Too much flow?

[bs]

I have a 90 gallon tank that I am currently setting up. Hopefully going to make this in to a reef tank. I have a 1200GPH powerhead in there right now. I have read a few places that the more flow you have the better. I have another 1200 GPH powerhead that I havent put in the tank. If I put the other one in would that be way too much flow for fish?
Thanks!

 

[flower]

For a reef you need current. Your coral should move with the flow and not be beat to death. Swimming against the current is good for fish, it makes them strong but not so much they are pushed around by the water flow. It really is a trial and error thing, and we experiment on where to place them…
I use a stick with a ribbon to check for dead spots. Not all areas will have the same flow but all should have some water current. This is good because some coral likes fast moving water and some like it more quiet with a gentle flow, and the ribbon helps me know what areas have what kind of flow and no dead spots...I also have a 90g, I like Koralia brand PHs.
2 #3s- 1 #4 -and 1 #2.

 

[spanko]

Absolutely not. 1200+1200 / 90 = 27 times turnover. Good amount for fish and most soft coral.

 

[nycbob]

it doesnt sound like too much flow at all in a 90. it really depends on what powerheads u r using. some powerheads will gv better wide flow than powerheads with more gph rating.

 

[acrylic51]

Definitely not to much flow IMO, but that will be dictated by your stocking choices. However as we add rock and other goodies to the tank that magical number of 1200 doesn't mean much or will move much. Even as your corals grow they will cut flow down as well. As the PH's get dirty and need serviced their flow is cut. I'd possibly look at the mod kits for your PH's.

 

[florida joe]

Originally Posted by spanko
http:///forum/post/3266517
Absolutely not. 1200+1200 / 90 = 27 times turnover. Good amount for fish and most soft coral.
as my good friend Henry knows flow (movement) and turnover rate are not the same thing. you are just going to have to set up and observe the movement with in your tank

 

[dempseyjosh]

I feel like more smaller poweheads are better because it is much easier to get to the dead spots or spots with less flow. way easier to hit every corner in the tank with 4 PH's than it is with 2. I started with two larger ones, but quickly went to more smaller ones, i didn't have anything that enjoyed a very high flow rate directly, and moving them out of the way was pretty tough to do while keeping the tank easy to look at.

 

[flower]

Originally Posted by dempseyjosh
http:///forum/post/3266556
I feel like more smaller poweheads are better because it is much easier to get to the dead spots or spots with less flow. way easier to hit every corner in the tank with 4 PH's than it is with 2. I started with two larger ones, but quickly went to more smaller ones, i didn't have anything that enjoyed a very high flow rate directly, and moving them out of the way was pretty tough to do while keeping the tank easy to look at.

Very true...I have the #2 Koralia behind some rocks to push water flow to my cave so I can keep a chili coral happy.

 

[bs]

Thanks everyone for your input! I guess I'm just used to freshwater fish...in the past I've had some just die because there was too much of a current in the tank. I guess that doesn't apply to saltwater fish in the same way...they do live in the ocean after all.

 

[videoguy]

I have a 90g also. I run 2 Vortechs (about 2,500 each), a modded Tunze 6025 and a Hydor 1400 behind the rockwork + 500gph return pump. About 8,000 gph turn over. I've thought about adding a wavebox to have more random flow also.

 

[acrylic51]

Waveboxes are sweet. There was a very good thread I can't remember where I read it at, but talked in great detail about types of flow within the system and what we should be trying replicate.