How much flow is too much flow?

Bill Nye

Member
I have a 1 inch pink milli frag that is about 6 inches in front of and 3 inches below an MP10 running 100 percent reef crest. I need it in this position because of the way my rock work is so I can get really good flow across the top of my taller island. So far (1 week 2 days) its shown pretty good polyp extension and has maintained its color.

My main concern at the moment is that you typically see super fuzzy millis and mine is only moderately fuzzy so I'm wondering if this is too much flow? The tank is a 36 inch long 50 gallon breeder with another mp10 on the other side so its getting a lot of random flow but it does get blasted when the closer mp10 hits 100 percent.
 
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I can't answer other than to say if you see some algae growing on the tip it's probably losing skin.

I have a Miami Orchid growing into the flow of a fairly strong pump and it's started to produce side branches while the top branch is looking pretty beat up.
The direct flow right in front of a pump is very hard to take IMO so I would look to reposition the milli so it's not getting blasted.
 
I can't answer other than to say if you see some algae growing on the tip it's probably losing skin.

I have a Miami Orchid growing into the flow of a fairly strong pump and it's started to produce side branches while the top branch is looking pretty beat up.
The direct flow right in front of a pump is very hard to take IMO so I would look to reposition the milli so it's not getting blasted.

Thanks for the responses.

Unfortunately there is a lot of real estate in the area of the milli that I need to use so moving it is not really an option. If anything Ill have to move the pump. There is no tissue loss at the tips...there is even polyp extension out of the tips.

Directly above my milli on my rock work is a pearlberry that is loving the flow it seems. I guess as long as it keeps polyp extension it will be ok?
 
Thanks for the responses.

Unfortunately there is a lot of real estate in the area of the milli that I need to use so moving it is not really an option. If anything Ill have to move the pump. There is no tissue loss at the tips...there is even polyp extension out of the tips.

Directly above my milli on my rock work is a pearlberry that is loving the flow it seems. I guess as long as it keeps polyp extension it will be ok?

I think so, yes. When I've stripped corals in too much flow it's pretty quick, no polyps left to extend. :)
 
If it has good pe and no tissue is sloughing off, I say don't change anything.

If you are worried about the flow being too much, reduce the max output of the mp10 for a couple days. Just a single led until you think it's good.
 
I have a pink millepora that has always been in front of a vortech. In my 40 breeder it was about 5" directly in front of a mp10 on reef crest 100%. Its now 4" away and a 1/2" below my mp40qd on 50% in my new tank so it'll get up to about 2250 gph blasted at it. It also gets residual flow from my other quiet drive and return. The first week or so of the higher flow I didn't have great polyp extension but now that its used to the flow its back to its fuzzy self.
 
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