What is high flow?

[asid61]

Everywhere I read about SPS corals, I always see the words "high flow". I have no idead how strong "high flow" is. Is it a 300 gph powerhead aimed directly at the coral 5" away? Or is it a 150 gph powerhead 1' away? Or is it indirect flow from a strong powerhead?
Can anyone answer, what EXACTLY is high flow?

 

[blakers82]

"Exactly?"

It's tough to say and probably different for most reefers. Keep in mind that there are different pumps, jets, blowers, wave boxes, etc...and they move water in different ways. In the same sense there are certain corals that apparently like to blow in the current while others don't. Some say you need to have 34.2 X your display volume in GPH while others feel 65 X is a safe bet. You should run a search, because you'll find some good discussion for sure.

 

[GSMguy]

it's a 6205 in a 60g cube.
It's an MP-60 on a 55G tank
It's 4 MP-10s on a 40 breeder
It's a two separate dart golds on closed loops in a 100g tank.


High flow is strong, random, and laminar.

It's a weird science for sure.

 

[Allmost]

Flow is more important than lighting.
http://www.advancedaquarist.com/2006/6/aafeature2

5 part article which would make you understand.

 

[samuelkl]

I don't have 4 mp10s in my 40 breeder but I do have 2 mp10s, a tunze 6055 and 6045 which gives me a maximum of ~6000 gph. At once time, flow should be around ~4000.
I am still able to have lps like favias, cycloserius, and elegance placed strategically and they are doing as well as my sps. On some sps, when first placed, I saw some tips lose flesh and a lot of mesenterial filaments but they all recover quickly. None of my pumps point directly at corals, they point to open spaces where water flow from the powerheads can collide and create turbulence. My mp10s are on the sides to move water left and right and my tunzes are in the back corners to creat flow above the corals from back to front. I have no idea what I'm doing but it's working for now

 

[samuelkl]

Dp damn iPhone

 

[asid61]

Uh-oh. Time for more powerheads.

 

[lolgranny]

Damn, 4 mp10s on a 40gallon? lol

I have 1 mp10 at 80%, 1 koralia #3, and 1 small powerhead along the back(300gph)... About 60 mini sps colonies, 10chalices, 3acans, 10palys / zoos and no issue whatsoever with flow and i feel like that is HIGH flow.

 

[allsps40]

Flow for sps should be strong and random. For example I have 2 Korilia (spelling) 2s 600 gph each, a Evo 1050, and a moded MJ600 putting out 1200 gph. With my return added in Im just over 50X turn over per hour, makes the sand move around a bit. Multiple power heads make random flow of something like a Vortech or wave box.

 

[karsseboom]

2 mp40s on my 60 gallon is pretty darn strong. I have over 6000 gph on my 60 gal, pretty good turn over rate.

 

[blakers82]

I've got about 8,438gph flow when my K3 joins my 6060 and MP40s. This is on my 6ft. skinny 150gal. Also a touch more flow with the Mag 18 return squirting in form both ends.

 

[GPB]

I'd like to tag along here for this thread because I struggle with this same question. I'm reestablishing my 37g cube. I want to keep some LPs and and some SPS mixed. I have a 10G sump.

Right now I have about 300gph flowing through sump. I also have two Maxijet 1200's with the Algea Free mod kits on them. They are rated at 1600 gph ea. I don't run them together. They cycle on /off once every minute on a timer. So that's 1900gph on a 37g display tank. 51x by my calculation. I am having difficulty keeping sand in place. It is currently blowing slightly out of the two front corners of the tank. I've fussed with the powerhead placement and have some of the flow obstructed by the rock.

Can SPS live with hi flow directed right at them? Once I mount frags near the top they will right in the line of fire from the Powerheads. Not much space to work around in a smallish cube shaped tank.

 

[njreefermadness]

I have wild flow in my 180.

4 X MP40s, 2 on each end blowing full blast in long pulse mode. These are not synched or anti synched. I just pulse them about every 10 - 15 seconds kinda randomly.

About 1200 gph return pump on 2 3/4 inch sea swirls to break up the flow.

7 Tunze Nano-streams on the back wall as follows:

2 X Tunze 6055s on a multi controller

3 X Tunze 6025s heavily modded to push close to double the stock flow.

2 X Tunze 6045s, somewhat modded.

Nice nasty, random flow, needless to say, I run bare bottom.

