Whats the lowest flow i can go?

[Notsolostfish]

I have a 200 gallons tank with a water volume around 160-170. I have an aquaclear UV 57 watts. Running on vectra s2 pump. But its closed loop meaning i take water from display, and throw it back in the display while running the vectra s2 dry outside the tank. I have an apex flow meter, and on max 100%. I got 570gph was shocked, and i didn t realize the 3/4 from the outlet of the pump will be a huge bottleneck. Now before i tear the UV system down, since ir was a lot of pvc piping, and check valves, etc. would a 400-570gph get me algae control or im out of luck on that one? Thank u.

 

[His Coral Highness]

I used to run low flow on a much much smaller tank but I never had any algae problems due to flow. I think in general people can get away with lower flow than they expect to

 

[rennjidk]

When people mention flow for algae control, what they're really saying is removing waste before it breaks down, and by extension, lowering nutrients. I've never seen nutrient control work as a deterent to algae in any system, ever. You will kill off everything in your tank before algae succumbs to low nutrient levels and dies off. Flow should only be considered for coral health and developing fish muscles, imo.

 

[Notsolostfish]

When people mention flow for algae control, what they're really saying is removing waste before it breaks down, and by extension, lowering nutrients. I've never seen nutrient control work as a deterent to algae in any system, ever. You will kill off everything in your tank before algae succumbs to low nutrient levels and dies off. Flow should only be considered for coral health and developing fish muscles, imo.

Im talking more fish UV flow not tank flow

 

[rennjidk]

Im talking more fish UV flow not tank flow

Sorry, I misread, or rather skimmed. The tanks I've run with uv, even "appropriately sized" didn't have much of an effect on algae.