w/ a oerugf and a Penguin 1140 at 300gph and within a year the 29 will be redone to this also. Is there enough flow thru for these setups or will I need more? Thanks loads.
I'm big on flow in general. My RFUGs above 10 gallons all use 1140s,at least one per 1 1/2-2 square feet. My current 29 has 2 1140s, but I am going to try cutting it to just one, there are heating issues involved here and I want the tank a bit cooler (there are also two internals in the tank for extra mechanical filt.). My 30XH , which was my first planted RFUG, does fine on a single 1140 and has for multiple years now. If the 29 worries me at just one 1140, I'll try it with one of each, so this setup is still experimental and still subject to revision. The plants and fish (dwaf puffers) are fine in the current setup and those fish can handle the temp fine, but again personal comfort for me - I don't want to have to operate the tank just above 80F.
I prefer the 1140 to the 660 just for the increased flow. Because I use significant gravel beds these days for planting, I don't have confidence in the smaller pump's ability to move water against that resistance. There is also the fact that the 660 requires the adapter in the RFUG tube, and there can be some fine debris bypass in that configuration - which is likely trivial, but I like it better with the tight fit of the 1140.
daveedka
11-27-2005, 7:47 AM
I personally run 12 + tank turnover per hour or more. I do not know if this is good bad or indifferent, but it is a touch more than I typically ran with standard RFUG set-ups. IMVHO if you can keep the substrate from blowing out and keep the tank temp low enough you want all of the current you can achieve. With large tanks its more difficult to get the flow I would like. My 115g has 4 1140 powerheads, there is room for more, but the back of the tank already loks somewhat cluttered with this set-up. On the smaller tanks I run roughly 14-15 times tank per hour. I reality I would like to run higher current, but Have run into some of the heating Problems RTR mentions as well. On my 10g with one 550 powerhead, I had a bit of trouble keeping the substrate from "blowing out" in the thin spots. That tank runs very fine gravel which doesn't seem to have a lot of weight to it. My other tanks with heavier substrates have not shown this issue.
Dave
Dragon Queen
11-27-2005, 1:31 PM
RTR why would there be heating issues with more powerheads.
slipknottin
11-27-2005, 1:37 PM
RTR why would there be heating issues with more powerheads.
Because each powerhead can run 10 watts or more. Essentially a 10 watt heater.
The 29 has: 2 Penguin 1140 RFUG powerheads for RFUG biofiltration), 2 Fluval 2 internal canisters (current and mechanical filtration), plus 2 each 2-tube strip lights so 4 each 20W lights. That is a heavy heat load for a glass-covered tank.