I never did the math, but I think this is extreme flow.

Herb

 

[Mock]

All of these people throwing out what they have as far as pumps.... blah blah blah.... not trying to be the scrooge here but frankly its not answering in the guys question.

Frankly there is no EXACT answer, each tank is different with the rockwork and dimensions. Never less the amount of flow is mostly in the tune of a multiplier. 10x's the amount of water volume in the tank is about the minimal people shoot for.

If you have a 75 gallon tank then 750 gallons worth of flow should be enough for your softies, ranging from a 300gph return pump, three 150gph power heads. Thus you get your 10x's turn over rate.

For SPS however people tend to shoot for MUCH higher numbers. I have seen people shooting for 50x's the turn over rate. This can be done with extreme return pumps, closed loops, tunze and what ever.

A coral that likes high flow like really turbulent water flow. If a coral states it need high flow it doesnt mean to go and blast it with a 600gph power head from a foot away... It just means that if you have 10x's the turn over rate and are barely moving the polyps you prolly dont have enough.

You need to be shooting for HIGH flow, 30x's plus in your tank for sps corals to get thick and healthy. Thus.... the answer to your question... there is none. High flow is just that...

 

[Mock]

2 mp40s on my 60 gallon is pretty darn strong. I have over 6000 gph on my 60 gal, pretty good turn over rate.

So you are running your MP40s on constant mode??? WOW.. yeah.. 100x's is extreme...

Now if you are pulsing them or reefcresting them... you know as well as I do you are only reaching that peak a couple times a day if less.. more like half that if I was a betting man... 50x's the turn over rate is more like it... LOL

:spin2:

 

[lolgranny]

I have wild flow in my 180.

4 X MP40s, 2 on each end blowing full blast in long pulse mode. These are not synched or anti synched. I just pulse them about every 10 - 15 seconds kinda randomly.

About 1200 gph return pump on 2 3/4 inch sea swirls to break up the flow.

7 Tunze Nano-streams on the back wall as follows:

2 X Tunze 6055s on a multi controller

3 X Tunze 6025s heavily modded to push close to double the stock flow.

2 X Tunze 6045s, somewhat modded.

Nice nasty, random flow, needless to say, I run bare bottom.

I never did the math, but I think this is extreme flow.

Herb

Lol dear lord! Do you have pics of this? That is crazy amounts of flow!
In my 180 i will have 2-mp40s, and 2 tunze. You have the motherload!

 

[29reef]

"What is good water movement?"

When you make the polyps move, that in a nutshell is good flow. They shouldn't be blasted 24/7, but they can take a pretty good amount of movement for 1-10 seconds. If you've even been to the ocean and been in the waves that is just about the exact type of movement that we are trying to replicate.

 

[aqua80]

Flow in a reef aquarium has two main goals I can think :
- for coral's health and growth
- for getting in suspension detritus to facilitate removing by skimmer/socks etc..

so I think just aiming at a number for turnover is not enough...

and determining the quality and intensity of flow for corals might be best answered by some videos...
let's find some !

what would you say for this (millepora are great for that !)

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and this :

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[SC Reefaholic]

Flow in a reef aquarium has two main goals I can think :
- for coral's health and growth
- for getting in suspension detritus to facilitate removing by skimmer/socks etc..

Exactly.

Once you understand the purpose of the flow, you will be able to tell whether you have enough.

Some corals live in lagons, some live on shallow reefs, some live deep in the water. Currents are different at every level so corals have different needs.

Basically flow carries nutrients to a coral and waste away from a coral. In an aquarium environment where we have to fill in for the missing elements of the ecosystem, we need to keep the waste suspended in the water until it can be removed by artificial means (skimmer, sock, etc). Therefore, you want strong enough and random enough flow to replicate the currents that corals see in the wild. And you want to eliminate dead spots in the aquarium where waste may settle out of the water where it cant be removed by filtration.

"Strong Flow" is subjective just like "Strong Light". Many people go WAY overboard while others dont do enough. You have to figure out what is best for your particular situation. There are rules of thumb such as 10x turnover for softies, 20x turnover for LPS and 30x turnover for SPS. But in the end, it really depends on your specific needs.

Sorry, but there isnt a clear objective answer to your question.

 

[asid61]

Thanks! I will go for flow like in the vids. Should the flow be like that for softies too?