Powerheads and flow
- Thread starter scottbert
- Start date
scottbert
Member
Well, I wouldn't say it looks like a washing machine. The surface is moving though. It's a reef tank and I only have 2 small perculas in it. The only reason I ask is because they only stay in the corner of the tank and then when I turn the power heads and filter off for feeding, they go all over te place, but as soon as those are turned back on it seems like they are swimming for their lives and back to the corner they go.
I don't have a lot of coral either...gsp's, xenia, some devils armour and a hammer coral
I don't have a lot of coral either...gsp's, xenia, some devils armour and a hammer coral
flower
Well-Known Member
Quote:
Originally Posted by scottbert http:///t/397266/powerheads-and-flow#post_3540681
Well, I wouldn't say it looks like a washing machine. The surface is moving though. It's a reef tank and I only have 2 small perculas in it. The only reason I ask is because they only stay in the corner of the tank and then when I turn the power heads and filter off for feeding, they go all over te place, but as soon as those are turned back on it seems like they are swimming for their lives and back to the corner they go.
I don't have a lot of coral either...gsp's, xenia, some devils armour and a hammer coral
Hi,
Clown fish stay in the corner of the tank...that's what they do...and it's perfectly normal for them to leave their corner to get food and go right back. It has nothing to do with the water flow. Unless the corals are all bent over or being beat to death by the water flow, it's fine. The more flow the better. The top of the surface of the water should look like it's boiling.
Originally Posted by scottbert http:///t/397266/powerheads-and-flow#post_3540681
Well, I wouldn't say it looks like a washing machine. The surface is moving though. It's a reef tank and I only have 2 small perculas in it. The only reason I ask is because they only stay in the corner of the tank and then when I turn the power heads and filter off for feeding, they go all over te place, but as soon as those are turned back on it seems like they are swimming for their lives and back to the corner they go.
I don't have a lot of coral either...gsp's, xenia, some devils armour and a hammer coral
Hi,
Clown fish stay in the corner of the tank...that's what they do...and it's perfectly normal for them to leave their corner to get food and go right back. It has nothing to do with the water flow. Unless the corals are all bent over or being beat to death by the water flow, it's fine. The more flow the better. The top of the surface of the water should look like it's boiling.
silverado61
Well-Known Member
That would be a medium boil. Not a full blast, burners on high, bubbles overflowing boil. lol
tthemadd1
Active Member
If you have good rockwork in the tank your clowns shouldn't just hang out in the corner. They are looking for a secure location with medium flow. They are slower swimmers than many other fish. They are not built for high speed currents. Try one powerhead for a day pointed towards the surface and see what happens. Good luck.
flower
Well-Known Member
Quote:
Originally Posted by tthemadd1 http:///t/397266/powerheads-and-flow#post_3540921
If you have good rockwork in the tank your clowns shouldn't just hang out in the corner. They are looking for a secure location with medium flow. They are slower swimmers than many other fish. They are not built for high speed currents. Try one powerhead for a day pointed towards the surface and see what happens. Good luck.
Hi,
I have had many clownfish over the years...and all they ever did was hang out in a corner. I never considered they may be slow swimmers, but I have to ask this, not that I don't believe you. But if the fish are fine to come out of the corner to eat, and not be blown around or have trouble swimming...would you still think it's too much flow?
Mine just seemed to (instead of an anemone) hang out by the intake and output tubes of my canister. I did have one couple that decided they liked an anemone, all they did then is hang out by the anemone.
Originally Posted by tthemadd1 http:///t/397266/powerheads-and-flow#post_3540921
If you have good rockwork in the tank your clowns shouldn't just hang out in the corner. They are looking for a secure location with medium flow. They are slower swimmers than many other fish. They are not built for high speed currents. Try one powerhead for a day pointed towards the surface and see what happens. Good luck.
Hi,
I have had many clownfish over the years...and all they ever did was hang out in a corner. I never considered they may be slow swimmers, but I have to ask this, not that I don't believe you. But if the fish are fine to come out of the corner to eat, and not be blown around or have trouble swimming...would you still think it's too much flow?
Mine just seemed to (instead of an anemone) hang out by the intake and output tubes of my canister. I did have one couple that decided they liked an anemone, all they did then is hang out by the anemone.
tthemadd1
Active Member
Wave makers are usually a different type of powerhead that either have a rotating head to cause a fluctuating current which would be a more natural motion of water. Some are used with a controller for multiple power heads to cause the same type of movement. There is a really cool wave maker called SWID I think. You can look up squid wave maker and it will show up on Google.
