It was this big... Now its this big...

[Eagle_Steve]

My big tank has a pretty gnarly flow pattern through it. All 4 return lines running at the high end of the RFG limits (1800+ GPH), reefwave 25 on the back and 45 on the end running opposite of each other. There is only one place in the tank where water constantly moves in one direction, and that is the rear channel, behind the rocks.

That is where I have 3x mp40s lol. Blast the crap out of the macro and it then shoots up the back side of the rocks and keeps all of my acros nice and tidy. The upwards flow hitting the flow up top also makes a nice random "busting" all over the tank. It also flushes an detritus that could settle off the acro bases.

 

[Goaway]

My big tank has a pretty gnarly flow pattern through it. All 4 return lines running at the high end of the RFG limits (1800+ GPH), reefwave 25 on the back and 45 on the end running opposite of each other. There is only one place in the tank where water constantly moves in one direction, and that is the rear channel, behind the rocks.

You should be able to keep what ever you want.

 

[Goaway]

That is where I have 3x mp40s lol. Blast the crap out of the macro and it then shoots up the back side of the rocks and keeps all of my acros nice and tidy. The upwards flow hitting the flow up top also makes a nice random "busting" all over the tank. It also flushes an detritus that could settle off the acro bases.

Ty. Most of us non diving folk play a guessing game.

 

[Lost in the Sauce]

You should be able to keep what ever you want.

In practice, I'm finding that I can.

The issue is placement. I Want a crazy zone up top for the acro, but a relatively calm flow across the brains at the sand. Torches/gonis/bubble/hammerspawn all don't homie with others and need dedicated stand off space.

With oscillating Current, That standoff space needs to be in every direction.

It's a dance.

 

[Eagle_Steve]

Ty. Most of us non diving folk play a guessing game.

The trick is to work them up to it. Corals can adapt, they just need time. Hence why torches sat on a rack and the rack got moved into more and more flow over the time on the rack. Wanted to see what they would take, so I knew where to place them.

 

[rmorris_14]

In practice, I'm finding that I can.

The issue is placement. I Want a crazy zone up top for the acro, but a relatively calm flow across the brains at the sand. Torches/gonis/bubble/hammerspawn all don't homie with others and need dedicated stand off space.

With oscillating Current, That standoff space needs to be in every direction.

It's a dance.

When you first started adding corals to your tank... did you plan what you wanted to have and map it out ahead of time, or did you just move things around as you decided what you were going to add?

 

[Goaway]

The trick is to work them up to it. Corals can adapt, they just need time. Hence why torches sat on a rack and the rack got moved into more and more flow over the time on the rack. Wanted to see what they would take, so I knew where to place them.

The thing is, I'd never tell a diver who keeps a thriving reef they're wrong. One thing I've know is, flow makes the tank healthy. Divers know what they are looking for. I'm guessing from their explanations. Still not the same thing. You're explanation fits many of bob fenners. Hope that doesn't offend you.

 

[Lost in the Sauce]

When you first started adding corals to your tank... did you plan what you wanted to have and map it out ahead of time, or did you just move things around as you decided what you were going to add?

Do you mean to This tank, or when I first started adding corals to previous tanks?

I'm a planner. I went from a 120 to a 180. I had a general scape structure in my head that I wanted aesthetically.

The scape was purpose built to display the big bubble on the very end, keeping it away from everyone else and directly under a constant upflow from the 4500 gyre.

At that point, I knew what kind of corals I enjoyed keeping, What worked well in my system, So I had already planned out where everything should be generally.

I screwed up and bought a beautiful piece of PC rainbow from Golden State Corals, and that about screwed everything up when I saw it thriving. Then @F i s h y shows up with a dozen + acro for me, another buddy fragged me half a dozen of his best colonies for safekeeping, and now I've got a gang of them.

Best layed plans....

