I recently got rid of my Tunze 6060 1600gph and replaced it with a couple powerheads running about 480gph and my fish are looking so much more at ease, healthy and natural. With the Tunze they were skittish, unnatural looking, and disease ridden. After just a couple days of the new flow they are back to normal going about their business and disease symptoms clearing up.:rollface:
Yes, there is such a thing as too much flow!
- Thread starter tah532
- Start date
marrone
New member
I think the whole high flow craze is for people with sps that have BB tanks. They need the flow to move all the garabage from accumulating. As for the fish unless you have fish that live in the surf you don't need heavy flow and most will do better without it. All my tanks have low flow but good water movement and all my fish are heathly, large and living long lives.
Titan*69
New member
Some fish like Clown,Sohal tangs and big Triggers do appreciate swift movement. As most trigs are shallow water fish, and the tangs I mentioned hang on reef edges in the stronges of currents. The worst fished for flow have to be the lionfishes, just can't handle it. Good to hear your fish are doing much better.
marrone
New member
The Seios aren't like other power heads as they have a wide gently flow and you can dial them down too is they're to strong.
In a FOWLR or FO tank water movement is more important than flow, as in a BB SPS Reef tank where flow is more important. You want to have good water breakage and not have any areas in the tank that are either to strong or wirlpool like. This makes it hard on the fish to swim in and a lot of times led to junk & waste collecting in areas and getting trapped.
In a FOWLR or FO tank water movement is more important than flow, as in a BB SPS Reef tank where flow is more important. You want to have good water breakage and not have any areas in the tank that are either to strong or wirlpool like. This makes it hard on the fish to swim in and a lot of times led to junk & waste collecting in areas and getting trapped.
marrone
New member
Fredy
How high is your tank from the sump to the top of the tank as the Mag18 pumps 1,000pgh at 6' why the Mag24 pumps 1,700gph at 6'. This is a lot of flow for a Fish tank, unless you t-off the return into the tank.
I would go with the Mag9.5, 700gph at 6', and going with 1 or 2 Seio 620 or 820. This way you can adjust the Seio flow if it's to much.
A lot of this depends on the setup in the tank and wether you have a lot of rock or open free space. Also take into account the fish your going to have.
How high is your tank from the sump to the top of the tank as the Mag18 pumps 1,000pgh at 6' why the Mag24 pumps 1,700gph at 6'. This is a lot of flow for a Fish tank, unless you t-off the return into the tank.
I would go with the Mag9.5, 700gph at 6', and going with 1 or 2 Seio 620 or 820. This way you can adjust the Seio flow if it's to much.
A lot of this depends on the setup in the tank and wether you have a lot of rock or open free space. Also take into account the fish your going to have.
Fredy
Premium Member
My Sump is right under the tank. I would guestimate 6' of head. I have the return T'd off to both returns on either end of the tank (AGA w/2 Megaflows) The pump is not throttled back, but both of the drain lines are cut back a bit since I was getting to many bubbles. There is about 150-175#'s of LR in the main display with plenty of room for the fish to have at it. The flow form the returns and the two PH (rated at 400gph each) do not do enough
to keep the bottom (crushed coral) and the LR clean.
Current stock;
Emperor Angle
Blue Face Angle
Yellow Tang
Niger Trigger
Hippo Tang
Stars & Stripes Puffer
Blue Spot Toby
Yellow Head sleeper Goby
Snow Flake Eel
5 Damsels
Choc Chip Star
Rainbow Urchin
CoralBanded Shrimp
5 Cleaner Shrimp
Hermits
Snails
Fredy
to keep the bottom (crushed coral) and the LR clean.
Current stock;
Emperor Angle
Blue Face Angle
Yellow Tang
Niger Trigger
Hippo Tang
Stars & Stripes Puffer
Blue Spot Toby
Yellow Head sleeper Goby
Snow Flake Eel
5 Damsels
Choc Chip Star
Rainbow Urchin
CoralBanded Shrimp
5 Cleaner Shrimp
Hermits
Snails
Fredy
marrone
New member
First you really shouldn't have crushed coral in the tank as unless you vacum it all the time you will just collect junk and cause high nitrates. If you changed it over to sand your gobies & hermits would keep it clean. With what you have, the return and the PH, you should have enough flow in your tank.
I have 2 -260gal tank, which are 3' heigh and I have less flow in both tanks than you and I don't have any problem with junk on the sand or rocks.
I have 2 -260gal tank, which are 3' heigh and I have less flow in both tanks than you and I don't have any problem with junk on the sand or rocks.
Thanks for the reply. Hopefully the HD by me has some sand.
marrone
New member
Fredy
A warning about using Southdown in a FO or Fowlr tank, it creates a lot of cloudy/dust in the water even if you clean and rinse it really good. Also if you plan on having fish that are going to dig into the sand or move it around, like wrasse or triggers, it will also create dusty storms and leave your tank cloudy. I used it when I started my tanks, and put a layer of live sand on top with some rock on top of that, and my tank was cloudy for quite some time. I had to take a 48" phyton and suck out the loose sand, also changed my filter a lot, before the tank became clear.
Michael
A warning about using Southdown in a FO or Fowlr tank, it creates a lot of cloudy/dust in the water even if you clean and rinse it really good. Also if you plan on having fish that are going to dig into the sand or move it around, like wrasse or triggers, it will also create dusty storms and leave your tank cloudy. I used it when I started my tanks, and put a layer of live sand on top with some rock on top of that, and my tank was cloudy for quite some time. I had to take a 48" phyton and suck out the loose sand, also changed my filter a lot, before the tank became clear.
Michael
Fredy
Premium Member
Currently mt 210 has no live stock in it except my inverts. I am treating my fish with hypo in a 125g bare bottom. I had a ich issue. I plan on removing as much crushed coral as possible (about 75% or so) purchasing some SD form HD giving it a good rinse and placing it in my 210. I have about 6 weeks to let it settle, I should be OK.
marrone
New member
When you use Southdown it doesn't matter how you position your power head as there is a lot of fine particles in it that until they start to stick and clump together. It doesn't take much to cause it to create dusty/sand storms in your tank, whether from your fish digging into it or you PH or filter moving it around.
