Help me with my flow please...

[cjsparky]

OK so here is a picture of my current 125 set up. Please note the 2 Koralia 4's on each side, and the double barrel koralia knock off at the back of the tank.

Would love to hear what some of you would do to improve the flow of my tank to provide a good environment for corals and fish. Please know that Vortechs, etc are not an option for me at this time...starving student here.

Pic:

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Thanks!

CJ

 

[tnyga]

I would think youd have plenty of flow...your saying you do not? The Coravues throw some big time GPH's also...You must have between 5-6000 GPH between your powerheads and return which is between 45-50 times your tank size...

 

[cjsparky]

tnyga;461986 wrote: I would think youd have plenty of flow...your saying you do not? The Coravues throw some big time GPH's also...You must have between 5-6000 GPH between your powerheads and return which is between 45-50 times your tank size...

Yeah, I am having a small problem with Cyano and algae right now...most people have said that it is probably due to flow. The double barrel PH is called a Coravue?

CJ

 

[tnyga]

Cjsparky;461992 wrote: Yeah, I am having a small problem with Cyano and algae right now...most people have said that it is probably due to flow. The double barrel PH is called a Coravue?

CJ

Maybe repositioning would help more so than adding...I had the coravues (yes thats the double headed one) they are decent units...Maybe moving the double hung one onto the right or left side and the other two on the other side...just a thought...I would try configurations more so then just adding more flow to start...

 

[ralph atl]

cyno is more indicative to higher levels of nutrients, although it doesn't like high flow areas, also. However, you'd just be blowing it around until it found a low flow area.

 

[cjsparky]

The funny thing is that one of my 4's seems to put out a stronger flow than the coravue. Maybe stronger flow =/= more flow?

CJ

 

[ga_daisy]

As far as your flow goes....it looks like you've got the two K's blowing directly at each other. The tank flow should be set up in a cross flow type configuration, with one K towards the upper end of the water column blowing in one direction and the other towards the bottom moving water in the opposite direction. Of course....I may be looking at the pictures wrong, but it looks like they are pointed at each other.

 

[cjsparky]

This look better? Or should I put the flow nozzle on the left Koralia as well?

OOPS edited....

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CJ

 

[smoothie]

Do you have any coral right now? I not cut the photo period down on the lights back to 2-3 hours a day to help rid the cyano problem.
2 more #4's wouldn't hurt

 

[rbredding]

it may not be a bad idea to point one of them "down" the front glass and the other "down" the back glass..

I think more flow is almost always a good thing.. so adding another "double barrell" or other K4 would just help...

 

[cjsparky]

Smoothie;462078 wrote: Do you have any coral right now? I not cut the photo period down on the lights back to 2-3 hours a day to help rid the cyano problem.
2 more #4's wouldn't hurt

No corals right now, but I am planning on slowly adding some frags, etc. as money permits...looking to maybe start buying frags from members soon, but I want to be sure I have all the algae/cyano under control first. I am kind of broke at the moment, so i will be building my livestock slowly, and cheaply by good deals from ARC members

CJ

 

[smoothie]

Cut them back to e few hours every other day then until you get the cyano under control

 

[smoothie]

I used really small tubing during a water change. Vrey little use of those halides will keep alive any growth you have going in the rocks

 

[ga_daisy]

Completely agree.....if you don't have anything in the tank that requires light, then kick it back. You DEFINITELY do not want to start adding anything in there until you get any crud that you've got going on under control.

When the time comes.....member frags are the way to go. And finding people that are downsizing or getting out of the hobby altogether to get your larger pieces. Its the most cost effective way to get established pieces and help someone else out at the same time. Then.....Tim at Keen Reef is an excellent source for nice pieces also. Atlanta Reef Club is a goldmine of people helping each other, information and KILLER deals.

 

[cjsparky]

Off topic. It still amazes me that a mere 3 seconds after 10 or so tiny pellets of food hit the water, my nassarius snails pop out of the sand and start scurrying around...lol