Questions on Flow

[wegotcrabs]

I have had my 90 gallon bowfront for over a year. The return line from the sump is a mag 9.5. I also had a closed loop with a mag 9.5 and maxi 1200. I recently disconnected the closed loop to clean it. To my surprise the tank looks better. All the corals are now fully extened. Some of them even appear to have doubled. The corals I am keeping are mushrooms, leathers, zoos, monti caps, BTA, and frog spawns. My question is: is less best, or should i hook the loop up again?

 

[TheMcs]

Your monti caps are the only corals you have that like a lot of flow.

-edit- Some zoas like turbulent flow as well, but aren't as dependent on it as a monti.

 

[wegotcrabs]

Should I just aim the maxi jet at the monti- and not add the closed loop?

 

[wegotcrabs]

?

 

[wegotcrabs]

anyone else?

 

[Roy G. Biv]

I think the corals are telling you what they like. I definately would try what you just suggested for a week and see what happens. Save the closed lood until you add more stonier corals.

 

[demonsp]

A fuge return plus a closed loop return plus another powerhead is what you have ?

Coral are a great indicator of there conditions and in time can be spotted easier. Mushrooms will stretch up and out toward a desired location and then stay flat and dont open all the way if flow to high. GSP tend to grow the perfered dirrection.

To much flow is almost as bad as low flow. They may like the higher flow but cant get enough food so lowering or turning flow off for a few hours after feeding and then look better after a week or so might be fine with flow. Then to much food in low flow isnt good either. You have to find that happy medium and remember to adjust flow for tanks health not coral happyness.Coral can be moved.