I'm not saying you have too much current just seems like it could be a possibility based on your initial question. The goal of your power heads should be to keep your tank from having dead spots with no water movement. Water is the life blood for moving oxygen throughout your system.
Some fish prefer open water in the wild versus those that prefer to hide and dart out for food. Slower swimmers like clowns vs fast swimmers like tangs or puffers. It's just a letter of a fishes natural nature.
In addition all fish are different within a species. Usually with fish that hide in corners there is not a space within the rockwork for them to hide or rest. Again it's all in the fishes nature as well as stresses within the system. Lastly some fish are more territorial like clowns. They pick a location and claim it. They will fight off other fish within the tank because of territory and it could be just that. They may like the corner and have made it their home.
If you have multiple fish in a tank you try changing around rockwork to basically "reset" territories.
Good luck and keep asking questions. You will get a lot of ideas and experiences. Some work some don't depending on the differences in each tank as well as husbandry.
I'm not saying you have too much current just seems like it could be a possibility based on your initial question. The goal of your power heads should be to keep your tank from having dead spots with no water movement. Water is the life blood for moving oxygen throughout your system.
Some fish prefer open water in the wild versus those that prefer to hide and dart out for food. Slower swimmers like clowns vs fast swimmers like tangs or puffers. It's just a letter of a fishes natural nature.
In addition all fish are different within a species. Usually with fish that hide in corners there is not a space within the rockwork for them to hide or rest. Again it's all in the fishes nature as well as stresses within the system. Lastly some fish are more territorial like clowns. They pick a location and claim it. They will fight off other fish within the tank because of territory and it could be just that. They may like the corner and have made it their home.
If you have multiple fish in a tank you try changing around rockwork to basically "reset" territories.
Good luck and keep asking questions. You will get a lot of ideas and experiences. Some work some don't depending on the differences in each tank as well as husbandry.
tthemadd1
Active Member
Flower I'm not discounting your experience what I am saying is there are ways to use husbandry to get fish to be more active in the main areas of the tank. I don't think it is wrong that fish stay in the corners but by adjusting currents and rockwork you can create an environment that facilitates what you want in a tank environment. Many people get frustrated with their tank inhabitants. Ideally look online, talk with other people, look at pictures, etc. I've learned through the years there is not one specific way to do anything.
flower
Well-Known Member
Quote:
Originally Posted by tthemadd1 http:///t/397266/powerheads-and-flow#post_3540975
Flower I'm not discounting your experience what I am saying is there are ways to use husbandry to get fish to be more active in the main areas of the tank. I don't think it is wrong that fish stay in the corners but by adjusting currents and rockwork you can create an environment that facilitates what you want in a tank environment. Many people get frustrated with their tank inhabitants. Ideally look online, talk with other people, look at pictures, etc. I've learned through the years there is not one specific way to do anything.
You misunderstand...My comment was stated because I was thinking I was learning something new. So many times I think I know something, and then find out that it was just a myth. I had no idea that my poor clowns stayed in the corner because I had strong water flow. I thought they just liked the output and intake tubes the way they liked an anemone. Then I asked about the feeding thing...since they didn't get blown around....
Originally Posted by tthemadd1 http:///t/397266/powerheads-and-flow#post_3540975
Flower I'm not discounting your experience what I am saying is there are ways to use husbandry to get fish to be more active in the main areas of the tank. I don't think it is wrong that fish stay in the corners but by adjusting currents and rockwork you can create an environment that facilitates what you want in a tank environment. Many people get frustrated with their tank inhabitants. Ideally look online, talk with other people, look at pictures, etc. I've learned through the years there is not one specific way to do anything.
