How much flow should I have

HABS#1 · 11/22/2007, 10:54 AM

So in our 31 gal tank we have a fluval 205 180gph flow and a Koralia1 400gph flow I am assuming this flow is sufficient but would like to get some other input on this.

Sk8r · 11/22/2007, 11:05 AM

YOur fish should not be unable to hold-place as they swim and your corals should not blow consistently sideways. Stop a little short of that mark.
Does help to know what sort of tank it is...fish-only, I'm assuming, since you have a filter.

HABS#1 · 11/22/2007, 01:30 PM

Fish liverock and crushed coral substrate.

Here are a couple pics.

Not so great I used my daughters camera rather than our D80.

Sk8r · 11/22/2007, 01:40 PM

You're getting some cyanobacteria down there---not serious, but 2 things would help it: keep it away from sunlight, and maybe a bit more flow---a turkey baster can suck it up, too. Don't disturb your sandbed.

HABS#1 · 11/22/2007, 01:47 PM

I picked up a turkey baster today just for that reason. the tank lights do not come on till noon as the tank gets direct sunlight from the windows in the front of the livingroom from about 8 AM till 10:30 AM. I also just changed the direction of the koralia1 to flow more downward and to the back where it is starting to form up.

pezcubano · 11/22/2007, 01:59 PM

I have about 32x flow in my 75G (softies and lps) and the way I've positioned the powerheads gives everyone indirect flow. Some people will say its too much flow for lps but its really just about how you position the powerheads. You can tell when they are gettin blown around too much. One things is to be gently flowing, another is to be getting thrashed about. The flow should look peaceful, not violent.

I followed a bunch of Sk8tr's advice on cyano (from another thread) and things have gotten much better. I still continue to get some small outbreaks but I think I'm still leaching out some PO4 from a rock in my tank. I've been running my phosphate reactor and refreshing the media consistently for a month or so.
I also added a powerhead and angled it towards the sandbed where the cyano was. It blew around and created a few mini mountains of substrate, but since its settled things haver been MUCH better. Good Luck!!

HABS#1 · 11/22/2007, 02:34 PM

Wow that seems like quite a bit of flow buit I guess I could likeley put in a small Koralia nano in the opposite end of the tank to move the water over the coral substrate.

DrBegalke · 11/22/2007, 07:54 PM

15-20x is fine for FOWLR like yours.
about 30x for a mixed reef, soft corals, etc.
and >40x for an SPS system.

As the tank size goes up, the multiple can be somewhat decreased. some of the best large (1,000 gallons and up) SPS tanks have turnover in the 10-15x range...

HABS#1 · 11/23/2007, 01:03 AM

After X Mas we will be adding some corals ust not to sure what we want to add yet. We will be adding 4 or 5 for sure.

11/22/2007, 11:05 AM	#2
Sk8r RC Mod Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Spokane WA Posts: 34,628 Blog Entries: 55	YOur fish should not be unable to hold-place as they swim and your corals should not blow consistently sideways. Stop a little short of that mark. Does help to know what sort of tank it is...fish-only, I'm assuming, since you have a filter. __________________ Sk8r Salinity 1.024-6; alkalinity 8.3-9.3 on KH scale; calcium 420; magnesium 1300, temp 78-80, nitrate .2. Ammonia 0. No filters: lps tank. Alk and cal won't rise if mg is low. Current Tank Info: 105g AquaVim wedge, yellow tang, sailfin blenny,royal gramma, ocellaris clown pair, yellow watchman, 100 microceriths, 25 tiny hermits, a 4" conch, 1" nassarius, recovering from 2 year hiatus with daily water change of 10%.

11/22/2007, 01:30 PM	#3
HABS#1 Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: London Ontario Canada Posts: 552	Fish liverock and crushed coral substrate. Here are a couple pics. Not so great I used my daughters camera rather than our D80. __________________ If you can dream it you can do it Just remember one thing it was all started by a mouse 25 before 12 HABS over the Leafs every time... Current Tank Info: 75 gal mixed. 2 Ocellaris clowns 2 Bluegreen chromis 1 PJ cardinal 1 blue tang 1 red reefstarfish 1 cleaner shrimp 1 Peppermint shrimp 1 BTA 1 Xenia 1 Lavender mushroom green open brain various CUC (coming soon 1 copperband butterfly)

11/22/2007, 01:40 PM	#4
Sk8r RC Mod Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Spokane WA Posts: 34,628 Blog Entries: 55	You're getting some cyanobacteria down there---not serious, but 2 things would help it: keep it away from sunlight, and maybe a bit more flow---a turkey baster can suck it up, too. Don't disturb your sandbed. __________________ Sk8r Salinity 1.024-6; alkalinity 8.3-9.3 on KH scale; calcium 420; magnesium 1300, temp 78-80, nitrate .2. Ammonia 0. No filters: lps tank. Alk and cal won't rise if mg is low. Current Tank Info: 105g AquaVim wedge, yellow tang, sailfin blenny,royal gramma, ocellaris clown pair, yellow watchman, 100 microceriths, 25 tiny hermits, a 4" conch, 1" nassarius, recovering from 2 year hiatus with daily water change of 10%.

