Flow Pump too strong?

[AustinSettle]

Hello I recently set up my first saltwater aquarium and I’m having issues with my flow pump. While cycling the tank my flow pump was blowing the sand around my tank enough that it was causing it to pile up and even have bare glass in some places. When I added my first fish, a pair of clowns, they seem to have to fight against the current and hide under my live rock until I turn off the flow pump. Right now I have my aio return pumps running as my only source of flow but I need some advice on how to fix the issue with my flow pump. The pump is an icebox fp-60 and I have it turned all the way down to 10%. My tank is a 25 gallon lagoon and this pump’s recommended tank size is 10-25 gallons. I tried aiming it the live rock to slow it down but it’s still going to strong. Also the pump is not on a mount that lets you aim it so I cannot point it up at the surface. Any recommendations?

 

[KrisReef]

When I added my first fish, a pair of clowns, they seem to have to fight against the current and hide under my live rock until I turn off the flow pump.

Yup, I have swam a fish to death, and my wife told me she thought there was too much current and I didn't listen, again.

Right now I have my aio return pumps running as my only source of flow but I need some advice on how to fix the issue with my flow pump.

If the clowns are not breathing at the surface you are fine. Glad the blaster is shut down.

The pump is an icebox fp-60 and I have it turned all the way down to 10%. My tank is a 25 gallon lagoon and this pump’s recommended tank size is 10-25 gallons. I tried aiming it the live rock to slow it down but it’s still going to strong. Also the pump is not on a mount that lets you aim it so I cannot point it up at the surface. Any recommendations?

Get another powerhead that doesn't push so much water, is adjustable so you can aim it, and a variable speed is also nice if those are available?

Problem you are facing is that pumps for small tanks are limited and or expensive.

 

[JTP424]

Theres a super tiny pump from hygger you can find on Amazon. I run it and the return pump on my 15 and it works well. I use the hygger pump on super low so you could turn it up for the larger size!

 

[Reef.]

I cant find that powerhead, is that the correct name?

You can buy 3d printed deflectors to go on the end, these can reduce the flow and also allow the flow to be pointed any where you want…pointing at the rock is generally not a good idea, it generally just blasts the flow back on itself which creates others issues and makes coral placement difficult.

 

[AustinSettle]

I cant find that powerhead, is that the correct name?

You can buy 3d printed deflectors to go on the end, these can reduce the flow and also allow the flow to be pointed any where you want…pointing at the rock is generally not a good idea, it generally just blasts the flow back on itself which creates others issues and makes coral placement difficult.

It’s a icecap fp60 not icebox. My bad. I’m pretty upset because the dude at a coral store told me this would be perfect for my exact setup so I paid 90 bucks for it just to be replaced by a cheap Amazon one. I would definitely be interested in something 3d printed to help if you can find anything. Thank you for all of y’all’s help!

 

[Reef.]

It’s a icecap fp60 not icebox. My bad. I’m pretty upset because the dude at a coral store told me this would be perfect for my exact setup so I paid 90 bucks for it just to be replaced by a cheap Amazon one. I would definitely be interested in something 3d printed to help if you can find anything. Thank you for all of y’all’s help!

To be fair, without knowing the pump myself, the specs say its suitable for your tank, and looks good, its probably just a matter of which mode to choose and power, I had an MP10 in a 14g tank, which is rated double of your icecap, I used a flow defletor, could get the power up to 40% with the flow pointed up.

I’m not in the USA so not so easy for me to direct you but on a quick search I came up with something similar to what I had. Don’t think I’m allowed to link the store, called leafgreen but any 3d place will be able to do it for you.

 

[Mr. Mojo Rising]

I just googled the pump, it has 790gph.

Its suggested that minimal flow should be 10x tank turnover, but I think most are at about 20x turnover, my tanks have 30x-40x turnover.

So 25 gallons at 10x turnover is 250 gph, but if you have the pump at 10% thats 80gph... your fish are fine. But its well below the suggested minimum for flow, this will lead to detritus build up which can store nitrates and eventually grow algae.

Fish like flow, they play in it, I think you were mistaking playful fun for stress. Personally I would set your pump at about 50% and then monitor. Don't underestimate the importance of flow in a salt tank.

New sand will get blown around until it grows bacteria and settles down. For now, the returns should be aimed to the surface to help oxygenate the water.

But a short video will give us a better understanding, right now we are just trying to imagine based on your description.

 

[AustinSettle]

Here is a quick video of the pump at 10% and the powerhead pointed at my rock.

 

[Mr. Mojo Rising]

To me it looks like the clowns are playing, they keep going into the flow on purpose, fish will surf like that sometimes, even my seahorses like to surf sometimes. They have space to get out of the flow if they want.