Do fish like or hate high flow?

[Matthew Morrison]

im just wondering if my mp40 in my 125 bothers my fish when it’s flowing high speed

 

[Reeferdood]

im just wondering if my mp40 in my 125 bothers my fish when it’s flowing high speed

Some fish like current, some don't. If you have plenty of rock work they will go where there is less current. At feeding time, all bets are off! ;)

 

[reefwiser]

We will never be able to have the amount of flow in ocean. Fish adjust and move to areas that they like.

 

[Phelipe's Ocean]

We will never be able to have the amount of flow in ocean. Fish adjust and move to areas that they like.

Someone should invent a flow meter ex. Like this area is getting 2 pounds of force or something like that. Is that a thing already?

 

[Matthew Morrison]

Ok. It’s like I need high flow for health of the aquarium and coral and I moved my mp40 so it’s not blowing right at a rock and now It has a lot more flow and the fish seem to be like what the heck

 

[BellaD]

Depends on the fish. My tangs love high flow. They go right in front of my power heads and "ride the current" lol. Like Reeferdood said, if they don't like the amount of flow in one area, they can always go to another where the rocks break up the flow a bit.

 

[CC13]

Someone should invent a flow meter ex. Like this area is getting 2 pounds of force or something like that. Is that a thing already?

Neptune makes flow meters, but I don't there is anything available to measure indirect and direct flow at specific points in the tank (similar to how we can pinpoint and measure PAR with a PAR meter for light hotspots). Would be a cool idea though.

https://www.neptunesystems.com/products/expansion-modules/fmk-2/

 

[AnakinReefWalker]

Like others said, some fish love high flow, like Achilles tangs, it's essential for their health in a tank, while others like calmer waters, they'll find their sweet spots in the tank

 

[Servillius]

Your fish will be fine. I’ve had 4xMP40 in a 180 and I have about the equivalent flow now. The fish look indifferent and healthy.

 

[infinite0180]

I have a gyre 1k in a nano 20 and i love the flow. Unfortunitely my lps dont but i think ive got them positioned better now. I have a few sps that love it though. Im new to reefing and my tank is only like 4 months old so its been a struggle learning how to adjust flow. What i do know is the flow really helps with the algae issues. Honestly im thinking a mixed reef is harder than an sps only tank. With sps only i could just crank the flow up and not worry about it. Im thinking once the tank matures ill go sps dominate and just focus on the needs of one coral type than trying to make everything happy. Anybody else think that makes more sense?

 

[Servillius]

I have a gyre 1k in a nano 20 and i love the flow. Unfortunitely my lps dont but i think ive got them positioned better now. I have a few sps that love it though. Im new to reefing and my tank is only like 4 months old so its been a struggle learning how to adjust flow. What i do know is the flow really helps with the algae issues. Honestly im thinking a mixed reef is harder than an sps only tank. With sps only i could just crank the flow up and not worry about it. Im thinking once the tank matures ill go sps dominate and just focus on the needs of one coral type than trying to make everything happy. Anybody else think that makes more sense?

Makes sense. The more flow I throw at sps, the more they seem to like it (as long as it’s not continuous direct blast).

 

[Rakie]

My fish like it. More flow makes them more active, and I think keeps them healthy. One in awhile my flasher wrasse likes to "tread water" towards the flow (Not pest behavior, he likes riding the current in and out from my tunze). When they want a rest they know what to do.

I'm running about 5k gph in a 50 cube. And honestly, I'd like more flow.