How much circulation is too much for anenomes?

flabbergasted

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I have a 10 gallon Coralife Bio Cube size 16 that has been setup since October 10, 2024. It seems to be well established as I started it with live rock from my smaller tank and more bought from a LFS. I have a "long arm" anenome that I have had for about a month. But let's start with some background on the tank.

I bought the tank used from the aforementioned LFS. Since I set it up, algae growth has been a problem. It started out growing bright green algae very rapidly. I tried using hyrdogen peroxide as recommended, which did not seem to do anything to slow the grow. Then I got some API Marine Algaefix, which slowed the growth, but didn't stop it. The instructions say to use 1ml per 10 gallons starting every 3 days until under control then once per week.

After a couple of weeks of fighting the green algae, the red algae started to grow and it grew fast. I have had long red algae hairs waving in the water for a while. I have added 4 snails that do a good job on the walls and another snail I never see except when I clean and run my finger through the sand to confirm it is still alive, because it is always under the sand and a conch, which does a great job scarfing a lot of the algae.

I have a moderate amount of control over the algae growth but it still has a ways to go. Now comes the anenome.

I talked to the owner of the LFS yesterday who said the red algae is from not enough oxygen in the water. He said if I add a pump to circulate the water, that would add more oxygen and I would see the anenome open up more. I told him it does open up quite a bit sometimes, but not all the time. He suggested it was right after a partial water change, and I confirmed that was the case. I also, reduced the light exposure for a while to no more than 8 hours per day with only 4 of those at full daylight and 2 before and after at sunrise/set and no moonlight until the algae growth is put under control.

So I bought an Aquarium Masters AquaPulse model 10 which moves 1320 gallons per hour. I have redirected it several times to find a good position so it doesn't move the water too fast. Instead of opening up more, the anenome is just rolling round a small circle in the bottom of the tank like a tumble weed. I moved it to a couple of other spots where it seemed like the movement would be less, but it just floated itself back to the middle of the tank floor where it is rolling around like a tumble weed.

So my question is, is there too much circulation for the anenome? Should I wait to see if it finds a spot it likes? The other fish in the tank include a pair of clowns, a blue tang and a yellow wrasse. They seem to be a bit happier now although they didn't seem unhappy before. As I am finishing this post, the anenome has planted itself beside the base of a rock for a couple of minutes, but has gone back to rolling around the bottom of the tank. There is no way to lower the amount of flow on the pump. Any ideas for something that can be adjusted so I can reduce the flow while still increasing circulation over the default pump that comes with the Bio Cube would be appreicated. It just seems to be too much flow to me.
 
Its normally suggested to have about 20x turnover, so that means 10 gallons x 20 = 200 gph powerhead. If your powerhead is 1300 gph, divided by 10, thats 130x turnover, thats a typhoon in your tiny tank.

Have a look at the sicce voyager nano powerheads, they make them at 270 gph and 530 gph. I would go with 2 x 270 gph to have better all around water movement.

With 2 powerheads, you can position them on opposite sides to flow against each other. The flow will bounce off each other and create random flow patterns, this is ideal. You can still get good circulation with only one powerhead, but its harder.
 
Yea way too much flow to the point of likely killing the nem from stress.

You don't always need to place powerheads in the tank. Sometimes just increasing your flow on your return nozzles or adding RCA's can be enough flow for them.

I'm doing 150ish gph through my dual RCAs with a 5 gallon tank. So for your size. 250-500gph is good.
 
Thank you everyone. I suspected the flow was way too much. I tested for copper a week or so ago and it was zero. I ordered one of the SICCE Voyager Nano 1000 Wave Maker Flow Pump 270 GPH. It will be here Monday. I only ordered one of the pumps. I thought since the pump that came with the tank is already doing some circulating, I could position the one to flow against the current as well. I will play around with it to see what will work best.

Mojo, do you think it is still necessary to have two of them?

The anenome seems pretty beat up. I am hoping I am able to save it. I have had it for 3 or 4 weeks. I will see what it does tomorrow. I appreciate all of your advise.

Dragen, I also have a 4 1/2 gallon. I am going to try your suggestion there. I have some snails, a camel shrimp an anenome. I can't recall the type. It's the white one with pinkish purple tips. I also have a pair of Black Photon Clownfish in it.

Kris, I know the Blue tang will outgrow the tank. I plan on getting a larger one later this year when I am no longer in a rental house. If I have my way, I will have at least a 250 gallon reef. But time will tell.
 
Depends who you ask on here ...some use ridiculous amts of flow , while others -not so much...try to find videos of anemones in the wild and then simulate as best you can what you see there -also depends on the TYPE of anemone...
 
Ignorance is bliss. Enjoy watching these animals suffer. Flabbergasted
Ignorance is bliss for some people, but I came here to get help at overcoming that ignorance and the first 4 people to respond were helpful. You provided no such help but merely acted like someone who was born knowing everything. I don't ever enjoy watching an animal suffer which is why I am here. It looks all you are doing is making another comment to get you count up for your next forum trophy. You might consider being helpful rather than condescending.
 
Sorry to be that guy , but a tang in a ten gallon tank is so wrong . Shame on your lfs for even selling it to you .

Hope you sort out the anemone , but get rid of the tang it's so wrong :(
 
Need to let that nem get its foot in a rock. Turn off all flow for 10 minutes and place the nem. Let it attach well before you start your return back up.

Also, sell that hippo.
 
Sorry to be that guy , but a tang in a ten gallon tank is so wrong . Shame on your lfs for even selling it to you .

Hope you sort out the anemone , but get rid of the tang it's so wrong :(
The rule of thumb is one inch of fish per gallon of water. Right now the tang is no bigger than the young clowns. Total fish length right now is about 5.5 inches. The tang spending 6 to 9 months of its young life in a 10 gallon is not a terrible thing.
 

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