Quick question.

[Vera94]

For water flow, can I turn the powerhead on an off throughout the day? Or should I just keep it on? Or does it matter? Should I get my fishies use to one way or another? Might be a stupid question.. but super new to this. First time getting a saltwater tank. Or a tank at all for that matter.

 

[Mr. Mojo Rising]

its up to you. I turn my pumps down during the day for my clams sake, but I turn them way up at night. How much flow you need normally depends on what you have in your tank.

EDIT: You should always have some flow, never completely without flow

 

[Garf]

For water flow, can I turn the powerhead on an off throughout the day? Or should I just keep it on? Or does it matter? Should I get my fishies use to one way or another? Might be a stupid question.. but super new to this. First time getting a saltwater tank. Or a tank at all for that matter.

Put a pic of the tank up, if possible. I leave all circulation on, all the time, with at least some of it breaking the surface of the water, to aid gas exchange, even on an observation (quarantine) tank.

 

[monkeyCmonkeyDo]

I used to run hydor korallias with the basic hydor wave controller. The pumps turned on and off I think. Np.
I agree its up to u.
I leave one of my pumps alone and the other one I turn down at night.
D

 

[muzikalmatt]

For water flow, can I turn the powerhead on an off throughout the day? Or should I just keep it on? Or does it matter? Should I get my fishies use to one way or another? Might be a stupid question.. but super new to this. First time getting a saltwater tank. Or a tank at all for that matter.

For fish, flow doesn't matter as much other than for oxygenation of the water or providing current for them to swim in. For corals, flow is much more important as it brings nutrients to them from the water column and helps get rid of their waste. Some corals require more flow than others but they all appreciate more random flow.

If your powerhead doesn't have a wavemaker function, you can set it on a timer to turn on and off at short intervals to create a wave action in the tank. Or you can have the powerhead run for a while at one speed, then turn it off for a short period, then back on. This will help create some random flow in the tank without having to buy a powerhead that has a wavemaker.

 

[Reef Jockey]

i have my flow on all the time but with different degrees of power and wave action. I try to mimic the ocean tides as they go in and out..

 

[Sebastiancrab]

I run both of them during the day and turn one off at night to give the fish a rest.

 

[Vera94]

For fish, flow doesn't matter as much other than for oxygenation of the water or providing current for them to swim in. For corals, flow is much more important as it brings nutrients to them from the water column and helps get rid of their waste. Some corals require more flow than others but they all appreciate more random flow.







If your powerhead doesn't have a wavemaker function, you can set it on a timer to turn on and off at short intervals to create a wave action in the tank. Or you can have the powerhead run for a while at one speed, then turn it off for a short period, then back on. This will help create some random flow in the tank without having to buy a powerhead that has a wavemaker.

 

[Vera94]

Thanks so much! That helps a lot. Since I know my little powerhead is I guess as simple as it gets. It just has an off an off function. So I'll just turn it off at night an give them a little break from it.

 

[Vera94]

Put a pic of the tank up, if possible. I leave all circulation on, all the time, with at least some of it breaking the surface of the water, to aid gas exchange, even on an observation (quarantine) tank.

 

[Vera94]

Should the powerhead be placed there? Even if it's directed to the surface but still pointed towards the live rock? Just needing everyone's opinion.

 

[CanuckReefer]

Thanks so much! That helps a lot. Since I know my little powerhead is I guess as simple as it gets. It just has an off an off function. So I'll just turn it off at night an give them a little break from it.

You could also throw it on a small plug in timer in case you forget to turn back on one day, if it were me I know I forget things half the time lol.

 

[vetteguy53081]

For water flow, can I turn the powerhead on an off throughout the day? Or should I just keep it on? Or does it matter? Should I get my fishies use to one way or another? Might be a stupid question.. but super new to this. First time getting a saltwater tank. Or a tank at all for that matter.

Run constant or on Pulse mode if your heads have it. Stagnant water is never good and its the movement that provides effective filtration as well as water movement and oxygen exchange

 

[monkeyCmonkeyDo]

Cute little tank. Nice beginning. Id put that powerhead mid tank pointing straight out or slightly up. Same wall its on.
Lookin good. Patience pays off.
D

 

[monkeyCmonkeyDo]

Cute little clowns. What filter is that?
D

 

[Coral Your World]

Just run the Powerhead all day/night. Won’t be an issue, if anything, it’s preferable

 

[moz71]

Just giving my situation for you. Just set up my third tank in house a simple set up very similar to yours. I have my pump just like yours on all the time. Since the power filter is providing surface break I just point mine straight across the tank. Helps keep waste suspended for filter to pick up. Don’t worry about clowns they find quiet spots very easily. My one clown loves swimming in the current when awake. That pump is not big so their is plenty of quiet spots for them to rest.! Looks great!

 

[Dan_P]

Thanks so much! That helps a lot. Since I know my little powerhead is I guess as simple as it gets. It just has an off an off function. So I'll just turn it off at night an give them a little break from it.

Oxygen in the water might decrease at night. Might not be optimal to switch flow off at night. Leave it on full time. Your fish will find the quiet spots to rest.

 

[Vera94]

Oxygen in the water might decrease at night. Might not be optimal to switch flow off at night. Leave it on full time. Your fish will find the quiet spots to rest.

 

[Vera94]

Okay, so best to leave it on all the time? Lol. A lot of back an forth. But I guess if I'm wanting to eventually get corals, I'll just keep the flow going. Just concerned about to much flow and if I'm creating the right flow pattern.