How many turnovers per hour do I need?

RAS systems typically need 2–4 turnovers/hr. Zebrafish racks use 4–8 turnovers/hr. Low-flow systems may use 0.5–1 turnover/hr.

One turnover means the entire tank volume has been pumped through the system once. 2 turnovers/hr for a 1000L tank means 2000 L/hr flow.

Does head pressure matter?

Yes. Pump ratings are at zero head. Flow decreases as head (lift height + friction) increases. Always check the pump curve for your actual installation.

ToolsConductScience tool

AquacultureFree in-browser calculator

Pump Sizing Calculator.

Calculate the required pump flow rate for your aquaculture tank. Results in L/min and L/hr for easy pump selection.

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Validated2026-04-08

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Pump Parameters

Tank Volume (L)

Turnovers per Hour: 2

0.53610

Results

Flow Rate

333.3 L/min

liters per minute

Flow Rate

20000 L/hr

liters per hour

Tank Volume

10,000 L

total volume

Turnovers

2/hr

complete cycles

When to use

Selecting pumps for new tank installations
Verifying existing pump capacity for growing fish
RAS system design and scaling
Water exchange rate calculations

Do not use for

As a final engineering specification — always verify with manufacturer pump curves and account for head loss

Account for head loss

Pipe friction, elbows, and vertical lift all reduce effective flow. A pump rated at 500 L/min at zero head may deliver only 300 L/min at 2 meters head.

Redundancy

Always install backup pumps in critical systems. A pump failure in a heavily stocked RAS can kill fish within hours.

Method

Flow (L/hr) = tank volume (L) $\times$ turnovers per hour. Flow (L/min) = flow (L/hr) / 60.

Validated

Last validated 2026-04-08. Calculations are designed for planning and documentation support; verify procurement decisions against manufacturer specifications or institutional SOPs.

How to cite

How to Cite

ConductScience Pump Sizing Calculator (v1.0). ConductScience, Inc. 2026. Available at: https://conductscience.com/tools/pump-sizing-calculator

Timmons MB, Ebeling JM. Recirculating Aquaculture. Ithaca Publishing. 2013.

Pump Sizing for Aquaculture

Correct pump sizing ensures adequate water circulation for oxygen distribution, waste removal, and temperature uniformity. Under-sized pumps lead to dead zones and poor water quality; over-sized pumps waste energy and can stress fish with excessive current. Flow rate requirements are typically expressed as tank volume turnovers per hour.

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