How can you tell when the curent is to much?
I bought a new power head that does 1,321 gals per hour and now I’m thinking it might be to strong, :
: but the only coral that seams to mind is the pulsing xiena. Any opinions?
I have a 75 gal tank so it’s roughly cycling my tank 17 times per hour.
Which power head? Too much flow is often very difficult to create. I have what many would consider a massive amount of flow in the front of my tank, but it is not directly pointed at any animals. This helps with gas exchange and the huge sweep in the front = large amount of other areas getting water pushed through. (I have an MP60wES that cycles through at least 6 different programs throughout the day)
Xenia will change an adapt to flow especially Xenia elongata. Different lengths of stems and thickness of the tentacles and pinuals will result from different flow patterns and chemistry.(they’ll look different) Xenia is a moody coral if you only have one small colony you may consider moving it or redirecting the power head, if you have more then don’t worry.
Images to post of the coral? Better yet would be a video of the corals and the flow hitting it. If you can take video with a phone or camera, but have trouble posting it please let us know and someone will help you do it.
The power head is a aqua top, cp12. I took it out because I got worried but when I get a moment I can put it back and take a video. Do you usually have sand moving around, and your fish being pushed around? Because that’s when I decided to take it out.
Ahhh, figuring out “how much flow”… It seemed like too much to me at first also. Lots of flow is good, as Jon said… it would be hard to have too much (realistically)… play around with the location, angles, and diffusion, look at others tanks, and ask questions… thats what worked for me… you’re off to a good start, i just remember it was hard to add more flow, and keep the flow in areas the same in order to keep certain coral happy. I moved power heads and coral so many times in the beginning…
Looked into it a bit. That will be enough flow to keep things alive for sure, but I prefer a higher flow system typically.(translation: I’m picky, and it will be enough)
Do you usually have sand moving around, and your fish being pushed around?
Very very funny answer that won’t be helpful: No. Because I have no fish or sand in my display tank.
More helpful: If your sand doesn’t move around a bit you may not have enough flow. That being said by moving the power head around or pointing it in different directions you can cut down on how much it gets moved around.
Some LPS corals hate too much flow especially corals that are super… “fleshy”. Euphyllia for example such as “hammer coral”, “frogspawn”, or “torch” can fairly easily get too much flow if a power head is pointed directly at them. This is why I prefer to move a large volume of water out in an open area and as a result decent amounts get moved elsewhere.
Many fish REQUIRE significant flow in the aquarium. They are used to crashing waves and turbulent flow. Others are from lagoonal area and to much flow will drive them nuts. If they are up swimming in the high current areas vs hiding from it or trying to grab onto something you are fine.
I can’t imagine you creating too much flow in your tank for any common reef fish with that little power head.(with the exception of seahorses or pipefish)
Best of luck.
So do you believe in your opinion that corals will adapt to the stronger current?
I just would hate to make make anything unhappy. But I def feel like my current right now might be to little
i had the hardest time with angling the pumps for flow, even if you put the pump low and blow it up. I had my aragonite blowing around but i now have more flow and all is happy. My turnover is 70 times an hour you just have to play with the angles and direction some move a small stream of flow and some move a large stream the latter is easier to adjust. My xenia weren’t happy with a lot of flow either they are very easy to blow around i found if you put the p head close to them blowing away they did good. so just time and patience will get the correct flow
well said dunk :
:
[quote=“Lynchie, post:6, topic:4634”]
So do you believe in your opinion that corals will adapt to the stronger current?
I just would hate to make make anything unhappy. But I def feel like my current right now might be to little[/quote]
some coral will up and move…mushrooms for example, some could die… delicate lps…like a bubble coral.
a good place for a lot of flow is like jon said, along the glass, or another far stretch without coral directly in front of the flow.
having opposing currents collide helps with randow flow also… like two powerheads on opposite sides of the tank, pointed right at eachother
dont move things too quickly, give them a day, or couple to see how they react…
you could get to much directional flow, I have a 38gal display and had a MP10, koralia 1400 and koralia 1050 + a Mag7 return and I think that was too much, I now have the MP10 and 1050 and things seem happier.
How much flow is enough flow? I’ve heard different opinions on flow and turnover rate. What is the ideal turnover rate? I’m sure this will depend on what’s in the tank,but is there a min/max? Or recomended? ;D ;D
there’s probably lots of correct answers. I can tell you what i’m using though… 125 display, with a return pump running about 800 gph, and 4 korilia k3 power heads (always full on). and i think a little more flow wouldnt hurt. but its working good for me.
I would not know the proper flow as I believe someone else said it comes with patience to find what makes you’re tank happy and seem to prosper. I am currently running a mp20 (reef crest mode atm I have been playing with the modes a bit) on 1 side and a korlia4 (1400gph model) on the other side and a nano korlia that pushes around 238gph facing my sps. and I believe my pump is rated 700gph not sure off hand on this and with the height and amount of piping I know it drops it down a bit.
So far my tank seems to be pretty happy and even better since I moved my powerheads recently. I have a 75gallon tank.
It’s easy to gauge water flow when you are feeding. Just watch howfast the food blows around the tank and where. I have heard that A good flow rate for SPS is around 3-5 inches per second. off course near the pump will be higher, far corners , lower. try to get more even flow. around the tank. Flow over corals is very important for nutrient/waste/gas exchange. and to keep the algae off some of them. Good flow lets them breath. just dont beat them up like the swat team hosing down Hippie tree Hugging Global Warming protesters. That stings!!
[quote=“kaptken, post:13, topic:4634”]
just dont beat them up like the swat team hosing down Hippie tree Hugging Global Warming protesters. That stings!! [/quote]
We’ve gotta stop picking on Paul :
:
yeah, stop. sure, i believe that’ll happen. it’s not enough that my alzheimer’s, my lack of hearing, and my walker get picked on.
at least my ritting anf spoillling in En;lglisch are pretfect, unlike youse poplple hoo talk like u never went to sxool. not singulling any one out, butt you now whoo you are.
well we all know when you make something you have to make it seperaateble YahoO
haha, tim, u got stuck on the top post that nobody has any idea of wtf u are saying slap-stick but that’s frequently the case PBJ!
lol just my luck verdict_in
So this morning I woke up and decided to clean up the tank and do a water change while I was at it. Once that was done I finally added back in the power head that I had thought put out to much current, and so far so good no one seams to upset except the pulsing xiena. I’m hoping with a couple days everything will get use to the new wave pattern. But I must say the movement of the fleshy corals look awesome! ::
[quote=“Lynchie, post:19, topic:4634”]
So this morning I woke up and decided to clean up the tank and do a water change while I was at it. Once that was done I finally added back in the power head that I had thought put out to much current, and so far so good no one seams to upset except the pulsing xiena. I’m hoping with a couple days everything will get use to the new wave pattern. But I must say the movement of the fleshy corals look awesome! ::[/quote]
glad to hear it :BEER
I always like the look of xenia in lower flows myself, but i doubt you’ll cause it any harm, just won’t see the pulsing as easily.