Reducing flow at night for SPS?

[Pete_the_Puma]

Hi all,

I am in the process of setting up my 140G red Sea reefer peninsula 650 tank. It will be a barebottom SPS only tank with tons of flow.

The question I have for all the SPS experts is:

Do you keep all your powerheads on at high flow all the time or do you reduce flow at night?

If you reduce flow at night is it mainly to give the fish a break while they sleep or is there some benefit to corals? (I know there is probably no "proven" answer to this question)

I'm likely looking at a Gyre near the bottom of the tank to keep the bottom free of detritius and two mp40's. Build thread coming soon just trying to plan everything.


Pete

 

[BranchingHammer]

I turn off my flow completely for 2 hours, otherwise it’s on low pulse during the night.

 

[DesertReefBoy]

This is my flow schedule with my two gyres. Instead of putting the power to 50% I cranked it to 100%. When I shine a light in the tank during the middle of the night my SPS are polyped out just like the day.

 

[Act1n1c_L1fe]

Reduce flow for other inhabitants of the tank. If it’s turbulent, fish won’t be able to rest at night time.

 

[DesertReefBoy]

Reduce flow for other inhabitants of the tank. If it’s turbulent, fish won’t be able to rest at night time.

My fish tuck into the rock just fine. Even my 4.5” blue tang can find shelter no problem.

 

[Act1n1c_L1fe]

Whate

My fish tuck into the rock just fine. Even my 4.5” blue tang can find shelter no problem.

whatever works for you. I don’t have any dead spots in my tank so I drop flow down to 20% at night to be more of a calm lagoon like environment. I try as much to mimic the currents in the ocean. Calm at night, beginning to get turbulent in the morning, turbulent at mid day, calming down as lights go off

 

[Act1n1c_L1fe]

My fish tuck into the rock just fine. Even my 4.5” blue tang can find shelter no problem.

Do I have to? No. But it makes sense

 

[DesertReefBoy]

Do I have to? No. But it makes sense

Who said anything about you having too lol. I’ve been night diving a few times and the currents through the reefs are a lot stronger then you would think.

 

[Act1n1c_L1fe]

Who said anything about you having too lol. I’ve been night diving a few times and the currents through the reefs are a lot stronger then you would think.

I live in south Florida. I guarantee it’s significantly less than during the afternoon when we have thunderstorms. This happens almost every day

 

[Michael Biando]

I reduce the flow 50% overnight

 

[Graffiti Spot]

Never reduced flow here, fish sleep just fine. In fact I think my fish are healthier with strong flow at all times. More oxygen in the water too. From the people I have talked to, i understand that the reef still gets a lot of flow at night. Compared to our tanks at least, so I see no reason to have to turn anything down.

 

[29bonsaireef]

I keep flow steady 24/7. Flow doesn't change on the reef from day to night, so I'm not sure why it should in our tank.

 

[Act1n1c_L1fe]

I keep flow steady 24/7. Flow doesn't change on the reef from day to night, so I'm not sure why it should in our tank.

Yes it does, especially with storms, different moons, and winds

 

[Makers Marc]

Whate

whatever works for you. I don’t have any dead spots in my tank so I drop flow down to 20% at night to be more of a calm lagoon like environment. I try as much to mimic the currents in the ocean. Calm at night, beginning to get turbulent in the morning, turbulent at mid day, calming down as lights go off

Pretty sure the ocean is not like that. It does not decide to calm down at night.

 

[Makers Marc]

Yes it does, especially with storms, different moons, and winds

But storms and wind are independent from the time of day tbh

 

[29bonsaireef]

Yes it does, especially with storms, different moons, and winds

This is false, just about all currents on a reef are strictly tidal, which is a constant thing everyday/night. Other than the 30-45 min window of a slack tide, there is always steady current. Some reefs, like of the coast of Florida sit in ocean currents like the gulfstream, which is flowing non-stop. Sure storms, waves etc can effect water motion/movement, but even on the calmest day the flow from tides keeps tons of water pulling through the reefs.

 

[Act1n1c_L1fe]

This is false, just about all currents on a reef are strictly tidal, which is a constant thing everyday/night. Other than the 30-45 min window of a slack tide, there is always steady current. Some reefs, like of the coast of Florida sit in ocean currents like the gulfstream, which is flowing non-stop. Sure storms, waves etc can effect water motion/movement, but even on the calmest day the flow from tides keeps tons of water pulling through the reefs.

Not true, I do night fish weekly and there’s a significant change. I’m also an ocean engineer. I guarantee there is a difference.

 

[Act1n1c_L1fe]

But storms and wind are independent from the time of day tbh

They are independent of the day but it happens every day down here. lol

 

[phil bevilacqua]

Lived at beach 26 years. The waves are significantly less in am and gulf is sometimes like class in am... I have all my grye set on OCC witch is the naturally ocean currents..... it has ups and downs all through day and night. Random is best imo.

 

[Graffiti Spot]

Not true, I do night fish weekly and there’s a significant change. I’m also an ocean engineer. I guarantee there is a difference.

Unless your nightfishing on the actual reefs there is a difference. What does an ocean engineer do? Sounds cool.
Either way this argument goes I don’t think it makes much of a difference in a reef tank. When I kept high flow 24/7 my fish were defiantly healthier and stronger than when I have had the same species in small tanks with lower flow. And they found spots to rest either way with no issues.