How important is water flow to S. gigantea?

[Winwood]

In reference to antibiotic treatment, I think it is fair to say, a huge step has been made when it comes to keeping this species. So, if a healthy specimen is established, how much does water flow play in maintaining the health of these specimens?

 

[xtlosx]

I've had my purple since February 2nd and he parked himself in front of my MP40. When reef crest kicks on he gets pounded... When reef crest alternates, it's more mellow for a bit. This has continued for months and the Gig hasn't moved.

Green is in the middle of the tank out of the line of sight from my MP40s... When they ramp up it moves'em around all over the place then is calm for a bit. This gig has sat in this spot for over a month now showing no intention of moving yet..

I think the whole notion is overplayed, they need flow, alternating, and random flow is best.... Reef Crest with my MP40s does it for me.

 

[Reefvette]

Tell me you have a cover on the mp?

Imo flow for each of the species is import to their long term care.

Perfect flow means the nem stays in place. Thats means they are happy.

Each require different types of flow

 

[Gary Majchrzak]

xtlosx- one of your gigs gets pounded by an MP40 (hasn't moved since Feb) the other gets moved around a bit (with multiple MP40's on 'crest mode)hasn't moved in a month and you post that you "think the whole notion is overplayed"?

I'm confused please explain.

IMO/IME water flow is much more important to S. gigantea than (for example) Haddon's carpet anemone.
S. gigantea prefers water motion similar to what H. magnifica prefers.

 

[xtlosx]

xtlosx- one of your gigs gets pounded by an MP40 (hasn't moved since Feb) the other gets moved around a bit (with multiple MP40's on 'crest mode)hasn't moved in a month and you post that you "think the whole notion is overplayed"?

I'm confused please explain.

IMO/IME water flow is much more important to S. gigantea than (for example) Haddon's carpet anemone.
S. gigantea prefers water motion similar to what H. magnifica prefers.

Hey Gary, I'm just saying from a lot of the posts I read when researching Gigantea ownership it was always Gigs have to have high flow or else they move and do not thrive. My case is obviously a very short one, but have a LFS that has had a beautiful 16"+ blue gig for 5 yrs and it is no where near getting pounded or even hit hard by any power heads. I'm not saying they do not like heavy flow because my purple is literally a couple inches away and down from my MP40.

I agree, they do require good water movement, more random flow, but like every animal I think they have their own needs that are not a one size fits all kind of thought. That's just my observations, but I agree they prefer flow requirements of a Mag more so than a Haddoni.

 

[Gary Majchrzak]

just as an example

just as an example

I've had my gig for several years now in a high flow SPS type environment.
(One MP60 and two eductor capped returns with an Iwaki100RLT as my main pump).

There's a lot of water circulation and my gig loves it.

It's pretty common to have a non-reefkeeper or someone new to the hobby look at my aquarium and remark that there's NOT a lot of water flow in my aquarium. Nothing could be further from the truth.

I think water flow and lighting are much more important to gigantea than haddoni and neither species is a good "beginner's anemone".

 

[xtlosx]

I've had my gig for several years now in a high flow SPS type environment.
(One MP60 and two eductor capped returns with an Iwaki100RLT as my main pump).

There's a lot of water circulation and my gig loves it.

It's pretty common to have a non-reefkeeper or someone new to the hobby look at my aquarium and remark that there's NOT a lot of water flow in my aquarium. Nothing could be further from the truth.

I think water flow and lighting are much more important to gigantea than haddoni and neither species is a good "beginner's anemone".

Agreed. Flow is often times hard to tell by visual just like par is often times misleading on the eyes. As well I agree the requirements for gigs, tank size, QT availability an overall amount of time needed to properly keep this animal do not lend itself to a beginner...

 

[cichlidconvert]

My blue gig parked himself in front of a high flow area at first then a couple days later got low and into a low flow area with less light reaching it. I was concerned that the flow pushed it out of the light. And adjusted the flow but it hasn't moved. It's 550 flow from one side and 950 from the other in a 45. I fired up the 1650 with the other two but it was a ton of flow and it looked like the green had a hard time with it.

 

[OrionN]

From where they are in the wild, often in the tidal area, sometime exposed in low tide, I think they required plenty of flow and light. They see to like and can withstand high temp also.

