Higher Flow at night for LPS coral

[intricate_reefer]

I regularly see people post about setting their wave makers to lower flow at night.

I was thinking for certain corals wouldn’t it make sense for higher flow at night because the polyps are retracted and won’t be bothered as much by the higher flow. Then with the higher flow it will suspend more detritus to be pulled down the overflow and through the mechanical filtration.

I have mostly acans, favia, chalice, gonipora and blastos. My acans and blastos stay pretty fluffy so they can’t handle high flow but enjoy moderate. At night they retract so the higher flow wouldn’t bother them as much.

The goniopora can handle flow easily and the favia/chalice I keep aren’t the kind with long sweepers that would be disturbed.

It was just a thought and am I will change my mp10 to a bit more flow after lights out and see how it goes.

 

[intricate_reefer]

Pic of my tank

 

[S.Pepper]

I saw this discussed several months ago, and it made sense. So I changed to a higher flow rate at night when everything is closed up, and a lower flow rate during the day.

 

[intricate_reefer]

I saw this discussed several months ago, and it made sense. So I changed to a higher flow rate at night when everything is closed up, and a lower flow rate during the day.

Must have missed that, how is that working out for you?

 

[S.Pepper]

Must have missed that, how is that working out for you?

Great. I'm sure my hammers and torches like it, too. And with the Hydros wave engine, it was a couple clicks of a button on my phone.

 

[xxkenny90xx]

My pumps automatically turn down at night. I did not set it this way, the manufacturer did.

From looking at most of my corals they extend more at night. I don't know what kind of flow they'd prefer but I'll ask them later. But I assume the fish like to relax at night. I'm not sure, I'll ask them too

 

[intricate_reefer]

My pumps automatically turn down at night. I did not set it this way, the manufacturer did.

From looking at most of my corals they extend more at night. I don't know what kind of flow they'd prefer but I'll ask them later. But I assume the fish like to relax at night. I'm not sure, I'll ask them too

Thats a good point for the fish. Most mine go into or behind the rocks but I didn’t even think about that.

 

[xxkenny90xx]

Thats a good point for the fish. Most mine go into or behind the rocks but I didn’t even think about that.

Ya I'm sure the ocean doesn't turn down at night. So the fish find somewhere calm and safe to sleep. But the ocean doesn't turn up at night either...

 

[S.Pepper]

Thats a good point for the fish. Most mine go into or behind the rocks but I didn’t even think about that.

I have a wrasse dominated tank--well, I'm on my way. And most of them are/will be sand divers. But I'm not trying to create a hurricane in my system. Although, I do have the ability with the Hydros to schedule any flow for what ever time I want. So, I can do a schedule of a really strong flow at the top of every hour for 5 minutes from say 8am-10pm.

But I'm keeping my stronger flows at night when my coral have closed up.

 

[xxkenny90xx]

I have a wrasse dominated tank--well, I'm on my way. And most of them are/will be sand divers. But I'm not trying to create a hurricane in my system. Although, I do have the ability with the Hydros to schedule any flow for what ever time I want. So, I can do a schedule of a really strong flow at the top of every hour for 5 minutes from say 8am-10pm.

But I'm keeping my stronger flows at night when my coral have closed up.

Good point, sand sleepers probably don't care about night time flow at all. Unless its like being in your house with a hurricane raging outside, that could be annoying

 

[Basementreefer]

I have my MP10 set higher at night for about three hours, more at the end of the night. With lights on they are set to lagoon/ reef crest topping off at 57% and pulsing mode on 65% max. At night I ramp it up to 80/90%.
I like the idea of flushing the tank at night when most of the corals are retracted. The fish are also fine, as I have a cave like structure where they can rest.

 

[uhgster1]

The manufacturer is trying to mimic the daily wave cycle of nature. With a few exceptions, the waves calm down at night around most reefs. Making that assumption, the flow slows down.