Are there any other experiential opinions about flow?
15 Reasons Why Current/Flow are Essential
- Thread starter MUCHO REEF
- Start date
SIR PATRICK
New member
Alot of good info (as well as some entertainment) in this thread, thx for the info!
I think current plays a big part for happy, open and spreading zoas.
I think current plays a big part for happy, open and spreading zoas.
Le Bump
Hey everyone. First post. I had a 55 reef a couple years back, and had to give it up due to lack of funds. I have a freshwater HEAVILY planted 55 now, and I recently got my hands on a free 55, so I have decided to get back in the game. Now in an effort to minimize hardware seen in the tank, I though it a good idea to have my return on one side pushing water through a series of holes facing the overflow on the other side with another series of holes, thus creating a flow across the tank. Now, I read this, and it seems this is a bad idea. Maybe this would work if I put a pump in the middle breaking it up a little?
*edit* Also I know you meant this for zoas, and I plan on having quite a few zoas in the tank
*edit* Also I know you meant this for zoas, and I plan on having quite a few zoas in the tank
Flow/current that is directed from left to right or right to left only isn't a good idea for a reef tank with all due respect. Not only does current provide a steady to random source of food/nutritional uptake for corals, but it also aids in keep your reef clean of uneaten food, dislodges detritus and debris which could eventually clog up your reef, the live rock and your corals. Random current will yield better results even in the short term. Instead of placing the pump in the center, could you purchase another source so you could have flow from both sides of the tank? Your corals would greatly appreciate it :rollface:
Good luck and thanks for sharing.
Mucho Reef
Good luck and thanks for sharing.
Mucho Reef
I'm glad it helped.
Mooch
ctenophors rule
New member
personaly i see where nalbar is coming from, this list could very well be percieved as an "essential" list of things you "must have"
however the things that were listed are good to know, many people are a bit hesitant with flow, and this list can help to make people a little more comfortable. it also clumps the pertinent information together.
if in every post we picked apart at the orriginal post we would never acomplish anything.
i could sit hear and say metal halides are not essential for glitter lines, but that doesn't negate the fact that glitter lines are important.
with that being said, some constructive critisism, i think that most of the list could have been grouped into categories, and as you get past # 8 it starts to feel as if you were streching.
never the less, ghood post.
however the things that were listed are good to know, many people are a bit hesitant with flow, and this list can help to make people a little more comfortable. it also clumps the pertinent information together.
if in every post we picked apart at the orriginal post we would never acomplish anything.
i could sit hear and say metal halides are not essential for glitter lines, but that doesn't negate the fact that glitter lines are important.
with that being said, some constructive critisism, i think that most of the list could have been grouped into categories, and as you get past # 8 it starts to feel as if you were streching.
never the less, ghood post.
puckbs
Active member
Mucho,
I wholeheartedly agree with the importance of flow, and like you mention there can be good flow and bad flow.
When i first started in this hobby i spent some time on RDO, another reef keeping forum, and somone who helped me out tremendously had a sig line that read "maximize flow not velocity"
I have a 20h with a mag9.5 split to two hydor flos and two koralia 1's. The way i have them set up sets up some pretty nice randomness in flow, nothing is blowing over but everything sways at times. Which is good for the above mentioned reasons.
I think flow is underrated but is just as easily misunderstood. and the needs for your tank will change as you add or remove rock or corals. I don't add pumps to raise my "turnover", i add them where i need to to keep stuff in suspension and make sure every part of my tank gets "flushed" many times throughout the day.
flow is actually the first thing i plan when building a tank, lighting is the easy part.
One of the benefits Mucho mentioned i employed jsut recently, i put frags on the multiple branches of my tonga branch. when they covered the one branch, they wound up shading the rock below, so i faced a koralia a little more in that direction and voila! more light to the lower rock and happier zoas down there!
i'm gonna start rambling if i don't stop, lol, hope this helps someone, if not, ask away, i'm subscribed now, more than willing to help...
I wholeheartedly agree with the importance of flow, and like you mention there can be good flow and bad flow.
When i first started in this hobby i spent some time on RDO, another reef keeping forum, and somone who helped me out tremendously had a sig line that read "maximize flow not velocity"
I have a 20h with a mag9.5 split to two hydor flos and two koralia 1's. The way i have them set up sets up some pretty nice randomness in flow, nothing is blowing over but everything sways at times. Which is good for the above mentioned reasons.
