Help with flow

[ZLogic]

I have an 80g Elos with 2 icecap 2k gyres and it's just not enough flow I think. No matter where I point them I end up with either not enough flow and cyano build up as seen on the right side of the tank here, or it just blows the sand out all the way to bare bottom. There's also cyano that builds up in the back behind the rock. Should I add a smaller wave maker? Upgrade gyres maybe? Photos aren't great, lights are just coming on for the morning and I'm using my phone

 

[Uncle99]

I would think those two gyres should move that water well.

Just because it doesn’t blow off Cyano, doesn’t necessarily mean low flow.

Your right, if it blows sand all over the place at the lowest setting….yup…to big.

Cyano can be attributed to too high nutrients, zeroed out or unstable waters.

I’d firstly, ensure each water parameter is in the traditional bands and holding steady, day in day out.

At that point, I might consider a reset with chemi-clean for the Cyano.

Not sure the age or the status of your water chemistry, earlier systems are prone to pest type algae’s and bacteria’s (Cyano) and these usually go away on there own once the development of the good guys, outcompetes the bad (aka, maturity)

Very nice looking display. Going to be great!

 

[bubbgee]

I have two gyres, three powerheads and two return nozzles and I still think I can add more flow. I would get something cheap at Amazon and test it out and if it’s not working, it’s easier to return back. I do this with Jebao and Hygger pumps.

I’d upgrade later on to a better pump once I see that the tank likes that flow and move that old pump somewhere else around the tank. With sps and growing colonies, it’s always better to have more meaningful flow and being able to visualize it.

 

[ZLogic]

I would think those two gyres should move that water well.

Just because it doesn’t blow off Cyano, doesn’t necessarily mean low flow.

Your right, if it blows sand all over the place at the lowest setting….yup…to big.

Cyano can be attributed to too high nutrients, zeroed out or unstable waters.

I’d firstly, ensure each water parameter is in the traditional bands and holding steady, day in day out.

At that point, I might consider a reset with chemi-clean for the Cyano.

Not sure the age or the status of your water chemistry, earlier systems are prone to pest type algae’s and bacteria’s (Cyano) and these usually go away on there own once the development of the good guys, outcompetes the bad (aka, maturity)

Very nice looking display. Going to be great!

So I've only got the basics for testers at this point, nitrate, phosphate, alkalinity, salinity, and ph and I'm out of reagent for alkalinity and I test once a week when I do water changes.
Currently: Nitrate: 0.8, Phosphate: 0.07, ph: 7.9, and Salinity: 1.024.

The tank is an Elos 80 gallon with an AP700 and sump underneath is running chemi-pure green, purigen, extra live rock and has a bubblemagus skimmer. I got it in February of 2025, it was a display tank at my LFS and it was an upgrade from a previous 32g biocube that sprung a leak.

 

[Uncle99]

So I've only got the basics for testers at this point, nitrate, phosphate, alkalinity, salinity, and ph and I'm out of reagent for alkalinity and I test once a week when I do water changes.
Currently: Nitrate: 0.8, Phosphate: 0.07, ph: 7.9, and Salinity: 1.024.

The tank is an Elos 80 gallon with an AP700 and sump underneath is running chemi-pure green, purigen, extra live rock and has a bubblemagus skimmer. I got it in February of 2025, it was a display tank at my LFS and it was an upgrade from a previous 32g biocube that sprung a leak.

Keep ALK pinned at whatever DKH you chose. This is a vital parameter in keep chemistry set.

Maybe Bump salinity to 1.025-1.026. When salinity is low, everything is low.

Nitrate Ok, low a bit for me I like 5-10ppm, phosphate fine where it is but no lower. We want to be sure the entire system is being fed. This speeds maturity.

Nitrate and phosphate should not be consistently rising or falling week over week. If it does, you’ll need to address that. It doesn’t have to be perfect, just available and in the same levels.

You don’t have a ton of big corals so high flow is not required, however, in time as things get bigger, you can always add flow.

While flow does help to counteract cyano, it’s not going to eliminate it completely. Perfect water chemistry will, and will also prevent more trouble pest stuff like Dino’s.

Looks like your doing a great job.

I think that system just needs more time.

 

[ZLogic]

Keep ALK pinned at whatever DKH you chose. This is a vital parameter in keep chemistry set.

Maybe Bump salinity to 1.025-1.026. When salinity is low, everything is low.

Nitrate Ok, low a bit for me I like 5-10ppm, phosphate fine where it is but no lower. We want to be sure the entire system is being fed. This speeds maturity.

Nitrate and phosphate should not be consistently rising or falling week over week. If it does, you’ll need to address that. It doesn’t have to be perfect, just available and in the same levels.

You don’t have a ton of big corals so high flow is not required, however, in time as things get bigger, you can always add flow.

While flow does help to counteract cyano, it’s not going to eliminate it completely. Perfect water chemistry will, and will also prevent more trouble pest stuff like Dino’s.

Looks like your doing a great job.

I think that system just needs more time.

My nitrate and phosphate stay pretty consistent, and i do have 2 bags of chemi-pure in the sump as per directions on the product, I could remove one of them. I tried adding a hammer, an alveopora, and a coral beauty angelfish about a month ago and all 3 had died within 2 weeks. Currently houses a bicolor blenny, ywg, and pistol shrimp, so I don't really worry about feeding much, should I do a little more to bring up nitrates?

 

[Uncle99]

If your nitrate is .8ppm I’d dose it up to maintain 3-5ppm.

I’m not sure why you run the chemi-pure?

Angelfish will nip corals, not a reef safe fish.

 

[ZLogic]

If your nitrate is .8ppm I’d dose it up to maintain 3-5ppm.

I’m not sure why you run the chemi-pure?

Angelfish will nip corals, not a reef safe fish.

The chemipure just came from past use, I used it in my biocube for a couple years and everything was pretty good. Ditch it all together you think? I have been thinking of more live rock in the sump instead

 

[Uncle99]

The chemipure just came from past use, I used it in my biocube for a couple years and everything was pretty good. Ditch it all together you think? I have been thinking of more live rock in the sump instead

Oh yes, live rock, great idea.
But if you can stabilize nitrate and phosphate, no need to increase exports at this time.

I use chemi pure to mop up excess organics in the water, doesn’t sound like you need to mop up anything so I’d pull that for now.

Your cyano may be coming from the chemi pure lowering nutrients to far.

I’d just do skimming and 10% water change weekly using zero tds water.

 

[JerryB1232]

I believe cyano took hold in my system from low nitrate like you have. Although low flow makes it easier for cyano growth, high flow will not prevent it from growing given the correct situation. I think two gyres would be enough for that aquascape and it seems like you are battling two separate problems especially since it is a new tank. for the cyano, I would work on getting your nutrients lined out and then using chemiclean thereafter, otherwise it will just come back. The flow is definitely a lot trickier to get lined out. I would somehow induce microbubbles or use some other method to help you visualize the flow in the tank. Some sand movement is normal, but you don't want it exposing the glass unless you are into that sort of thing. There may be a thread on R2R that could point you in the right direction on adjusting your flow.