 

[Eagle_Steve]

The thing is, I'd never tell a diver who keeps a thriving reef they're wrong. One thing I've know is, flow makes the tank healthy. Divers know what they are looking for. I'm guessing from their explanations. Still not the same thing. You're explanation fits many of bob fenners. Hope that doesn't offend you.

No offense taken at all. Especially as you compared me to Bob lol.

In all reality, all tanks are different and there are 1000s of things, most little and nver even thought of that determine if a tank thrives or does not thrive. There are also different levels of "thriving".

In short, as long as it is growing, not dying and things are going good, keep doing what is being done and call it a day lol.

No one will ever recreate a true reef in a glass box, no matter how hard we try. There will always be something not quite the same.

 

[Goaway]

No offense taken at all. Especially as you compared me to Bob lol.

In all reality, all tanks are different and there are 1000s of things, most little and nver even thought of that determine if a tank thrives or does not thrive. There are also different levels of "thriving".

In short, as long as it is growing, not dying and things are going good, keep doing what is being done and call it a day lol.

No one will ever recreate a true reef in a glass box, no matter how hard we try. There will always be something not quite the same.

Bob Fenner is still my favorite. I spent tons of hours reading wwm.

There's too much that happens in the ocean we will never achieve.

Thriving and surviving are 2 different things. If an animal is hanging on, surviving. Growing well, keeping healthy, reproducing can all go into thriving.

Also why I think nanos are a pain. Getting correct flow going

 

[Lost in the Sauce]

Got Neck?

 

[rmorris_14]

Do you mean to This tank, or when I first started adding corals to previous tanks?

I'm a planner. I went from a 120 to a 180. I had a general scape structure in my head that I wanted aesthetically.

The scape was purpose built to display the big bubble on the very end, keeping it away from everyone else and directly under a constant upflow from the 4500 gyre.

At that point, I knew what kind of corals I enjoyed keeping, What worked well in my system, So I had already planned out where everything should be generally.

I screwed up and bought a beautiful piece of PC rainbow from Golden State Corals, and that about screwed everything up when I saw it thriving. Then @F i s h y shows up with a dozen + acro for me, another buddy fragged me half a dozen of his best colonies for safekeeping, and now I've got a gang of them.

Best layed plans....

I'm just struggling visualizing where I want to go with mine. Maybe part of it is because I wasn't the originator of my tank. It came stocked with its current scape. I have plans to add some more to the scape but the overall shape is still going to be the same. I know I want to stick with softies and LPS, with the higher PAR LPS on the top. But other than that, I don't have much of a plan. I was just curious if you knew from conception or if it all just kind of evolved as you went ...until you landed into your complete awesomeness of a tank.

 

[Eagle_Steve]

Bob Fenner is still my favorite. I spent tons of hours reading wwm.

There's too much that happens in the ocean we will never achieve.

Thriving and surviving are 2 different things. If an animal is hanging on, surviving. Growing well, keeping healthy, reproducing can all go into thriving.

Also why I think nanos are a pain. Getting correct flow going

The nano part is soooo true lol.

My biocube has an mj1200 for the return, 2x jebao wave makers and it uses the corallife rotating nozzle for the return. I have the left side PH set at 60% and on square wave at the lowest delay setting, the right side at 40% on sine wave and just let the rotating return nozzle do its thing. Took forever to get it setup how I wanted the flow.

One trick for seeing flow is to take a small air pump, small woodstone, put wood stone at return and then blow bubbles in the tank. This lets you see flow and lets you see how the surface skims.

 

[sfin52]

The thing is, I'd never tell a diver who keeps a thriving reef they're wrong. One thing I've know is, flow makes the tank healthy. Divers know what they are looking for. I'm guessing from their explanations. Still not the same thing. You're explanation fits many of bob fenners. Hope that doesn't offend you.

Even snorkeling it's intense the flow and surges the reef get. In less than 5 minutes floating you can be 30 40 feet from where you want to be. It's insane. The sea fans really move in the current and right next to them are huge brains getting the same flow.

