Why is Direct Flow Bad?

[Bergenholtz]

I have done a lot of researching aka googling for months now in order to keep my tank as best as I can. And I saw a thread about direct flow vs indirect flow.

My question is, why is direct flow bad?
Most powerhead won't even be close to the flow in the ocean. Much powerful and faster. Yet, all the corals are happy and growing like crazy.

And at some point, your tank will be full of corals no way of avoiding direct flow unless your tank is so big and you keep trimming all the corals.

I am at a point where I need to add one more powerhead in order to keep my sps since I feel my flow is not enough. And this new powerhead will be pointing directly to few sps colonies.

 

[reefwiser]

Best way to look at it. How would you like to stand in front of a fire hose 24 hours a day 7 days a week. Direct flow is never changing pressure on the corals. Wave flow changes every day.

 

[Stlouphil]

F = P x A

 

[Bergenholtz]

What if the flow changes constantly but facing directly?
For example, using vortech mp series, changing the flow constant but pointing directly to a coral? Theres constant flow in the ocean but it just varies.
Sorry if that doesn't make any sense.

 

[Allmost]

constant flow that varies, is not constant anymore

I have corals growing in front of MP60. on NTM mode. if I change that to constant mode, the corals would loose tissue on the side facing the MP60

 

[Tweaked]

For me, I went with 3 MP40's and one MP10 in a 105g tank. The pumps are more of a wide flow than most, and I am able to create quite a bit of indirect this way. When I crank them and put them to NT mode, it's pretty ridiculous and stirs up quite a bit of detritus etc. I use the 10 to stir up the pack areas and will probably be adding another. My returns point to the front glass and push down, while the rest is random cross flow.

 

[Bergenholtz]

Gotcha. So from what my understanding, as long as it is not constant constant(same speed no variation) corals should be fine.

I also set my vortech on NTM mode. And there is a stag colony about 4-5" away from the powerhead and was worried.

Thanks y'all!