Flow Issues - Need Advice

[Aprod]

I have an AIO Nuvo Fusion 20 gallon with a a Sicce 1.5 return pump (357 gph), random flow generator nozzles, and an MP10. The tank has been up and running now for close to five months and I have done weekly 10% water changes since it has been cycled.

Even though I have sufficient equipment to generate good flow, I am always displeased with the outcome:

• If I turn my MP10 down all the way, all of my corals expand and look fantastic (especially the euphyillia), but I soon start to get mats of Cyano in the low flow areas of the tank.
• To combat the Cyano, I turn up the MP10. All of my euphyllia starts getting blown hard in one direction constantly and almost immediately loose the polyp extension, but the Cyano clears up in a few days.

Does anyone have any recommendations for ideal MP10 settings in an LPS based 20 gallon tank? I know I need to identify the root cause of the Cyano, but to the best of my knowledge I think it is mainly caused be the low flow on the sand bed.

Thanks!

 

[Joshua Mummery]

How much do you feed? Do you have surface agitation? You can try getting a nano powerhead to put in the back corner to push more flow, or try moving the mp10 in different areas to get flow where its needed.
What are your parameters?

 

[Aprod]

How much do you feed? Do you have surface agitation? You can try getting a nano powerhead to put in the back corner to push more flow, or try moving the mp10 in different areas to get flow where its needed.
What are your parameters?

I feed about a half cube of frozen food daily and reef chili twice weekly - only 3 fish in the tank and few inverts.
Yes, I do have surface agitation from the random flow nozzles.

• Salinity - 1.025
• Nitrate (from last weeks water change) ~10ppm
• Phosphate - Undetectable on API kits. Looking to purchase a Hannah ULR checker in the near future. I have nuisance macroalgae that I believe is Dictyota, which may be consuming all of the detectable phosphates? Or the Cyano?
• Calcium ~400
• Alkalinity ~7
• PH ~ 8.0

 

[LynzieS]

How is the mp10 positioned? If you could position it to bounce off the glass before hitting the corals, you might be able to find a good balance. But I think you should probably figure out what excess nutrients are available and tackle those and then you don't have to worry about turning down the mp10. You could also do 2 wavepumps on opposite sides and sync them so the corals aren't blown exclusively in one direction. Could also help eliminate some dead spots.

 

[Montiman]

I would suggest running the pump at different settings through the day. I have a Tunze 6040 on my nano and everything looks really cool when it does a standing wave but I need to switch it to a random stream setting to really stir up detritus.

If you use a reeflink you can run the pump faster at night or while you are at work and change the setting to where the corals have the best PE while you are home.

 

[KorD]

How are you plumbed for your return? Can you use the lock tube in your tank and split it off into two directions? One towards the front of the tank, one across the side and lower your power head settings. This should give you all around directional flow you can work with

Oh.. I use a mag 7 in my nano, I have it gated off to slow the flow.

 

[MSB123]

I would run it at the low flow you like during the day, and then run it at high reef crest during the night.

 

[Aprod]

How is the mp10 positioned? If you could position it to bounce off the glass before hitting the corals, you might be able to find a good balance. But I think you should probably figure out what excess nutrients are available and tackle those and then you don't have to worry about turning down the mp10. You could also do 2 wavepumps on opposite sides and sync them so the corals aren't blown exclusively in one direction. Could also help eliminate some dead spots.

Sorry I don't have any pics which clearly show the pump position, but here it is in a schematic. Right below the right most overflow.
The higher I turn up the MP10 it just creates a circular and consistent whirlpool like current which continues to push corals in one constant direction.

I certainly need to monitor excess nutrients - just odd that I am not detecting them on my parameter test kits.

 

[Aprod]

I would run it at the low flow you like during the day, and then run it at high reef crest during the night.

Thanks for the suggestion. Are you aware of any ways to have this set up as a recurring event without a reeflink? Otherwise, i think i have to manually adjust to reefcrest at night.

 

[Tyler Bullock]

Get another MP10!!!

 

[MSB123]

Thanks for the suggestion. Are you aware of any ways to have this set up as a recurring event without a reeflink? Otherwise, i think i have to manually adjust to reefcrest at night.

Yes. Look up the user manual for the pump