Low flow is better???

Paranoiattack91 · Dec 3, 2015

i have always heard that as much flow as possible is best (without bowing sand around) . In my 120, I run a gyre 150 at 80% with a jebao running on else mode on the opposite side of the tank at 100% to create as much turbulence as possible. Recently a propeller in my gyre broke and I had it out for 3 weeks until I got a replacement part from coral vue. So I only had the jebao pump running in my tank. In that time it seemed like all of my SPS had greater polyp extension, my torches and hammers were larger, and my zoos grew faster and opened more. What's the deal?

Viperdoug · Dec 3, 2015

Yes, especially for LPS, if you have too much flow the corals will not open to full potential. It can be tricky, for this reason, to mix SPS and LPS. Most of my tank is LPS and I have a gyre that I keep at 40% . I get great polyp extension.

Paranoiattack91 · Dec 3, 2015

Anyone else have a good flow for a mixed reef??

happyhourhero · Dec 3, 2015

I put high flow in the top half of tank for sps and keep the lower portion of the tank with gentle flow for LPS and zoanthids and such.

Jimbo662 · Dec 3, 2015

I've got the 150 on a 6ft 175g peninsula tank. As far as SPS 've only got an ORA bird of paradise (so far) and a couple dozen acans, some trachs and Z/P's. I run the gyre at a max of 55% pointing toward the overflow end of the tank and everything seems happy. SPS is nice and furry and all the LPS always stay nice and plump. I've got my two return split into two nozzles. One nozzle on each side are pointed back into the flow of the gyre and the other two point along the sides of the tank at a slight angle.

mfinn · Dec 3, 2015

I have approx. 35x gph flow in my mixed reef. ( 8200+ gph)

Waters · Dec 3, 2015

I have a mixed reef 105g running a Gyre 150 at one end. Most of my LPS (two hammers, frogspawn, torch, elegance) sit directly below the Gyre where the flow is weaker. The SPS are scattered up higher in front of the Gyre in the stronger flow.

Jimbo662 · Dec 3, 2015

Waters said:
I have a mixed reef 105g running a Gyre 150 at one end. Most of my LPS (two hammers, frogspawn, torch, elegance) sit directly below the Gyre where the flow is weaker. The SPS are scattered up higher in front of the Gyre in the stronger flow.

Same with most of my LPS. I've got some acans scattered along the length and then in the open sand area below the gyre.