How much current is too much?

[Manda0597]

So currently I have a 90G FOWLR and put my first fish in a couple days ago. A pair of clowns of course. I had my Tunze powerhead and Gyre on 20% running and it seemed like they had to fight the current, but maybe that's me being too micro managing? Do you think the returns are enough with FOWLR or do I need the others as well??
(Excuse the microbubbles. I've given up on that)

 

[Flippers4pups]

Flow towards the water surface is always needed, reef or FOWLR. Keeps detritus from setting and good for O2.

 

[Manda0597]

Flow towards the water surface is always needed, reef or FOWLR. Keeps detritus from setting and good for O2.

I am noticing salt creep on my glass. Do you think more surface agitation will make that worse?

 

[Flippers4pups]

I am noticing salt creep on my glass. Do you think more surface agitation will make that worse?

May be your water level is a little too high?

 

[Manda0597]

May be your water level is a little too high?

It's where my overflow is so I'm not sure. Lol this is my first tank with a sump. My other tank has a canister

 

[Flippers4pups]

Okay, the water level on the teeth of the overflow box, can you take a picture of it?

Does your return pump have a valve to control flow from it?

 

[jsvand5]

Definitely not too much flow. Especially not if you have it set at 20%. If anything, I think you could crank it up much higher.

 

[IamJoHo]

I am noticing salt creep on my glass. Do you think more surface agitation will make that worse?

Actually I think it the exact opposite. Prior to having a lot of flow and surface agitation I had salt creep. After adding to mp40s to my reefer 250 I have never seen salt creep since. The constent changing of the water line keeps it from ever forming. Actually now that i think about it I don't have salt creep anywhere throughout my system.

 

[Manda0597]

Actually I think it the exact opposite. Prior to having a lot of flow and surface agitation I had salt creep. After adding to mp40s to my reefer 250 I have never seen salt creep since. The constent changing of the water line keeps it from ever forming. Actually now that i think about it I don't have salt creep anywhere throughout my system.

It seems like it is the bubbles made by the surface agitation causing the water to got the glass if that makes sense

 

[IamJoHo]

It seems like it is the bubbles made by the surface agitation causing the water to got the glass if that makes sense

Get rid of the bubbles and just get more surface agitation. If you are getting the bubbles from your powerheads then lower them a bit until you no longer get the bubbles. And then if you are not something controllable to make waves then point the powerheads a little up to cause some surface agitation.

 

[2BeAlive]

I always tried to set mine at "as strong as possible" without blowing the sand around. There should be pockets in the tank forming with low(er) flow where the fish will hang in when they are not looking for food or quibeling.

Found in the past that having two wave pumps point at each other from lower down in the tank, pointing "up of horizontal" works the best for me. Especially if you can get them to synchronize with each other on a controller to form a "standing wave".

Also, try to use the stream pump perpendicular across the Gyre from the back wall, it will create random flow without stopping the circular motion.