Help with flow

Ish1130 · Mar 22, 2025

I have a Marineland 120 gallon with a single corner overflow(48x24x24). For flow options I went with an ai Nero 7 and an ai orbit 4. As of right now I have the gyre on the opposite side of the overflow and the Nero 7 on the same glass as the overflow about midway down. I was wondering if anyone had any other ideas as to how I can optimize the flow in my tank since I’m noticing a build up of algae on the backside of the tank (I’m guessing due to poor flow). Since my Aquascape tends to mostly cover the overflow box I was thinking of moving the Nero 7 to the same side as the gyre and hopefully have the Nero 7 push the water around the back of the scape. Any input is definitely appreciated.

Llyod276 · Mar 23, 2025

What do you mean algea building up? On the glass in the back on the rocks??? That's normal. Algea anywhere is normal. Just means that your CUC is not doing its job or hasn't gotten around to it.
Flow serves 2 purposes: 1. To make tentacles sway and 2. For fish exercise.
I'm kidding, but in reality, flow is for detritus like poops and food and other things to help suspend them in the water column to be flushed into the overflow and mechanical filtration. The other purpose is to allow corals to have access to nutrients.
Also that tank looks fairly new, and is that a linkia starfish I see climbing up the back glass???

Ish1130 · Mar 23, 2025

Llyod276 said:
What do you mean algea building up? On the glass in the back on the rocks??? That's normal. Algea anywhere is normal. Just means that your CUC is not doing its job or hasn't gotten around to it.
Flow serves 2 purposes: 1. To make tentacles sway and 2. For fish exercise.
I'm kidding, but in reality, flow is for detritus like poops and food and other things to help suspend them in the water column to be flushed into the overflow and mechanical filtration. The other purpose is to allow corals to have access to nutrients.
Also that tank looks fairly new, and is that a linkia starfish I see climbing up the back glass???

I have a lot of algae on the rocks and sand in the back but the front of the tank looks clean. Maybe I should add more cuc. I also forgot to mention that there is Aquascape near the Nero 7 so I was also afraid that putting any corals there would have way to much flow? And yes that is a red linkia.