Flow

[Ruzoko]

With downtime on DT due to ich outbreak figured be a good time to add corals to my predator tank while empty. Question is, I worry about flow rate for a few lionfish, tank is a 125 with 20 gallon sump. For flow currently use a single jebao OW-50, 449-5283 GPH currently set at lowest setting. The return pump for the overflow i have set at 70% flow but its rate is 800gph max so 560 gph rate atm. I dont want them to get blasted all over with higher flow but dont want corals to have issues. I did notice the jebao is a beast at higher flow even going opposite current to the return and will force fish towards it. Suggestions?

 

[Peace River]

Let's see if we can get some help with your question about flow for lionfish...

@WVNed @Maritimer @Happylionfish @Sallstrom

 

[WVNed]

I have only general suggestions. I have 2 MP40s in a 75. One on each end. I run them very low but my lions have no problems with the flow.
Corals will require a more varied flow than you are going to get from 1 pump.
The first tank in this video is the one with the 3 lions. You can see how much flow I have.

 

[Ruzoko]

I have only general suggestions. I have 2 MP40s in a 75. One on each end. I run them very low but my lions have no problems with the flow.
Corals will require a more varied flow than you are going to get from 1 pump.
The first tank in this video is the one with the 3 lions. You can see how much flow I have.

Yeah, I planned to get a 2nd to put at the other end but wasnt sure if it was a good idea. Original plan was return pointed at overflow box with 2 wavemakers both ends facing towards glass front angled up. Tried facing it straight across and bit towards middle, but pump was stirring sand to the point it made bare spots.

 

[WVNed]

Yeah, I planned to get a 2nd to put at the other end but wasnt sure if it was a good idea. Original plan was return pointed at overflow box with 2 wavemakers both ends facing towards glass front angled up. Tried facing it straight across and bit towards middle, but pump was stirring sand to the point it made bare spots.

2 pumps facing each other tends to cancel out the force of the flow and breaks it up into turbulance.
Most things you keep in a tank don't like to live in a steady current. That's why 2 wave makers.
Most return pumps aren't nearly as powerful as a wavemaker. Mostly I ignore the flow from mine and dont count it at all. Unless you have a single over the top return from a big pump. Then you end up pointing a fire hose in some direction in your tank.

My lions are good swimmers and havent had any problems with about any flow I choose to run. But mine is never all coming from one direction.

 

[WVNed]

It's kind of interesting that now that I have kept lionfish
they aren't anything like I was expecting at all.
Mine are quite active most of the day and chase prey actively. They come to the side of the tank every morning and yell bring the food. I have a zebra, antenatta and dwarf fuzzy.

 

[Ruzoko]

2 pumps facing each other tends to cancel out the force of the flow and breaks it up into turbulance.
Most things you keep in a tank don't like to live in a steady current. That's why 2 wave makers.
Most return pumps aren't nearly as powerful as a wavemaker. Mostly I ignore the flow from mine and dont count it at all. Unless you have a single over the top return from a big pump. Then you end up pointing a fire hose in some direction in your tank.

My lions are good swimmers and havent had any problems with about any flow I choose to run. But mine is never all coming from one direction.

Yeah, originally planned to do fish only so the single return was enough with usual maintenance and urchin and such taking care of sand. Have my 40 gallon thats been my small reef but wasnt sure how a lion would handle flow from 2 wavemakers in the 125, glad to hear I can have both in without it causing issues.

 

[WVNed]

I was going to upgrade the 75 to a bigger tank but it didnt happen because of life stuff.

There are 2 snowflake eels and 2 butterflies in there too. I was hoping to put a 150 there.
There were more coral but my longspine urchin ate them.

 

[Ruzoko]

I was going to upgrade the 75 to a bigger tank but it didnt happen because of life stuff.

There are 2 snowflake eels and 2 butterflies in there too. I was hoping to put a 150 there.
There were more coral but my longspine urchin ate them.

Nice, I was gonna do few lions, snowflake, and a foxface. My little 40 is just few damsels, few coral frags, featherduster, brittle star, and a coral banded shrimp. Flow in that tank is simple but gonna change it up with a wavemaker for that as well. Currently has a 400 gph return going towards front with a 2nd fuge 250 return running right into it.

 

[Ruzoko]

I was going to upgrade the 75 to a bigger tank but it didnt happen because of life stuff.

There are 2 snowflake eels and 2 butterflies in there too. I was hoping to put a 150 there.
There were more coral but my longspine urchin ate them.

Ooof, i have a longspine urchin xD now i worry if i add coral he will eat it.

 

[WVNed]

Mine ate a nice Blasomussa and all the zoas. It has not bothered the mushrooms , xenia, blue ridge or ricordea.
I think they will leathers too.

 

[lion king]

I'm not great with numbers but a good lps flow is of no consequence with lions, sps maybe a different story. What you have now at it's setting seem fine, you'll just have to play around a bit once the lions are in. As @WVNed is finding out, happy lions are quite active.