Water flow in reef tank

Ceri720 · Aug 22, 2021

Hi everyone:

I have the fluval 13.5 gal EVO tank - going on 3 months now. I have upgraded the light and moved to a Syncra Silent 1.0 pump (on low setting). I have noted much better flow in the tank. I watch each coral frag so see flow evident as much as possible i.e. candy cane coral I can't tell but xenia, clove polyp, duncan - I can see it move and they all seem happier.

I also bought a small wave maker but then it looks like everything is being knocked over no matter how I try to angle the nozzle. I understand the ocean can have strong currents that we need to mimic and flow is needed to move food to coral and remove waste and other nuisances.

How do I know I have enough flow and what is too much? Is there a meter or way to map your tank for flow?

Rhoads238 · Aug 22, 2021

Try bouncing the flow off of the front glass. That should help diffuse it.

SJ701 · Aug 22, 2021

the sicce turned up a bit with an RFG nozzle should be sufficient flow without the powerhead.. Or use the powerhead for tank flow and use the sicce on low pointed at the water surface for oxygen.

Ceri720 · Aug 22, 2021

Rhoads238 said:
Try bouncing the flow off of the front glass. That should help diffuse it.

I was trying to do this as well - bouncing the flow from the wave maker off the wall to diffuse.

Ceri720 · Aug 22, 2021

Agree SJ - I think the Sicce could go up a bit. I still have two frags on the sand bed - the others I have mounted up a bit or mid way on the live rock. Appreciate the feedback.

SJ701 · Aug 22, 2021

Ceri720 said:
Agree SJ - I think the Sicce could go up a bit. I still have two frags on the sand bed - the others I have mounted up a bit or mid way on the live rock. Appreciate the feedback.

Tinkering is half the fun.. You'll find "the perfect setup" and a couple weeks later, you'll have changed it 2 more times..