You misunderstand...My comment was stated because I was thinking I was learning something new. So many times I think I know something, and then find out that it was just a myth. I had no idea that my poor clowns stayed in the corner because I had strong water flow. I thought they just liked the output and intake tubes the way they liked an anemone. Then I asked about the feeding thing...since they didn't get blown around....
tthemadd1
Active Member
Think of it this way. Nature is minimalist in most circumstances. Watching clowns swim during periods of rest they have to struggle. Also remember there are multiple types of clowns with different body styles. Some are more streamlined than others, some bigger, some with more barrel shapes. In a calm tank a clown will effortlessly meander through the currents. In a tank that has strong currents to keep waste off the sand and in the water column its like walking around around in twenty mile an hour wind. By creating areas within the tank that are less turbulent there are places where fish can rest. I've had maybe five or so clowns over the past fifteen years. The last two for a year now. They his out in the corner for the first few days until they were comfortable to swim out into the environment and find homes. Yes I have anemones and yes they swim in them but for the most part they travel throughout the tank routinely. There are so many fish that are open swimmers grazing, hunting, etc. they love to swim with a narrow streamlined body through currents. Tangs butterflies angels etc. the other issue is size A small 1" clown is not as strong as a 2 or 3" clown.
There are some calculators out there that help determine a good turnover on the tank but that is mainly for filtration. Ideally the powerheads should point upward at an angle to break surface tension help remove nitrogen from the water column and to introduce good oxygen to the whole tank.
There are some calculators out there that help determine a good turnover on the tank but that is mainly for filtration. Ideally the powerheads should point upward at an angle to break surface tension help remove nitrogen from the water column and to introduce good oxygen to the whole tank.
flower
Well-Known Member
Quote:
Originally Posted by tthemadd1 http:///t/397266/powerheads-and-flow#post_3540992
Think of it this way. Nature is minimalist in most circumstances. Watching clowns swim during periods of rest they have to struggle. Also remember there are multiple types of clowns with different body styles. Some are more streamlined than others, some bigger, some with more barrel shapes. In a calm tank a clown will effortlessly meander through the currents. In a tank that has strong currents to keep waste off the sand and in the water column its like walking around around in twenty mile an hour wind. By creating areas within the tank that are less turbulent there are places where fish can rest. I've had maybe five or so clowns over the past fifteen years. The last two for a year now. They his out in the corner for the first few days until they were comfortable to swim out into the environment and find homes. Yes I have anemones and yes they swim in them but for the most part they travel throughout the tank routinely. There are so many fish that are open swimmers grazing, hunting, etc. they love to swim with a narrow streamlined body through currents. Tangs butterflies angels etc. the other issue is size A small 1" clown is not as strong as a 2 or 3" clown.
There are some calculators out there that help determine a good turnover on the tank but that is mainly for filtration. Ideally the powerheads should point upward at an angle to break surface tension help remove nitrogen from the water column and to introduce good oxygen to the whole tank.
Thank you, that makes good sense. I no longer have clowns, but it will certainly change how I give advice to people on how to set up their water flow.
Originally Posted by tthemadd1 http:///t/397266/powerheads-and-flow#post_3540992
Think of it this way. Nature is minimalist in most circumstances. Watching clowns swim during periods of rest they have to struggle. Also remember there are multiple types of clowns with different body styles. Some are more streamlined than others, some bigger, some with more barrel shapes. In a calm tank a clown will effortlessly meander through the currents. In a tank that has strong currents to keep waste off the sand and in the water column its like walking around around in twenty mile an hour wind. By creating areas within the tank that are less turbulent there are places where fish can rest. I've had maybe five or so clowns over the past fifteen years. The last two for a year now. They his out in the corner for the first few days until they were comfortable to swim out into the environment and find homes. Yes I have anemones and yes they swim in them but for the most part they travel throughout the tank routinely. There are so many fish that are open swimmers grazing, hunting, etc. they love to swim with a narrow streamlined body through currents. Tangs butterflies angels etc. the other issue is size A small 1" clown is not as strong as a 2 or 3" clown.
There are some calculators out there that help determine a good turnover on the tank but that is mainly for filtration. Ideally the powerheads should point upward at an angle to break surface tension help remove nitrogen from the water column and to introduce good oxygen to the whole tank.
Thank you, that makes good sense. I no longer have clowns, but it will certainly change how I give advice to people on how to set up their water flow.
flyguysc
New Member
My 90 gal. tank started out with two 1250gph power heads. The current was so strong that my sand was constantly being rearrange. I took one of them out and used it for salt mixing. When I place the power head in my twenty gal. brute trash can it looks like a toilet flushing. LOL. I placed the remaining power head on the opposite tank side wall and the far lower corner 48 inches away has a crater starting up. Not sure if the power head should be placed near the surface, ( as observed by me in books and fish stores etc.) or some other strategic location?
