How to know if I am giving too much flow?

Dilan Patel · Jul 15, 2017

So I have this millipora. IDK what type it is but it always has poyp extension. I have been trying to figure out flow in this tank for a little bit now since I got a maspect gyre xf250 for my 4ft long tank. I know it is probably to much flow but I wanted to have the bigger one in case I needed the extra flow.
Anywho this coral always seems to get the flow that pushes all its polyps towards the pump. On occasion the polyps will go around in a circle. I am just wondering if this is bad and that I have to figure out how to vary the flow even more. Right now the picture was taken with the gyre on pulse mode 40% for .4 second intervals. It is like this for any amount of percentage as well. if anyone with a 4ft tank with this model would like to input some info as well on tips for this pump it would be greatly appreciated. I just want to make sure that this coral is not going to die due to the fact that the flow is pushing all the polyps to one side. Otherwise it is encrusting! Also If you could share what your polyps look like when your flow is on it would be amazing!

ironman20725 · Jul 15, 2017

Can you take a video?

saltyfilmfolks · Jul 15, 2017

How to know if I am giving too much flow?
There's still sand in the tank.

I do like a bit of random to it, and it sounds like you've got that. As each frag matures it'll begin to grow to best take advantage of the flow, and in fact change its shape to accommodate.

nervousmonkey · Jul 15, 2017

Agree with Salty. Think of the ocean; that's some incredible energy that corals are getting in terms of flow and light. Corals adapt as they grow. As long as your sand isn't getting blown up into the water column you are ok. If you leave the flow as it is, leave the milli as it is, and wait for 2 months, you will see how well that coral can adapt.

Dilan Patel · Jul 15, 2017

Do you all still want to see a video? I can take one but do not know how to upload it?

Dilan Patel · Jul 15, 2017

I just increased the flow today to 40% should I keep gradually increasing it until the sand starts to make my tank look look like a dessert storm?

saltyfilmfolks · Jul 15, 2017

Dilan Patel said:
I just increased the flow today to 40% should I keep gradually increasing it until the sand starts to make my tank look look like a dessert storm?

lol. Id stop messing with it.

Dilan Patel · Jul 15, 2017

gotcha! Thanks i just wnted to check with yall to make sure I wasnt killing it

saltyfilmfolks · Jul 15, 2017

Dilan Patel said:
gotcha! Thanks i just wnted to check with yall to make sure I wasnt killing it

yup, we've all been there. just keep doing what your doing.

CindyKz · Jul 15, 2017

I am not an SPS pro at all, so would like to hear one (or more) weigh in on this. Wouldn't you take good, consistent PE and the fact that it is encrusting as signs of health and happiness?

Thanks....

jsker · Jul 15, 2017

CindyKz said:
I am not an SPS pro at all, so would like to hear one (or more) weigh in on this. Wouldn't you take good, consistent PE and the fact that it is encrusting as signs of health and happiness?

Thanks....

I am from the same school, I have mine set to were the sand does not move during the day. At night everything goes down to %20

nervousmonkey · Jul 15, 2017

Once again, I agree with Salty. Just set it to a flow rate that you like and leave it there. Literally don't touch anything and you will be amazed at how well nature can adapt. It takes SPS a good month at least to just acclimate to changes in the tank, some take longer. If you leave it alone, as in pretend you don't even have a tank, everything will grow so quickly.
In terms of SPS, the best piece of advice for anyone is stability. That means to find an alkalinity level that works and then leave it alone. Find a light level that you like and then leave it alone. Find a flow that works and then leave it alone. The constant there is "leave it alone". All other advice is secondary to that. Its hard to do that though. That was the hardest lesson for me to learn, but when I gave up trying to make corals grow, especially SPS, everything really took off.
@CindyKz , yes, I take that as a sign of happiness. Then from there, just leave it alone; you have found something that the corals like.

CindyKz · Jul 16, 2017

nervousmonkey said:
Once again, I agree with Salty. Just set it to a flow rate that you like and leave it there. Literally don't touch anything and you will be amazed at how well nature can adapt. It takes SPS a good month at least to just acclimate to changes in the tank, some take longer. If you leave it alone, as in pretend you don't even have a tank, everything will grow so quickly.
In terms of SPS, the best piece of advice for anyone is stability. That means to find an alkalinity level that works and then leave it alone. Find a light level that you like and then leave it alone. Find a flow that works and then leave it alone. The constant there is "leave it alone". All other advice is secondary to that. Its hard to do that though. That was the hardest lesson for me to learn, but when I gave up trying to make corals grow, especially SPS, everything really took off.
@CindyKz , yes, I take that as a sign of happiness. Then from there, just leave it alone; you have found something that the corals like.

Thank you Lloyd, that was exactly my question - that if the coral is responding well ("signs of happiness") that you found what it likes. You said it all thank you!

Salty1962 · Jul 16, 2017

Just make sure it isn't directly in front of your pump flow. In my 65G I have 2 WAVs and a XF130 to give me allot of random flow. As mentioned, as long as your sand isn't blowing around your good. Most SPS love allot of flow. You'll also note that when you have good flow your corals will grow thicker forms.

Dilan Patel · Jul 16, 2017

perfect I will stop tinkering with the tank. except for my red bug treatment which I have finally seen polyp extension.

revhtree · Jul 18, 2017

Nice discussion!

nervousmonkey · Jul 18, 2017

@Dilan Patel , how are things going? Did you find a flowrate and set it, then leave it there? Sounds like your milli likes everything, and based on that, I still say to leave everything where it is, esp. alkalinity. If you can get a doser, it will keep the levels really stable, like the ocean. That milli will love having the same alkalinity level from day to day and week to week, etc. I bet that you will see some fantastic growth a month from now, as long as everything remains constant in your system. It's so counter-intuitive to say that keeping everything constant will promote growth, but that is how our corals work...

Dilan Patel · Jul 19, 2017

@nervousmonkey I have seen the same polyp extension so I cant complain. It is also encrusting quite rapidly. I run 8 dosing pumps so everything should stay constant. I havent touched the tank,