Too much flow?

[markrj]

My clowns stay in their "cave" pretty much all the time unless I turn off a power head or two.

When I turn off the two closest to their cave, they will wander out and swim around.

I have a 900ghp Marineland and two 1200gph Hydor Koralias.

My current filter is a magnum 350 canister which will be changed to a sump/refugium soon.

 

[Samhain]

The general rule of thumb is 40x your tank capacity, so roughly 3000 gph turnover in a 75 gallon. You're at about 3300, so not grossly overcirculated. There are people that say if you don't have a sandstorm going, you don't have too much flow. As for the clowns, I don't know what to say! They may just not like the flow. Have you tried pointing your powerheads in a different direction, away from the cave your clowns are occupying?

 

[markrj]

I am going to play around with placement of the power heads.

I do not point the flow directly at their cave. It flows above but the power heads are right next to the cave so maybe a different placement will help.

Thanks!

 

[AmberSunrise]

I am sorry but 40x is not a rule of thumb that I am familiar with. I have heard everything from 5x to 30x but 40x that seems like a lot to me and you are at like 44gph.

I would also argue that if your fish do not come out until you turn them down or off then you have to much flow for their comfort.

But every person, tank and fish are all different, some love high flow some dont.

 

[markrj]

Thinking about taking the 900gph out and using it as a spare. It needs to be cleaned anyway. lol

 

[AmberSunrise]

Thinking about taking the 900gph out and using it as a spare. It needs to be cleaned anyway. lol

That's what I would do personally. Its always great to have backups! I hope your fish come out more now.

 

[little_fish]

I have my tank turned over a 46x times per hour and my fish and corals love it.

 

[AmberSunrise]

I have my tank turned over a 46x times per hour and my fish and corals love it.

Yeah I guess just like people every one is different! My poor seahorses would not do well in that LOL they would be plastered to the wall.

 

[markrj]

It's a 950gph Aqueon not a 900ghp Marineland.

Oh well, it's out of the tank now, clean and ready for emergency use should one of the 1200s die.

 

[little_fish]

ya, i dont think the seahorse would like that much! But the chormis really love all the flow, they like to get in the stream and fly across the tank. Or they sit right infront of the flow like a dog with their head out the car window.

to the OP, i would high suggest making the water stream bounce off the walls of the tank, rocks, or point them at each other so that there isnt a constant jet of water. This will create more random movement of the water which everyone seems to like much better.

 

[markrj]

Thanks again little_fish!

I love this place!