how would you explain flow to a newbie?

[smitten with ocean life]

im very curious about this. some people seem like they have the perfect flow figured out. what do you go by so that you dont have a dead spot and yet corals arent getting blasted over?

 

[Airedale Reef]

Sure, I'll take this one...Short answer: coral response

Like many others, I find myself sitting in front of the tank just watching. Among the many things I pay attention to, swaying corals always catch my eye. Their movement informs me about the flow in the tank, and dialing in flow is one of the parts of reefing I genuinely enjoy tinkering with!

Rather than trying to hit a specific flow number, I mostly go by how the corals respond. The goal isn't necessarily to eliminate every dead spot...it's to create enough random, variable flow that detritus doesn't settle heavily and the corals maintain good extension. If the corals look happy, are moving naturally, and detritus isn't building up, I'm usually on the right track.

 

[smitten with ocean life]

ok easy enough. do you have power heads on the sides and back?

 

[Airedale Reef]

I am running a 30-gallon long (36") with an MP10 on each side and two AI Axis pumps as returns.

The second MP10 was more of a want than a need purchase. The tank was doing fine with one, but I wanted to increase overall flow and create a nice little wave action across the tank.

Even with both pumps, they're usually running below 20%. It gives me plenty of movement while keeping the torches gently dancing all day.

I have sps closest to the ends of the tank for maximum flow, torches in the middle and mushrooms/zoas on the back ends.

 

[smitten with ocean life]

nice. so you like a wave like setting? you have the mps one high and one lower on the sides?

 

[13rodo]

I think of flow as dust and canned air... when things are stagnant dust (detritus) builds up. You spray canned air (water flow) to keep your things (corals and rocks) from getting buried in dust (detritus).

 

[Airedale Reef]

The wave setting is more for fun/show (I have a daily “thunderstorm” set for 5 minutes every evening. It’s more nutrient transport/flush for the day) , but my tank is generally set to reef crest (random) mode throughout day.

Here’s a recent video for you.

 

[smitten with ocean life]

beautiful!

 

[me & my baby]

The guy from WWC did a really good video out this very topic

 

[Airedale Reef]

beautiful!

thank you! : )

 

[me & my baby]

Your welcome

 

[Blue Ring Octopus]

You can buy a bunch of cheap freshwater plants put them in the tank and watch how the flow affects them. This is where playing around with it works and why the question cannot be answered, How do create the best flow. It has to be experienced but not told.

 

[Reefer Matt]

Flow is for the exchange of gasses that if not frequently moved around, decay is a likely result.

 

[smitten with ocean life]

oh wow! interesting!