Sps+ flow × flow = growth?

[MabuyaQ]

When it comes to SPS light and flow are strongly connected. SPS in stronger flow can deal with more/stronger lighting, and SPS in stronger lighting perform better with more/stronger flow.
More light/flow without more light/flow doesn't do anything possitive and can even have a negative impact if it becomes to much.

 

[Daniel@R2R]

This tank had 2 Tunzes in the back of the tank pointed across from one corner to the other, but they were on a timer set for 6 hours and only ran one at a time. Tank turnover from the recirc pump was low at about 3-4 times volume. In other words high flow is not necessary to grow SPS. High flow helps keep detritus from settling. I believe that is the primary benefit.

My tank today has low flow as well and my corals, although still small are all immensely happy with excellent polyp extension. Today I use a two Tunze Streams on SeaSwirsl and place one Tunze in front and one in the opposite back corner.

Wow! Love this! Thanks for the info and for sharing your tanks with us!

 

[ReeferPat]

Yep, that was mine. As with all my setups it eventually became completely overgrown so I had to restart. That's where I am today having just restarted. It usually takes about 2 years to hit it's zenith and then I can maintain that for about a year or so before it starts to get overgrown:

Large Build - 2Sunny's 240 Coral Garden Cube

Nothin' like a mid-life crisis to focus your addictions :angel: but I think the results are o.k.

www.reef2reef.com

What I learned after 20 years. K.I.S.S.

Had my first reef back in '99 and since then I've had 5 major redos. Along the way, I have tried many different techniques and faced most every major nuisance. Today I'm about 6 months into restarting my reef after I lost nearly all my corals last winter, and I have to say my reef has never...

www.reef2reef.com

Crazy beautiful tank! I'm inspired.

 

[Graffiti Spot]

When it comes to SPS light and flow are strongly connected. SPS in stronger flow can deal with more/stronger lighting, and SPS in stronger lighting perform better with more/stronger flow.
More light/flow without more light/flow doesn't do anything possitive and can even have a negative impact if it becomes to much.

I am confused, what’s causing a negative impact?

 

[Graffiti Spot]

I have never found any appreciable difference between competent flow and more. You absolutely need to have a competent amount, but beyond this is just johnson-measuring, IMO. Flow is third for me behind lights and stability and just above parameter levels/numbers - only because it is SO easy to get a competent amount of flow (just money) and people screw up lights and stability all of the time. It is ahead of parameter levels/numbers because people chase them and do harm and I can also have really good results with middling level parameters if I get lights and stability right.

I agree. I am confused as to why wwc pushes flow up so high on their list. I have never seen more growth from increased flow when I already had enough to start. Maybe if people have skinny long branches, yes more flow of course but stating that it’s above all else just makes me wonder what the angle is.

 

[Adventures In Reefing]

There is a great video that just came out on this:

 

[jda]

WWC is a vendor. What they do and what a hobbyist does is totally different. They are not great hobbyists, IMO, but they know how to sell corals and promote themselves. People might get something from studying them, but nobody should be using them as a guide to run a tank in their home. A high quality hobbyist is a better paradigm to follow.

IMO, the 2x mp10s in that BRS experiment, is competent. I have told people for a decade that the whole "as much flow as you can get" is more of dick measuring contest that won't matter much. If you don't have competent flow, then it really can matter, but few people screw this up.

We have seen people remove sand to get as much flow as possible and then struggle with phosphate buffering, nitrate removal, etc. Too much flow can cause fish to get skinny and die, corals go grow in stubby and weird patterns or even can melt tissue off of skeletons.

You have change up as your acropora move from frags to colonies. What is competent when you have 1" frags is different from when you have to get flow around 6-12 inch massive colonies. Competency is a moving target.

For me, I like to have flow right up to the max where my sand stays put. This will be less when the tank is wide open without colonies and I have to ramp up when the acropora get larger. When the sand blows around, I turn it down, but a few times a year, I ramp up to see if I can use more.

