too much flow for lps

[ati70cutlass]

i have a 180 and am wondering if i have too much flow. some of my lps look like they are gonna tear from the water flow. i have 2xsieo 1000, 2xkorila3, and i have 2 kor mag8s not hooked up and 2 sieo 820s not hooked up. id rather not kill anything as some of my lps are rather expensive. please shoot me your thoughts thanks

 

[Cubbies]

I would say it is. . .

 

[greech]

If the flesh is continually stretched in one direction its probably too much. If you like the flow but are concerned you can use rocks to help deflect flow away from/around the corals.

 

[ati70cutlass]

the k3 are behind the rock work and pointed so they blow ontop of the other. the only thing in the front is the two seio 1000s. nothing else. i have the 820s and the mag 8s only as extra as i was gonna do an sps but decided due to schedule conflicts to go back to lps and softies. plus i dont have to worry about hi deather rate when i leave. so it looks like 1000/180=5.5 return + 4.4+10=19.9 turnover. so i guess 20 turnover is too much for lps?

 

[RokleM]

19x isn't too much flow for LPS, however many of the less expensive powerheads have a very directional based flow pattern. When pointed in the direction of a coral, they can indeed cause damage. I've run up to 75x flow in an LPS tank, but it has to be done correctly as to widely distribute the flow and not cause direct damage.

 

[JustinM]

I run about 65x turnover and my LPS are loving it. Direction and pattern are key.

 

[Kaneda215]

If you can aim your powerheads in a direction where they create random flow in the tank, rather than laminar streams... your LPS will like that a lot more.

 

[ati70cutlass]

and that positioning would be how?

 

[Easily Distracted]

and that positioning would be how?

Not directly at the coral. Point them at a rock. Point them toward the surface or a tank wall or the bottom or something that will get the tank water churning.

Think about it like you are massaging the corals instead of poking them with your finger in one place over and over.

 

[ati70cutlass]

i hung the two seio1000s on each side of the tank facing toward the middle of the front. i also face two k3s at each other behind the rocks. i didnt realize that i had a mag8 korila blowing across the whole aquarium. i think thats what was cauzing the movement. i wanted to just have them but they are 3200gph each. so would 6400/180= 35.5x be too much for just two powerheads