11/22/2007, 01:47 PM	#5
HABS#1 Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: London Ontario Canada Posts: 552	I picked up a turkey baster today just for that reason. the tank lights do not come on till noon as the tank gets direct sunlight from the windows in the front of the livingroom from about 8 AM till 10:30 AM. I also just changed the direction of the koralia1 to flow more downward and to the back where it is starting to form up. __________________ If you can dream it you can do it Just remember one thing it was all started by a mouse 25 before 12 HABS over the Leafs every time... Current Tank Info: 75 gal mixed. 2 Ocellaris clowns 2 Bluegreen chromis 1 PJ cardinal 1 blue tang 1 red reefstarfish 1 cleaner shrimp 1 Peppermint shrimp 1 BTA 1 Xenia 1 Lavender mushroom green open brain various CUC (coming soon 1 copperband butterfly)

11/22/2007, 02:34 PM	#7
HABS#1 Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: London Ontario Canada Posts: 552	Wow that seems like quite a bit of flow buit I guess I could likeley put in a small Koralia nano in the opposite end of the tank to move the water over the coral substrate. __________________ If you can dream it you can do it Just remember one thing it was all started by a mouse 25 before 12 HABS over the Leafs every time... Current Tank Info: 75 gal mixed. 2 Ocellaris clowns 2 Bluegreen chromis 1 PJ cardinal 1 blue tang 1 red reefstarfish 1 cleaner shrimp 1 Peppermint shrimp 1 BTA 1 Xenia 1 Lavender mushroom green open brain various CUC (coming soon 1 copperband butterfly)

11/22/2007, 10:54 AM	#1
HABS#1 Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: London Ontario Canada Posts: 552	How much flow should I have So in our 31 gal tank we have a fluval 205 180gph flow and a Koralia1 400gph flow I am assuming this flow is sufficient but would like to get some other input on this. __________________ If you can dream it you can do it Just remember one thing it was all started by a mouse 25 before 12 HABS over the Leafs every time... Current Tank Info: 75 gal mixed. 2 Ocellaris clowns 2 Bluegreen chromis 1 PJ cardinal 1 blue tang 1 red reefstarfish 1 cleaner shrimp 1 Peppermint shrimp 1 BTA 1 Xenia 1 Lavender mushroom green open brain various CUC (coming soon 1 copperband butterfly)

11/22/2007, 01:59 PM	#6
pezcubano Registered Member Join Date: May 2007 Location: Miami Posts: 416	I have about 32x flow in my 75G (softies and lps) and the way I've positioned the powerheads gives everyone indirect flow. Some people will say its too much flow for lps but its really just about how you position the powerheads. You can tell when they are gettin blown around too much. One things is to be gently flowing, another is to be getting thrashed about. The flow should look peaceful, not violent. I followed a bunch of Sk8tr's advice on cyano (from another thread) and things have gotten much better. I still continue to get some small outbreaks but I think I'm still leaching out some PO4 from a rock in my tank. I've been running my phosphate reactor and refreshing the media consistently for a month or so. I also added a powerhead and angled it towards the sandbed where the cyano was. It blew around and created a few mini mountains of substrate, but since its settled things haver been MUCH better. Good Luck!!

11/22/2007, 07:54 PM	#8
DrBegalke Go Buckeyes! Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: Phoenix area, AZ Posts: 2,599	15-20x is fine for FOWLR like yours. about 30x for a mixed reef, soft corals, etc. and >40x for an SPS system. As the tank size goes up, the multiple can be somewhat decreased. some of the best large (1,000 gallons and up) SPS tanks have turnover in the 10-15x range... __________________ ~Jason Begalke Current Tank Info: Latest project: JBJ Cubey

11/23/2007, 01:03 AM	#9
HABS#1 Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: London Ontario Canada Posts: 552	After X Mas we will be adding some corals ust not to sure what we want to add yet. We will be adding 4 or 5 for sure. __________________ If you can dream it you can do it Just remember one thing it was all started by a mouse 25 before 12 HABS over the Leafs every time... Current Tank Info: 75 gal mixed. 2 Ocellaris clowns 2 Bluegreen chromis 1 PJ cardinal 1 blue tang 1 red reefstarfish 1 cleaner shrimp 1 Peppermint shrimp 1 BTA 1 Xenia 1 Lavender mushroom green open brain various CUC (coming soon 1 copperband butterfly)