minchton Posted May 5, 2005 Report Share Posted May 5, 2005 I know this has probably been covered somewhere in this forum but sometimes its hard to find just what you want to know. My question??? I know water movement is important but how do you actually direct the flow. Is it better to direct it onto the corals or direct it around the tank thereby creating the needed flow without upsetting the corals. i.e. soft corals. The flow I am using would border on savage as against soft flow. Thanks mitch Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brianemone Posted May 5, 2005 Report Share Posted May 5, 2005 well i have recently joined the 100x plus club my flow is not directed specifically aimed at any corals but due to the nature of the pumps the whole tank is now in constant movement. what type of powerheads/water movement devices are you using?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
minchton Posted May 5, 2005 Author Report Share Posted May 5, 2005 currently I am using 4 powerheads. The reason for asking the question is because I am changing this to a "SCWD" and 2 seio pumps. The SCWD is being run by a massive pond pump and really moves the water on full power. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aquatopia Posted May 5, 2005 Report Share Posted May 5, 2005 Dont forget it also depends on what corals you are putting in the tank. Some don't like the flow to bombard them !!! I sometimes think we get caught up in the flow of flow !!! I read recently that as well as corals, flow is also important to maintain filtration in the live rock. To that end (and also to help minimise detritus settling) I am planning to have some of my flow coming out from within the rocks in my new setup. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteveA Posted May 6, 2005 Report Share Posted May 6, 2005 Not direct. General turbulence is better than plain flow. Some these days seem to have enough circulation to propel a small (and sometimes not so small) jet boat and it looks like the water movement stairway has replaced the lighting intensity/spectrum stairway that was prevalent when I first started reefing in the early '90s. Since, over the last 2-3 years, I have managed to grow two acro tables, each from a single branch, to a diameter of 30cm without difficulty or decline in a 2000L+ tank with only 3 Eheim 2400 L/h pumps operating off the light timers and the main circulation pump for circulation, I have to conclude that many are taking the power of their circulation a bit too seriously. Good for the pump manufacturers no doubt, but as long as there is sufficient circulation to blow waste products out of the coral structures, I don’t think they really care a lot about all the extra horsepower being lavished on them. Steve Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chimera Posted May 6, 2005 Report Share Posted May 6, 2005 The Seio's will be the schiznit in your tank - I'm well impressed with them for such a low price Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RnB Posted May 6, 2005 Report Share Posted May 6, 2005 true steve, your big tank looked awesome , but did not have massive flow.......... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteveA Posted May 6, 2005 Report Share Posted May 6, 2005 It can be a bit tricky when you are trying to mix different corals. I have just moved my own animals to a new tank at home (first time I have actually had a reef tank in my own home in about 12 years) and one of my current issues is finding out the best spot for the bubble coral as, even though this tank uses more or less the same circulation system as the big one with the Acro plates, it is difficult to find a place calm enough for its liking. I suspect I only have to move it another 15cm as it appears to be now getting a down draft off the end wall, whereas previously it was getting knocked around due to being directly under where the streams from two pumps collided. Luckily it has grown used to being kept in full light, even if near the bottom, otherwise I would have to be juggling that parameter also. And then there is getting the circulation right to keep the Galaxia from beating up its neighbours. I have found that corals, if you get them small enough to start with, are quite happy to change their growth form to a more open and delicate configuration if kept in moderate, but sufficient, currents, as they do on the reef. Steve Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ira Posted May 19, 2005 Report Share Posted May 19, 2005 Just put a Sieo in my tank that I got from Steve. Pretty cool. MUCH smaller than I was expecting. It's about the same size as my Viaaqua powerheads, but about 3 times the flow. The flow seems to dissipate by about 2 feet because it's so wide, but that means you don't have to try and point it at stuff on the other side of the tank, I guess. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Control Posted May 19, 2005 Report Share Posted May 19, 2005 There has been allot of research done on this subject by people that aren't trying to sell products. They all seem to come to the conclusion that surging and as Steve said turbulance is the most affective form of flow on all types of coral. There are many electronic and mechanical devices that create this. It is also very easy to DIY a simple system. Aaron Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RnB Posted May 23, 2005 Report Share Posted May 23, 2005 yes but most are noisy and take up space above your tank, i like the cieling mounted surge tanks tho..... still streams are pretty cool..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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