Flow..

[racingtiger03]

I've been getting some mixed reviews on how much flow a tank needs from what I've been reading lately. I started looking into it due to what I thought was a cyano outbreak (still not sure what it was, but its gone!). Anyhow I currently have a corallife skimmer with rio 1100, HOB filter that I use as a place to put my carbon/phosban, and a koralia #2. Flow rates for each respectively - 335gph, 150gph, 600gph. I had read somewhere that I need to turn over the tank 55 times/hour and one place that recommended 10x per hour which puts me way above what I need. So should I invest in another koralia #2 for the 55x/hour?
My tank is a 29 gallon with total GPH at 1085 gph.
Also, what is a good placement setup?
currently the skimmer is aimed straight down (not much I can do about that one). The koralia is at the bottom aimed upwards and towards the front glass and the hob is surface agitation by waterfall type affect (think overflow box) placed above the koralia to help randomize flow.

 

[tank a holic]

you have plenty of flow thats 37 times and 10 to 20 is good

 

[racingtiger03]

thats what I thought too, but had heard a lot of different things. Thanks!
Secondly, should I split this up and add two koralia #1's instead of the single #2?

 

[flower]

Sometimes knowing the answer to why is more beneficial than just finding out if what we have will make do. So I offer the following.
The whole idea of flow is create a current, trying to simulate the ocean. The wave is the life of the ocean and our tanks. It carries food to coral and suspends solid waste to be removed by our filters.
As long as you have created a good current to do all that, then you have enough. A strong current will make the fish work hard to swim, and make coral develop a stronger base to hold on. This makes your critters stronger.
Some areas are going to have stronger current than others; this allows us to place coral that prefers a milder current a happy place to stay.
The most important thing is make sure all areas have some flow of water; otherwise stuff like cyanobacteria can get a chance to grow there and create problems.

 

[racingtiger03]

thanks flower. So with that said, splitting the flow up between two smaller K1's will likely be a better route as I can give more areas flow as opposed to one area with strong flow tapering off throughout the tank?

 

[flower]

Originally Posted by racingtiger03
http:///forum/post/3186088
thanks flower. So with that said, splitting the flow up between two smaller K1's will likely be a better route as I can give more areas flow as opposed to one area with strong flow tapering off throughout the tank?

Get a stick and tie a rbbon to the end of it, and place it in different areas of your tank. That way you can see where you need to either add a power head or just redirect the flow you already have.
You just want to make sure every area has some flow. It is normal for one area to be stronger but all areas should have something. Thats the goal.

 

[racingtiger03]

ok, Will do, I can only think of one dead-ish spot off hand, and I think a koralia nano would be fine to take care of that. The way I have it setup right now the entire water column appears to circle, I might just be able to even re-aim the powerhead to kill that one spot I'm thinking of. Thanks.