 

[BonsaiNut]

I have only been successful keeping them in moderate/high flow. That said, I think people are generally keeping reef tanks with a lot more flow (and more chaotic flow) today than say, ten years ago.

 

[phender]

Mine seemed to do best in an area of alternating flow of a lot of water, but out of a big pipe. So, in other words, a lot of water but at a slower velocity. Modern wave makers that set up a standing wave in the tank would be perfect for gigs in my opinion.

 

[worm5406]

My blue gig parked himself in front of a high flow area at first then a couple days later got low and into a low flow area with less light reaching it. I was concerned that the flow pushed it out of the light. And adjusted the flow but it hasn't moved. It's 550 flow from one side and 950 from the other in a 45. I fired up the 1650 with the other two but it was a ton of flow and it looked like the green had a hard time with it.

Can you take a video of it?

One with the one flow and one with the other?

I would like to see it and I am sure it would help some others out.

Thanks!

 

[phender]

I am not the person you were asking about a video, but here is a video I took to show the flow in my tank. I am sorry it is not very good quality. At the very end of the video the flow through the pipe behind the anemone stops and switches to the other side of the tank. There is still some flow from another powerhead bouncing off the front glass, but not near as much as during the video. Notice the flow is very random and is difficult to see what direction its actually coming from.

 

[OrionN]

<iframe width="942" height="530" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/O8X_RqGzdtk" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen></iframe>

 

[hottuna]

Mine seemed to do best in an area of alternating flow of a lot of water, but out of a big pipe. So, in other words, a lot of water but at a slower velocity. Modern wave makers that set up a standing wave in the tank would be perfect for gigs in my opinion.

I got my purple on one end of a 75 gal on the opposite end is a gyre set a 50% constant flow...on the side where the nem is ..another gyre set at 30% alternating pulse mode....when the left pulses it creates a nice surge above the nem..no "getting pounded"...more like alot of water moving it nicely back n forth...with a strong surge every so often..
I think some of the flow pictures I see with gigs on here are un-natural at best..

 

[OrionN]

I got my purple on one end of a 75 gal on the opposite end is a gyre set a 50% constant flow...on the side where the nem is ..another gyre set at 30% alternating pulse mode....when the left pulses it creates a nice surge above the nem..no "getting pounded"...more like alot of water moving it nicely back n forth...with a strong surge every so often..
I think some of the flow pictures I see with gigs on here are un-natural at best..

while I cannot say for certain that I replicate flow in the wild, I did bring the condition of this anemone from the first picture below to current as in the video I posted in just 2 months. IMO, my anemone show here is as healthy as he can be. I would not hesitant to compare his health to any other Gigantea in the wild, and would come out even or almost even.


2/24/2019

5/7/2019

5/26/2019

 

[OrionN]

I got my purple on one end of a 75 gal on the opposite end is a gyre set a 50% constant flow...on the side where the nem is ..another gyre set at 30% alternating pulse mode....when the left pulses it creates a nice surge above the nem..no "getting pounded"...more like alot of water moving it nicely back n forth...with a strong surge every so often..
I think some of the flow pictures I see with gigs on here are un-natural at best..

Is it possible for you to post a picture of the flow you provide for your Gigantea? I would love to see it. I alway try to find better way to do something. I often use Vortech. The most often configuration is to have two at opposite side at random flow. I like the flow meet just at or near where the anemone is. I often find that this is the best for both Gigantea and Magnifica

 

[hottuna]

I tried 3 times to post a video as an attachment ...and this damn site keeps kicking it out !!

try this link . No negative cracks,please...

https://video-lga3-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v...5cbef00880eea5c352c4173fe78f&oe=5D0E7E92&dl=1

 

[ThRoewer]

I tried 3 times to post a video as an attachment ...and this damn site keeps kicking it out !!

You can save yourself a lot of headaches by just uploading the video to Youtube and then adding the 'embedded' link here. Just make sure to set the video's privacy to 'public' or 'unlisted'.

BTW, how did you get the percula and bicinctus to get along with each other?

 

[OrionN]

Agree with ThRoewer.
Nice looking anemones.

This is one of a video of my anemones. I find my anemones seem to do better with more flow.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I-Ib7f4zG_c&feature=youtu.be