I think flow is underrated but is just as easily misunderstood. and the needs for your tank will change as you add or remove rock or corals. I don't add pumps to raise my "turnover", i add them where i need to to keep stuff in suspension and make sure every part of my tank gets "flushed" many times throughout the day.
flow is actually the first thing i plan when building a tank, lighting is the easy part.
One of the benefits Mucho mentioned i employed jsut recently, i put frags on the multiple branches of my tonga branch. when they covered the one branch, they wound up shading the rock below, so i faced a koralia a little more in that direction and voila! more light to the lower rock and happier zoas down there!
i'm gonna start rambling if i don't stop, lol, hope this helps someone, if not, ask away, i'm subscribed now, more than willing to help...
Great points you make puckbs and I agree with your reply. My only goal was that someone might benefit from this thread as you have. I love that quote BTW and will use it and give the person credit if you find out who it is. Best of luck on your new system BTW. Glad you're here and so willing to help. Make sure you stay around, we need HS Science teachers to help us around here.
Mucho Reef
Mucho Reef
I chose the title because I felt it was relative to the content. As long as it helps someone, I'm happy with it. I really wasn't stretching by any stretch of the imagination. Again I felt all points were valid, relative and important. I truly respect your right to disagree with any portion of the content or the title. Glad to see you in the zoanthid forum, please stay with us.
Mucho
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I usually hate when I read a thread when it gets argumentative , but I think this will help alot of people because Iam having the darnedest time with coral placement and flow . everytime i solve one problem like placing my hammer coral just right or by adjusting the flow i create another somwhere else i am ripping my colt coral apart . i find it difficult and frustrating,. is there anywhere or a thread that addresses flow and coral placement. it would be good to have an illustrated guide for placement or corals regarding flow and lighting . for example [ if you have mh keep zoas down low] ,[ if pc s or vho s up high] someone smarter than me needs to write a book I will be first in line. The more is better thing just doesent work in this hobby . its like look at me i ordered this 80 gallon starfire glass with euro bracing an 19 tunze power heads and a protein skimmer that wipes my fishes asses as they swim by enough is enough . and then i see a guy with a 40 gallon breeder skimmerless that will blow your sox off . i think you really have to know what you are going to keep and realize you just cant have it all.
ZOKU
Resident Ninja
I have a 3-gal. pico and the only frags in my tank at the moment are zoas and a single green-striped 'shroom.
I have a Rio 50 powerhead set at max. as well as a AC70 filter that I've modified as a refugium. And my eyes tell me my zoas and everything else in my tank... love the amount of flow.
It is an essential part to the success of my pico tank.
I have a Rio 50 powerhead set at max. as well as a AC70 filter that I've modified as a refugium. And my eyes tell me my zoas and everything else in my tank... love the amount of flow.
It is an essential part to the success of my pico tank.
Hmmm, wow, really? Cool.
Another bump as current and flow are just as vital as lighting, parameters etc, contrary to some nay sayers.
Mucho Reef
Mucho Reef
My tank is a 5.5 with a MJ1200 pointed straight down and an AC 30.
So we are talking what 80x turnover?
You would think that they would be peeled off the rock but they are not.
It may sound like I am on the more is better side but I am not. I had the MJ first and I noticed some dead spots especially in the back of the tank so I added the AC to help suspend particles.
I wasn't trying to come up with a set number rather this just happened to be the number needed to achieve what I needed.
IF over time I need to change I will either up or down to meet tank needs.
Not really sure how one can say no flow is needed etc.
Quality vs. quantity sums it up I guess.
So we are talking what 80x turnover?
You would think that they would be peeled off the rock but they are not.
It may sound like I am on the more is better side but I am not. I had the MJ first and I noticed some dead spots especially in the back of the tank so I added the AC to help suspend particles.
I wasn't trying to come up with a set number rather this just happened to be the number needed to achieve what I needed.
IF over time I need to change I will either up or down to meet tank needs.
Not really sure how one can say no flow is needed etc.
Quality vs. quantity sums it up I guess.
Scopus Tang
New member
Personally, I agree the flow is absolutely essential to having a happy zoanthid dominated tank, especially if you are keeping the PE type. Here are links to four excellent articles about flow.
http://www.advancedaquarist.com/2006/6/aafeature2
http://www.advancedaquarist.com/2006/8/aafeature/view
http://www.advancedaquarist.com/2006/9/aafeature2/view
http://www.advancedaquarist.com/2006/11/aafeature/view
http://www.advancedaquarist.com/2006/6/aafeature2
http://www.advancedaquarist.com/2006/8/aafeature/view
http://www.advancedaquarist.com/2006/9/aafeature2/view
http://www.advancedaquarist.com/2006/11/aafeature/view
