Newbie with SPS only Frag Tank. (Night time calm?)

[Wally.B]

With all the reading about the need for good circulation for SPS and my small attempts in the past to have SPS (all failed due to too low circulation), I have become so paranoid to ensure I have enough circulation, that I'm worried never to go to low. (now that I have more then enough circulation)

So it is suggested, or mandatory, to run limited circulation at night, to allow SPS polyps to extend, so that they can feed?. When I say limited, I would leave my SeaSwirl running to keep return going. But turn off, powerheads from midnight till 6am. Leave one powerhead which points at the su
rface for aeration, surface agitation.

It's not at all for the fish to have calm sleep water. They have many places to sleep (even if currents are high).

Or is it perfectly fine to run all my circulation, and poweheads 24/7, in various wave patterns?

Or should I pick a hour or so, to calm the tank down for a while. Doesn't have to be at night?

Or is calm never Ideal for SPS, they should have maximum possible water movement?

 

[tdb320reef]

SPS and its symbioses typically consume organics when the lights are on. Inherently the feeders come alive at night but with our tanks absent of zooplankton they usually come up empty handed.

I typically spin down the pumps mainly for the fish. On my frag system the pumps are all balls randomly, I don't see any implication other then to use less energy. These corals are in constant flow day and night in the natural.

 

[tripdad]

I leave mine on the same except for when I feed fish, good luck this time with your SPS.