 

[Lost in the Sauce]

I'm just struggling visualizing where I want to go with mine. Maybe part of it is because I wasn't the originator of my tank. It came stocked with its current scape. I have plans to add some more to the scape but the overall shape is still going to be the same. I know I want to stick with softies and LPS, with the higher PAR LPS on the top. But other than that, I don't have much of a plan. I was just curious if you knew from conception or if it all just kind of evolved as you went ...until you landed into your complete awesomeness of a tank.

Thank you for the compliment.

I think for me it was trial and error over a very steep learning curve of a year. Between acquiring three tanks, and my first coral purchase ever being an 18 unit box from a WWC flash sale, I stumbled a lot until figuring out what was needed. For example, that bubble coral has killed more corals in my previous tanks, than I care to admit. I've lost Way more torches, than I currently have.

I'm not really a toe dipper . More like a belly flop from the top deck kind of person.

The unique challenges a mixed reef creates, Its a fun, constant challenge and opportunity to learn more.

 

[rmorris_14]

Thank you for the compliment.

I think for me it was trial and error over a very steep learning curve of a year. Between acquiring three tanks, and my first coral purchase ever being an 18 unit box from a WWC flash sale, I stumbled a lot until figuring out what was needed. For example, that bubble coral has killed more corals in my previous tanks, than I care to admit. I've lost Way more torches, than I currently have.

I'm not really a toe dipper . More like a belly flop from the top deck kind of person.

The unique challenges a mixed reef creates, Its a fun, constant challenge and opportunity to learn more.

ok Cool....thanks for sharing.. That does make me feel a little bit better about not being able to see the end result in my mind yet. I need figure out which corals I enjoy keeping the most first. I am a slow and cautious type, so it probably going to take me forever, before I get there.

Thanks again.

 

[Goaway]

The nano part is soooo true lol.

My biocube has an mj1200 for the return, 2x jebao wave makers and it uses the corallife rotating nozzle for the return. I have the left side PH set at 60% and on square wave at the lowest delay setting, the right side at 40% on sine wave and just let the rotating return nozzle do its thing. Took forever to get it setup how I wanted the flow.

One trick for seeing flow is to take a small air pump, small woodstone, put wood stone at return and then blow bubbles in the tank. This lets you see flow and lets you see how the surface skims.

Still not touching a nano. I'd get a splitting headache.

ok Cool....thanks for sharing.. That does make me feel a little bit better about not being able to see the end result in my mind yet. I need figure out which corals I enjoy keeping the most first. I am a slow and cautious type, so it probably going to take me forever, before I get there.

Thanks again.

With @F i s h y nearby, should help you a lot on what you would like to try.

 

[Goaway]

Even snorkeling it's intense the flow and surges the reef get. In less than 5 minutes floating you can be 30 40 feet from where you want to be. It's insane. The sea fans really move in the current and right next to them are huge brains getting the same flow.

Over tows and under tows. That's why diving lessons are important. I can't remember which you fight and which one you surrender too.

 

[sfin52]

Over tows and under tows. That's why diving lessons are important. I can't remember which you fight and which one you surrender too.

I've been caught in an undertow. I was body surfing on Lake Michigan during yellow flags darn near red flag waves. I didn't get up in time and a wave crashed on me than pulled me down and put me in the washer. I was tumbing and rolling for a bit. Thankfully I was able to catch my footing and stood up in time to catch the next wave.

 

[Goaway]

I've been caught in an undertow. I was body surfing on Lake Michigan during yellow flags darn near red flag waves. I didn't get up in time and a wave crashed on me than pulled me down and put me in the washer. I was tumbing and rolling for a bit. Thankfully I was able to catch my footing and stood up in time to catch the next wave.

At least you came out of there alive. My brother Wayne used to be a crabber and a sponge collector. Some people never went back home.