Mixed Tank flow

[BantyRooster97]

Since SPS want so much flow, how do you handle having a mixed tank?

SPS - mostly acro
LPS - several euphyllia

 

[Broadfield]

You really need to get creative with coral and power head placement. There will naturally be areas in your tank that have more water movement than others.

 

[ReeferMaddness843]

You can tie a piece of thin ribbon to a chopstick and feel around for flow and watch the ribbon move to get a true flow idea.

 

[happyhourhero]

I have 2 rw8 on full power else mode about 6" below the water line pointed at each other on opposite ends of the tank. Anything in the middle to upper portion gets blast while the lower portion likes less flow. That said, I am yet to find a coral that doesn't adapt and respond well to moderate indirect flow.

 

[BantyRooster97]

I like that ribbon idea.

I think I posted this in the wrong forum

 

[Pmj]

I have 2 rw8 on full power else mode about 6" below the water line pointed at each other on opposite ends of the tank. Anything in the middle to upper portion gets blast while the lower portion likes less flow. That said, I am yet to find a coral that doesn't adapt and respond well to moderate indirect flow.

I have basically the same on a 4 foot tank... have had a hell of time finding somewhere for LPS and have had some stuff die or recede. Currently have some LPS behind all the rocks while still getting light to recover. Need to try the ribbon thing.

 

[ReeferMaddness843]

Im running a gyre fx150 @50% pulse and 2 jebao wp10, one at "else" setting and other on "W1" at 50% with quick bursts. It's on an 80 gallon shallow tank and seems to work well. Mixed tank from mush, zoas, Duncan, torch, monti, blasto, etc.

 

[eatbreakfast]

I have a 4' 80g, with alot of sps, but also some fleshy brain corals. I have found that keeping the flow directed in the top 1/3 of the tank creates high flow at the top and moderate indirect flow at the bottom.

 

[Waters]

I usually put the LPS underneath the powerheads (or in my case a gyre), towards the bottom of the tank.

 

[revhtree Verified Admin]

Since SPS want so much flow, how do you handle having a mixed tank?

SPS - mostly acro
LPS - several euphyllia

Nice topic! I am also curious to hear what others are doing. For me I am just placing corals in strategic spots. I do worry about my sps so far since I only have sps frags.

 

[Jisko]

personally I watch the food and little pieces of sand that float around to get a good understanding of how the flow is moving around. I'll also use things like the polyps on my birdsnest to show if its getting enough flow or look at how my duncan and hammer&frogspawn are moving