How much flow?

[valley]

Hello, I have a Fluval evo 13.5 with upgrades on the flow. I upgraded the stock return pump to an AI Axis 40 and have the dual random flow generators from VCA. I do not have any power heads. I’m currently running the pump at 50%; is this too much or too little? If so, how much should I be running it at?

 

[DDenny]

What are you keeping in the tank? I have an IM 25g lagoon with the return running full tilt and a Hygger mini full tilt as well. I think I need more but don’t have a lot in there. Stuff stays suspended for mechanical filtration.

 

[valley]

What are you keeping in the tank? I have an IM 25g lagoon with the return running full tilt and a Hygger mini full tilt as well. I think I need more but don’t have a lot in there. Stuff stays suspended for mechanical filtration.

I have lps, softies, a bta, and I’ll be having a pair of clowns soon.

 

[Idech]

Show us a video of your flow. It’s impossible to tell otherwise.

 

[valley]

Show us a video of your flow. It’s impossible to tell otherwise.

Here are some videos I took of the flow. This is at 50% so 200GPH I’m pretty sure.

 

[Idech]

IMO it’s not too much flow. It is uneven though (okay on the left and not enough on the right) and unilateral.

It’s best to have flow from all around so corals are not always bending in the same direction. You can get that effect from hitting the glass or another source of flow. Having 2 powerheads or sources of flow will help. Just play with it and you’ll see what works best.

 

[Peair]

You definitely need good flow if you have coral colonies, I have a 15 AIO, and I use two Jabao SW-2, one on each side, during the day it's set at stage three, and at night stage one, and there was a big difference in the growth of my corals when I added the second one.

 

[valley]

Hmmm. I don’t have much coral on the right side other than a paly frag and I probably won’t be adding else there since it won’t be visible. Considering this, would it be better to just increase the flow on this pump instead of buying a powerhead? Also, would increasing the flow slowly help prevent my bta from moving again or would that be inevitable with the change?

 

[Peair]

Hmmm. I don’t have much coral on the right side other than a paly frag and I probably won’t be adding else there since it won’t be visible. Considering this, would it be better to just increase the flow on this pump instead of buying a powerhead? Also, would increasing the flow slowly help prevent my bta from moving again or would that be inevitable with the change?

If you don't have coral colonies you don't need that much flow, and you fish will probably like you better, and if you only have a couple small frags you don't need that much, but small frags do need a little flow to grow, and at your early stage I think just increase your existing flow a little, and when you get bigger and your flow needs to get increased, it best to glue down your new corals to your reef rock to keep them from moving and falling down.