Flow Advice - Neptune WAV and Softie/LPS Corals

[jbilliel]

I am a noobie with a 90 gallon tank and sump. I am just starting to put some beginner softies and LPS into the tank and struggling with the WAV's. I have them currently setup to very low levels (between 0-5% each side) and my fish seem to be blowing all over the place and don't like that much current. I see the fish appear to be struggling, but then read up how much the corals want for flow and I am struggling to figure out what the correct balance should be.

Currently for fish I have. They are all pretty small and seem to be less than 1 year old

2 clownfish
2 yellow tangs
2 blennies
2 cardinal fish
goby

Currently my WAV's are generating a APEX FLOW of 4.6 which states that the tank is being turned over ~50 ish times per hour.

Any thoughts on how I should tune the WAV's? I am looking to start putting corals in the tank over the next week

 

[texdoc77]

I am a noobie with a 90 gallon tank and sump. I am just starting to put some beginner softies and LPS into the tank and struggling with the WAV's. I have them currently setup to very low levels (between 0-5% each side) and my fish seem to be blowing all over the place and don't like that much current. I see the fish appear to be struggling, but then read up how much the corals want for flow and I am struggling to figure out what the correct balance should be.

Currently for fish I have. They are all pretty small and seem to be less than 1 year old

2 clownfish
2 yellow tangs
2 blennies
2 cardinal fish
goby

Currently my WAV's are generating a APEX FLOW of 4.6 which states that the tank is being turned over ~50 ish times per hour.

Any thoughts on how I should tune the WAV's? I am looking to start putting corals in the tank over the next week

 

[texdoc77]

I have WAV's and if I remember correctly there are a couple of programs you can use to get it dialed in just right. But first things first, with softies and LPS you don't need a ton of flow like you would with sps. IMO you can get by with just one WAV in your size tank especially if your low levels of two are too strong. If it were me, I would make sure the current is not too strong for the fish and then the coral should be fine.

don't forget to consider the location of your powerheads and the direction they are pointing.

 

[jbilliel]

I did download the programs and cut back the flow patterns aggressively. I have one WAV on the side of the tank pointing in front of the rock and one on the rear of the rock with the powerheads mounted low in the tank pointing upward. I just placed some corals in the tank today and will see how it does.

 

[rusty hannon]

I am a noobie with a 90 gallon tank and sump. I am just starting to put some beginner softies and LPS into the tank and struggling with the WAV's. I have them currently setup to very low levels (between 0-5% each side) and my fish seem to be blowing all over the place and don't like that much current. I see the fish appear to be struggling, but then read up how much the corals want for flow and I am struggling to figure out what the correct balance should be.

Currently for fish I have. They are all pretty small and seem to be less than 1 year old

2 clownfish
2 yellow tangs
2 blennies
2 cardinal fish
goby

Currently my WAV's are generating a APEX FLOW of 4.6 which states that the tank is being turned over ~50 ish times per hour.

Any thoughts on how I should tune the WAV's? I am looking to start putting corals in the tank over the next week

Sorry no ideas but there are some really smart folks here

 

[rhostam]

I did download the programs and cut back the flow patterns aggressively. I have one WAV on the side of the tank pointing in front of the rock and one on the rear of the rock with the powerheads mounted low in the tank pointing upward. I just placed some corals in the tank today and will see how it does.

Heya, did you end up getting an answer from someone somewhere? Or what did you settle on? I have a smaller 50-gallon tank and I'm beginning to wonder if these WAVs are just overkill (I got a pair at bargain bundle). I was hoping their integration into APEX and their potential strength would be good to carry forward with the hobby when I grow.

I have two clownfish as the tank is wrapping up its long cycle period. I am now starting planning/ research into utility cohabitants for the next phase.

I have one WAV off all of the time since they are just so strong.

On the other WAV, I had a pattern set up for mavericks peaking at 4% in the late morning.

With that setting, the fish seemed to huddle and stay in one spot except to feed (i.e. WAV OFF).

Having changed and tested a few profiles from aquarists online, I realized I didn't intend for mavericks and switched to malibu with a peak at 3% and 1-0% for later in the evening.

They seem to be exploring more now and don't appear to be struggling, but its all reconnaissance like activity. LOL. I don't have lights yet (saving for phase three) so maybe they just feel safer at the back right now?

I thought I'd search online and see what people have had the most success with and whether there were additional recommendations.

 

[jbilliel]

I still have a love/hate relationship with my wav pumps. I have been messing around with positioning for over a year and still don't really like the wave patterns as I can't seem to find that perfect balance. My two clownfish don't like the turbulence and they do a lot of hiding...

 

[Amado]

I have owned 3 wav pumps in my time and I wouldn’t buy them again. For me they gyre pumps provide a wider blanket of flow with very little dead spots.

for smaller tanks you want wide flow like
Nero pumps. They work good at providing a lot of water
Movement without that direct flow that corals don’t like.
if you don’t want to spend money the jeboa slw are
Sine wave pumps. Just like the Nero for 1/2 the price.

its alway better to run two small wave makers than one large one.

 

[Waters]

The WAV pumps are very strong.....I actually run two along with two MP40s in my reef tank. They are adjustable in both speed and direction so I think the issues are just with placement. I use them behind my rock only running at about 8% max. When I was only running just those, I had the best luck with one on each side about 1/3 down from the top pointing slightly towards the surface. The water would collide in the middle above the rock.