Water Current

[camoj11]

Hey, so I just bought my first saltwater aquarium yesterday all set up. I have a little clown fish but he always seems to be swimming against a current in the same spot all day. Is this normal or is the current from the power head to strong.

One more question (for now). How do I clean like in the bottom of the filter area. The guy I bought the tank from didn't use filters or anything so there's a lot of green algae on the bottom.

 

[rdahlke1105]

Was this an established tank? If not then it is WAY too soon to be adding fish. In regards to the algae in the back chambers, which chamber is it in? I'm guess its the center one. If it is I would say take a small dowel put a piece of cheese cloth or something like it and just wipe it out.

 

[camoj11]

Yea, this tank has been established for about 8 months now. I simply transferred it to my house. Do you have any tips about the water current and how strong it should be?

 

[rdahlke1105]

What size tank?

 

[rdahlke1105]

Looking at the pumps that come stock in the 28 gallon, they are UL-Listed Accela Powerheads (266gph each/16W each). I also have a Korleia nano 425 (425gph) in mine currently.

 

[BL1]

The flow from your pumps is enough, clowns are just funny fish and will do weird things in your tank.

 

[rdahlke1105]

So I would say that I have currently 957gph right now.

 

[Bifferwine]

That is common behavior for a lot of clowns. To clean out the filter area, you can take a turkey baster and suck up as much of the gunk as you can when you are doing a water change.

 

[rdahlke1105]

You never said...which chamber in the back is the algae?

 

[camoj11]

The tank is 12 gallons. I don't know much about the pump in it.

 

[camoj11]

The algae is in all 3 sections. There is no filters in there whatsoever.

 

[rdahlke1105]

Ok I think a combination of the siphon the Biff recommended and my dowel suggestion should clean it out. Also you are going to want to get a media basket. If you go over to nano-reefs.com contact urbaneks he makes custom ones that are reasonably priced ($30 for the basket and $10 for shipping). You want to put filter floss in the top chamber of the basket. In the second and third chambers you have your choice. You can do chateo in the second and chemipure in the last or chaeto and live rock rubble. The possibilities are really endless. Personally I am doing fliter floss, purigen/phosban and chemipure elite in that order in the media basket.

 

[Creben]

how did your clown make out? i just posted a thread with the same problem, he keeps swimming against the current looking all stressed.
should i be worried?

 

[camoj11]

Don't be worried. It's easier for him to breath when he is in th current.

 

[adudle00]

...what's a media basket? I'm trying to read up on it, but I'm still a bit confused...? Thanks.