Flow

[JonnyKane]

Hi, so I was wondering if someone can help. I have a 50 litre tank and I was wanting some advice on flow. At the moment I'm running a sicce 0.5 return pump with a 2 small random flow generators and then a 700lph power head. I have a few kenyas, gsp, a toadstool and then a finger leather. (All doing really well), but everytime I try to add mushrooms, they get upset and decide to go for a wander, and then die or disappear. I've just added some more snd this time decided to turn the powerhead off, the mushrooms seem fine, but the rest of my corals look like they are sulking. What would you say would be my best options to keep everything happy? I have had a few ideas and wanted to know your thoughts or any other ideas.

Keep the powerhead off and see if the other corals adapt.

Keep the powerhead off and then up the pump to a sicce 1.0 950lph and hope its not too much.

Change the powerhead to give more even flow (something smaller but unsure what type to buy).

Something else?

I've attached some pics of the tank about a year apart so you can see how the rest of the corals are doing.

Thanks in advance.

 

[Cthulukelele]

What types of mushroom coral have you been adding, and where in the tank have you been putting them? They generally prefer low flow low light. Do you have any areas of your tank that are generally shielded from flow or maybe even slightly shaded? That is where my shrooms do best. I wouldn't change out everything for all your happy other corals.

 

[JonnyKane]

What types of mushroom coral have you been adding, and where in the tank have you been putting them? They generally prefer low flow low light. Do you have any areas of your tank that are generally shielded from flow or maybe even slightly shaded? That is where my shrooms do best. I wouldn't change out everything for all your happy other corals.

I have a few discosoma's and rhodactis. On the bottom image they are at the back of the tank on the right, and then 1 on the left furthest away from the rfg's, more towards the front. They are quite sheltered apart from the 1 at the front (that 1 does seem okay) but the others weren't happy until I turned the powerhead off. I think because it's a small tank having both turned on is just too much for them. I was thinking of setting up a timer and having the powerhead on in intervals.

I do have a sicce 1.0 just sat there but not yet installed, so it wouldn't cost me anything, I'm running a radion xr15 blue on 20% intensity.

 

[vetteguy53081]

I have a few discosoma's and rhodactis. On the bottom image they are at the back of the tank on the right, and then 1 on the left furthest away from the rfg's, more towards the front. They are quite sheltered apart from the 1 at the front (that 1 does seem okay) but the others weren't happy until I turned the powerhead off. I think because it's a small tank having both turned on is just too much for them. I was thinking of setting up a timer and having the powerhead on in intervals.

I do have a sicce 1.0 just sat there but not yet installed, so it wouldn't cost me anything, I'm running a radion xr15 blue on 20% intensity.

They require moderate light and water flow. As long as flow isnt turbulent, should be fine. I feed mine mysis shrimp 3x a week

 

[JonnyKane]

They require moderate light and water flow. As long as flow isnt turbulent, should be fine. I feed mine mysis shrimp 3x a week

I'm feeding the same with 1ml of a mixture of zooplankton and phytoplankton on top. All my levels are great, dosing seachem reef fusion 1 and 2, complete reef and iodine. As you can see everything else is thriving. When the powerhead is on then everything is jiggling around and seems happy and the lowest flow area is on the base of the back rocks, so that's where I placed the shrooms. Second they are in there though they just spit their dummies out and fold up and then go. The only mushroom I have had luck with us a fuzzy and that is literally infront if the powerhead and to my surprise that 1 has increased in size by at least 4 times and loves it there and has been there for about a ywar now. Ive tried placong over mushrooms near it and they just dont like it.

 

[JonnyKane]

I've actually got to the point where I'm thinking if the flow is too much, to actually increase it and then look at more sps and lps rather than softies.

 

[vetteguy53081]

I'm feeding the same with 1ml of a mixture of zooplankton and phytoplankton on top. All my levels are great, dosing seachem reef fusion 1 and 2, complete reef and iodine. As you can see everything else is thriving. When the powerhead is on then everything is jiggling around and seems happy and the lowest flow area is on the base of the back rocks, so that's where I placed the shrooms. Second they are in there though they just spit their dummies out and fold up and then go. The only mushroom I have had luck with us a fuzzy and that is literally infront if the powerhead and to my surprise that 1 has increased in size by at least 4 times and loves it there and has been there for about a ywar now. Ive tried placong over mushrooms near it and they just dont like it.

Fuzzy/hairy mushrooms are some of the hardiest

 

[JonnyKane]

Fuzzy/hairy mushrooms are some of the hardiest

You're not wrong, she's a beast. When I got her she was about 1cm across. Now fully spread she's about 6cm wide and extends/trumpets to about the same.

 

[Freenow54]

I just direct the flow across the top. Great for mushrooms . But no idea how to deal with your other problem

. Put them closer to the top? More light for them as well may have to lower

 

[JonnyKane]

I just direct the flow across the top. Great for mushrooms . But no idea how to deal with your other problem

. Put them closer to the top? More light for them as well may have to lower

Wow, they've really taken off. I might try that with the powerhead and angle it up more. My only other thought with it is to get a quality powerhead that I can control better and that way I can cut the flow down.

 

[JonnyKane]

Is there any powerheads out there that can control the flow. The powerhead I have is about 700lph. Is there anything I can get where it will maybe do half that, or controllable by app. I did look at the ai nero 3 but they just seem so powerful.

 

[Mr. Mojo Rising]

Maybe you can show a short video of your flow, from what you describe it doesn't sound like you have too much flow. I have 2 x 500 gph powerheads in my 15 gallon softie tank full of mushrooms and zoa's.

I am thinking you need to work on redirecting your flow, rather than reducing it.

 

[JonnyKane]

Maybe you can show a short video of your flow, from what you describe it doesn't sound like you have too much flow. I have 2 x 500 gph powerheads in my 15 gallon softie tank full of mushrooms and zoa's.

I am thinking you need to work on redirecting your flow, rather than reducing it.

Now that would make sense. I will do a short video, but it will have to be tomorrow now as I'm not at home. I will do it while feeding so it'll hopefully give you a better idea of what the flow is like and what it is doing.

 

[JonnyKane]

So...I think I've sussed it. First of all I've checked my powerhead (given to me by a mate, fluval cp2 1600lph uncontrollable. Was told it was 500 lph. I've seen a nero 3 come up for sale at a very affordable price. So,wham, I can play with it all day long and find a nice flow everything is happy with!