# Is this too much water flow to maintain proper CO2 levels?



## Aquarium-Addict (Dec 24, 2010)

Hi,

Im considering using this two powerheads for my 100g setup. 

As you can see one of them is rated for 1321 gal/hr and the other for 3170 gal/hr.

I want to plant glosso as my foreground plant. Considering the tank is 60" x 16" x 24" do you think I can maintain 30 ppm of CO2? Or how do you balance enough water flow (O2) with enough CO2?
Thanks for your help in advance!


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## Darkcobra (Nov 23, 2009)

I've run the Aquatop 1,321GPH model in a 46G bowfront, pointed slightly downwards to avoid surface agitation.

Preexisting was a canister rated (optimistically) for 350GPH. After adding the powerhead, there was no drop of CO2 level, at least not significant enough to recall. After a few months, I swapped it for a Koralia Nano, because the amount of flow was stressing a few fish.

You'll have more GPH than I did. Probably more than you really need. But as long as the powerheads are set up right, I don't expect you'll have any problem whatsoever maintaining 30ppm CO2.


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## TropTrea (Jan 10, 2014)

WOW
On a full Reef tank with Small Polyp Stoney Corals the flow should be above 25 turns per hour. For your 100 gallon tank that would be 2,500 gallons per hour the combination of your two pumps would give you almost twice that rate. Noting that the SPS tank is the only combination that needs flow anything that strong unless you trying to create a rapid flowing river effect. 

On all my fresh water tanks in the past I was aiming in the range of 5 turns per hour which would put you in the 500 gallons per hour flow range. On 75 Gallon tanks used as Planted Amazon tanks in the past I have used Magnum 350 and Magnum 500 filters as the only flow source. These gave me between flows in the rang of 4.6 to 6.7 turns per hour. Individuals have commented that with the 500 some of my plants looked like there was too much flow.

I'm present planning on converting a 125 gallon tank from a reef to an Amazon tank but for flow I'm only planning on using a pair of HOT 250 Magnum filters. This will give me 4 turns per hour.

Yes more turns will give you more CO2 loss. As far as O2 it will give you more as well but the main source should be from your plants during the day time when the plants absorb CO2 and release O2. If you want to increase flow to keep the O2 level up it should be a night but not nearly that drastically.

Will you be regulating the CO'2 with a pH controller? If you are then you should no worry about excess CO2 at night. So even the increased night time flow becomes useless.


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## Aquarium-Addict (Dec 24, 2010)

Darkcobra said:


> I've run the Aquatop 1,321GPH model in a 46G bowfront, pointed slightly downwards to avoid surface agitation.
> 
> Preexisting was a canister rated (optimistically) for 350GPH. After adding the powerhead, there was no drop of CO2 level, at least not significant enough to recall. After a few months, I swapped it for a Koralia Nano, because the amount of flow was stressing a few fish.
> 
> You'll have more GPH than I did. Probably more than you really need. But as long as the powerheads are set up right, I don't expect you'll have any problem whatsoever maintaining 30ppm CO2.


Thanks for sharing your experience with this powerhead model. Yes Im considering pointing them slightly downwards too. Because of the lenght of my aquarium (60") I thought I would need these 2 powerheads but I realize now that I went way off the normal turn over for a tank.


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## Aquarium-Addict (Dec 24, 2010)

TropTrea said:


> WOW
> On a full Reef tank with Small Polyp Stoney Corals the flow should be above 25 turns per hour. For your 100 gallon tank that would be 2,500 gallons per hour the combination of your two pumps would give you almost twice that rate. Noting that the SPS tank is the only combination that needs flow anything that strong unless you trying to create a rapid flowing river effect.
> 
> On all my fresh water tanks in the past I was aiming in the range of 5 turns per hour which would put you in the 500 gallons per hour flow range. On 75 Gallon tanks used as Planted Amazon tanks in the past I have used Magnum 350 and Magnum 500 filters as the only flow source. These gave me between flows in the rang of 4.6 to 6.7 turns per hour. Individuals have commented that with the 500 some of my plants looked like there was too much flow.
> ...


Like you said WOW! I can´t believe I miss this I have known this already that I need 5 to 10 turns per hour of my total volume (learnt this from marine tanks but I´m seeing it could even be less for planted tanks to avoid CO2 loss). I forgot to play with the math like you have with my gph. I was blinded thinking the lenght of my aquarium was too much for smaller powerheads.

And yes U are right most O2 should be the waste product of photosynthesis not from water flow! Im planning in regulationg CO2 with a digital timer. Thanks for reminding me some basic aspects that I missed 

I guess I´ll have to keep the 3170 gph powerhead for a future sps reef tank.


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