 

[Ross Petersen]

WWC is a vendor. What they do and what a hobbyist does is totally different. They are not great hobbyists, IMO, but they know how to sell corals and promote themselves. People might get something from studying them, but nobody should be using them as a guide to run a tank in their home. A high quality hobbyist is a better paradigm to follow.

IMO, the 2x mp10s in that BRS experiment, is competent. I have told people for a decade that the whole "as much flow as you can get" is more of dick measuring contest that won't matter much. If you don't have competent flow, then it really can matter, but few people screw this up.

We have seen people remove sand to get as much flow as possible and then struggle with phosphate buffering, nitrate removal, etc. Too much flow can cause fish to get skinny and die, corals go grow in stubby and weird patterns or even can melt tissue off of skeletons.

You have change up as your acropora move from frags to colonies. What is competent when you have 1" frags is different from when you have to get flow around 6-12 inch massive colonies. Competency is a moving target.

For me, I like to have flow right up to the max where my sand stays put. This will be less when the tank is wide open without colonies and I have to ramp up when the acropora get larger. When the sand blows around, I turn it down, but a few times a year, I ramp up to see if I can use more.

Love the critical review of the popular media. This is what science is all about. Finding the truth in all the evidence. Sometimes it seems like there's too much talk and not enough data in this hobby.

That said, I myself wouldn't be quite as harsh on BRS - they are invaluable to the new hobbyist and tend to speak big picture, reflect on their experience, and don't hesitate to admit when they do things sub-optimally. But yes - don't take them as the be-all, gold standard of excellence. Call up a marine biologist with a PhD who runs a large aquarium - I don't think BRS would disagree.

Based on this thread and what I've heard from others... BRS may very well modify statements about flow rate and place greater emphasis on flow competency as you say. Like you and others allude to - random flow patterns that mimic nature and replicate the flow patterns experienced in certain microniches by particular corals is inherently crucial to optimal coral growth.

Cheers

 

[jda]

I wasn't being harsh on BRS for this one. Just saying that their low-bar of 2x mp10s is competent in the tank that they choose... so I can see why they came to the conclusion that they did.

I have been, and will continue to be, harsh on them where they have made people's lives miserable with recommendation of using dry rock when live was available, use of media rectors on new tanks, using pH controller to control a CaRx and other times when they need it, etc. but not this time.

I do think that if they can lean towards a product that they sell, then then do this. Their videos are still advertising moreso than science, so just go in with that paradigm in mind and you will always do OK.

 

[X-37B]

Stability, lighting, flow.
What's good in a new tank like mine will change as a tank matures/grows out.
My 120 currently has 2 6095's on the back wall and 2 ow-25's on the side. All at 100% but they pulse between 10 seconds for the ow-25's and 5 seconds for the 6095's. Nice random flow that keeps every thing moving but not over doing it. This will change as will placement as the tank grows out.
Have 2 more 6095' but had the ow-25's and wanted to see how long they last vs the 6095's.
For me the key is random flow vs as much as you can get as so many people seem to do.
I would rather have 4 smaller powerheads than 2 large ones. Might not look as nice but who is going to notice them when the tank is grown in

 

[GlassMunky]

This tank had 2 Tunzes in the back of the tank pointed across from one corner to the other, but they were on a timer set for 6 hours and only ran one at a time. Tank turnover from the recirc pump was low at about 3-4 times volume. In other words high flow is not necessary to grow SPS. High flow helps keep detritus from settling. I believe that is the primary benefit.

My tank today has low flow as well and my corals, although still small are all immensely happy with excellent polyp extension. Today I use a two Tunze Streams on SeaSwirsl and place one Tunze in front and one in the opposite back corner.

sorry to hijack,but....
that magnifica anemone is BEAUTIFUL!!!!

did it come from Joe Y? it looks like the same ones they have at the Long Island Aquarium