Water flow in mixed reef

[Ryan15236]

I have a 125 gallon reef tank. I am wanting this to be a mixed reef. I have some zoas, mushrooms, hammer, brain, torch, lepto, Duncan's, hydnophora. Have a piece of stylophora and Ora green birdnest I am getting Friday. I set the tank up with this in mind. Two table tops for loading up some sps. I only have two koralia 1150s and a mag 18 providing the flow but I find I am getting a good mix of flow zones for different corals. Only thing that kinda sucks is that my tank kinda has prevailing currents and I would like to randomize them more. Anyways I am looking for some input on how to tell what would be strong, medium, and low flow areas. So far it's just be kinda experimental and seeing how the LPS react.

 

[amcvay1979]

you'll know it when you see it. LPS need medium flow, and that's where they move constantly but don't shrink away under stress. Mushrooms and zoas need low flow because they'll blow off the rock under high flow (mushrooms) or stay closed under high flow. SPS will take all you can throw at it.

I have a gyre 150 on my 150 gallon tall and it's really tough to find a low flow spot now and I want to add another 150 on the opposite side and run them at lower intensities and have massive amounts of random flow

 

[toothybugs]

I'm building up a 75 to be SPS-featured mixed similar to what it sounds like you will be doing. My plan is one big powerhead to blow across the top of the reef and a smaller one to oppose it, staggered so they simulate a wave's crash and retreat. Both will be 1/4 to 1/3 down in the water column. I'm expecting it to create a sort of intermittent gyre effect in the lower portion of the tank. A third powerhead will oppose the gyre effect in sync with the surge to create more random flow for the LPS and zoas.

That's my plan, anyway.

 

[Ryan15236]

Yeah I really need to upgrade my flow as far as randomizing it goes. I have strong flow in some areas but it's really in one direction. I know as my corals grow and add more I am going to have to add more to compensate for the corals. I don't see acros in my future for awhile.
My hammer was in some moderate to strong flow and the side that was getting the flow wasn't really opening up fully. Now in low to moderate it seems much more happy. I guess it one of those trial and errors and learning your tank.

 

[amcvay1979]

if you're wanting a gyre effect and going to be purchasing 2 or 3 powerheads, do yourself a favor and just buy the gyre pump. The difference is night and day. I had 2 Jebao's, one huge, one medium sized and thought I had decent flow. Got the gyre 150 and cranked it up just to see how much detritus it stirred up....huge amount of crud blowing all over the tank that had settled onto the rocks and sand. Since then, I run the gyre in pulse mode and get great waving action out of all the polyps. Then I'll throw a filter sock on my return and crank the gyre up to full blast constant just to clean the tank up every few weeks. It's totally worth the $$$ to just buy gyre pump and know you have good flow.