Looking to add flow

[chiefifd]

Hi all..
I have a 90 gallon reef tank, trying and to improve it. For flow, I have 2 Tunze 6105 circulating pumps mounted on the opposite side of the tank.

I'm thinking about a third pump perhaps an MP10 directed across the rear of the tank to cut down on dead spots. I don't have any rock against the back of the tank so I should get some flow all along the back. With the added flow, I'm hoping to improve the overall health of the tank.

I have a few LPS corals that are doing ok but think they could be doing better. I do have some green algae with zero coraline. I only have 3 fish at this time, 2 clowns, and 1 Orchid Dottyback. With the weather warming up soon I want to pick up a yellow tang and two or three more fish. I have 6 blue leg hermit crabs and two trochus snails. I haven't had much luck keeping snails long term. I know the elevated magnesium may be a cause of snail survival, but the elevated levels are a more recent development.

The tank has been up for about 4 years, with the low fish load I've taken my LifeReef Skimmer out of my sump for now. I'm running filter socks too.

I recently switched salt, I went to Tropic Marin. I'm on my second 20% water change every two weeks and my ALK is dropping from 10.3 to 8.8 (Using a Hanna Checker)
Calcium is 425 (Red Sea Test Kit)
Salinity 1.025
Temp 76-77
Magnesium 1560 (Red Sea Test Kit) It's dropping from over 1600, I overdosed it.
Phosphate 0 to .009 most times I measure it's been 0 (Using a Hanna Checker)
PO3 Nitrate 1 (ELOS Test KIt) I needed to add KNO3 register any PO3, been doing that for a month or so.
Adding daily KNO3 solution to keep the level 0,1
PO2 Nitrite 0 (ELOS Test KIt)
Ammonia 0 (SALIFERT Test KIt)
I'm not dosing anything at this time, I have Alkalinity and Calcium ready to dose if needed.

I'm looking at some minor tweaks here and there, I thought by adding a little more flow couldn't hurt for starters. I'd appreciate any insight. I really need a mentor, I think I'm getting close but could use a helping hand for sure. I'll add a few photos.

Thanks everyone for checking in......

 

[Water Dog]

How thick is the glass on your tank? MP10s don’t like glass much thicker than 3/8”. They also aren’t that strong either and won’t be able to push water across a 48” span. If you’re looking for a single small pump, I’d think you’d be better served with a Tunze 6055 as it has a more focused flow pattern to reach across a 48” tank.

 

[Sweet Reef Corals Verified Sponsor]

This is just my observation, you’re phosphate is 0 and your Nitrate is 1. Even with dosing potassium Nitrate, you are at or near 0 on both those nutrients. In my opinion, you are starving the tank. I would add more fish so you can feed the tank more. I try to keep my SPS dominate tank at .05 phosphate and 10-15 nitrate.

 

[chiefifd]

Hi guys,
SweetReefOH, I'm planning to pick up a few more fish soon, my bio-load is quite small with the three fish. That's why I took the skimmer offline a month back.
Since I started dosing Nitrates my LPS have looked better, I might start adding a little more KNO3 solution to bring up the levels to at least the next color spectrum of the ELOS Nitrate test. I had a pretty big outbreak of green hair algae in the tank a few years and cut back on my feeding to help get it under control, which I did, but took some time. I wasn't the best with testing, I had the wrong phosphate checker and not understanding completely what I was looking at, I struggled. I've been testing regularly now, starting to get a small grip on this I hope.
I did dim my LED's a bit and cut a few hours off there run time around the same time, I do need to rent a PAR meter to verify the lighting.
Water Dog my tank is 1/2 inch acrylic and didn't take the MP10's magnets into account. I'll look at the Tunze 6055 for flow across the back of the tank, thanks. for the input. I do like my Tunze 6105's.
Thank you both :)