Is this too much flow
- Thread starter Impala67
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ZoWhat
10K Club member
Mostly LPS?
Yes absolutely too much flow. To the point of your LPS are probably very irritated.
I wouldn't expect that amount of flow unless it was a Acro only tank.
LPS live in deep water. Big difference btwn turning water over in volume -vs- straight up direct flow within a tank.
IMO you want a good amount of volume turning over without high flow ....you achieve that with return lines being majorly deflected against the glass walls
Yes absolutely too much flow. To the point of your LPS are probably very irritated.
I wouldn't expect that amount of flow unless it was a Acro only tank.
LPS live in deep water. Big difference btwn turning water over in volume -vs- straight up direct flow within a tank.
IMO you want a good amount of volume turning over without high flow ....you achieve that with return lines being majorly deflected against the glass walls
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davidcalgary29
2500 Club Member
The position isn't optimal. Why don't you try angling it a bit upward so that your substrate doesn't fly around? Adjusting the aquascape will also provide eddies and currents in your build.
MnFish1
10K Club member
Unfortunately - I cant see the video (sometimes best to post on YouTube). But - in general - there is no such thing as 'too much flow'. If you have a powerhead pointed directly at something - and its constant - that can be a problem. Intermittent flow even if high - is well tolerated by almost everything.
davidcalgary29
2500 Club Member
I tend to agree. I have a MP40 pointed directly at a clump of xenia about 10 cm away, and they're just fine, even though many suggest that they "prefer" lower flow. You can't really see them pulse, but the colony is definitely growing.
Paul B
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I think that is fine as long as was said, it is pointed directly at a LPS.
For comparison I took this of my tank yesterday which has many very old LPS corals and they seem fine. I think I have more flow then you
For comparison I took this of my tank yesterday which has many very old LPS corals and they seem fine. I think I have more flow then you
davidcalgary29
2500 Club Member
Soft corals are very adaptable to flow. I have them in both high- and low-flow areas of my tanks, and they do well as long as the lighting is also to their liking (and your water params are fine). They have evolved to withstand more than the gentle (relative to reef environments) we have in our tanks. As long as you don't firehose them and blast them off their mounts, the ones you have will most likely adjust. Anemones are much more delicate, though.
OP
OP
Impala67
Well-Known Member
Do you recommend running them at separate times or both at the same time. Also the live sand in my tank no matter what I do it keeps getting pushed around in my tank lol, any type of sand or something to put down over it?
Bars
Well-Known Member
It's a bit hard too see, but that doesn't seem like a lot of flow. Definitely not too much, I have a lot more with primarily lps and soft corals. Just make sure your powerheads aren't angled directly at your corals. A change in flow will usually cause your corals to close up as well. They should be fine once they've adjusted.
If you do think you have too much flow - either because your corals won't open up or your sand is blown around - try lowering the flowrate and aiming your powerheads opposite of each other. If you can't change the flowrate you could try different angles to sort of diffuse the flow a little.
If you do think you have too much flow - either because your corals won't open up or your sand is blown around - try lowering the flowrate and aiming your powerheads opposite of each other. If you can't change the flowrate you could try different angles to sort of diffuse the flow a little.
MnFish1
10K Club member
Unless you're talking about something I'm not aware of - 'live sand' is just 'sand' with bacteria on it. It is actually not uncommon if you have fine-grained sand - for some areas to have areas that 'blow around' (just like on the beach). I tend to use alternating flow - with a controller - which ramps up slowly to 100 percent - and then stops and restarts from the opposite direction. I have a gyre pump - but there are numerous powerhead that can be configured this way. I wish I could see the video
Billldg
My Gem Tang Is Watching You
LOL, I am not stalking you @MnFish1, just doing my rounds. I agree with Mnfish1, The more the flow, the more likely the sand will be blown around. What type of sand are you using. I put CaribSea Special Grade in my tank, and have a flow turnover of around 40-50x. I use 2 MP40's and 2 Gyre 350s, all are on alternating speeds, thus the guesstament. With that combination I still blow around the sand bed. Sometimes you have to play with the direction of the powerheads to keep the sand from blowing around, and the speeds as well.
MnFish1
10K Club member
Hmmmm thats what the guy with the binoculars across the street says too...
The good news is - eventually (at least in my tank) the blowing stops - and sand piles up where it wants to. I think the gyre 350s are the best thing to happen to reefing
Billldg
My Gem Tang Is Watching You
Its just every time I went to respond, MNFISH1 was the one R2R member that was one step ahead of me today...LOL!!!
Little c big D
Well-Known Member
This video makes me think of Darude Sandstorm playing at the bowling ally. Lol. Personal experience is sometimes LPS can tolerate it, sometimes they won't. I've had to adjust the location of hammers and torches because they were getting blasted. I've also had them looking like wacky wavey inflatable arm flailing tube man and they be ok with it. Give them a chance to adjust and make adjustments to the direction accordingly imo
