High Energy SPS Tanks

[szidls]

Just wondering if anyone turns down the flow in their sps tanks at all during the night hours?
Scott

 

[CarlaW]

No, I don't .

 

[kevinpo]

With the comparatively low flow of my tank I run wide open day and night even though I have the capability to turn down the flow.

Regards,
Kevin

 

[Maxx]

I keep mine wide open all the time, but that's more design issue than anything else....
My closed loop provides 98% of my water movement and I dont have a way to lower the flow to it that wont cause me issues later. So its pretty much all or nothing.

Nick

 

[SueT]

I used to but it wasn't by my idea and after not seeing any difference I decided to keep the flow wide open. Much better IMO.

 

[les]

My three closed loop pumps are on timers that maintain their "off/on" time throughout a 24 hour cycle. Such as p1 on, then p2 on while p1 and p3 are off, then p3 on while the other two are off. I think you get the picture.

 

[Barbie]

And if you've ever seen Les' tank, you'll have a much better appreciation for the word flow!

Barbie

 

[Fragman]

My favorite part of the Mid Columbia Tank tour was when Les opened up his closed loop to full capacity. The rock work kinda quivered in the current. Thats what I call good water movement!

Paul

 

[Travis]

For flow on my 280 I have 2 Sequence 5800's on CL's, 1 Stream 6200 and an Iwaki 100 for the return. My main circulation CL runs only while the lights are on. My spray bar CL runs for one hour per day to clean the bottom and keep the detritus suspended long enough to be eaten or removed by the skimmer. It also runs at feeding time to suspend detritus for the corals to feed on. At night the circulation is provided only by the return and the 6200. I would run my spray bar CL 24/7 but I don't just to save on electricity and add less heat to the tank. The other closed loop provides some pretty vigourous water movement in some areas so I feel it is beneficial to give the corals in these areas a "break" at night. In the end, I don't think it matters much if you turn down your flow at night or not. Kind of up to the aquarist.

 

[RedEyeReef]

I use my Tunze night mode on my 7095 controller for my 6200, 6100, & 7410 and like the calmer waters at night. All pumps during the day run 12,225 gph turn over and at night about 7,000 gph in my 360 gal. I think turn over rate of 34 time volume is a bit much 24 hrs a day but is great for part of the day. I don't think ocean currents/waves are the same 24/7/365, I think varying it some replicates nature better. JMO.

Travis, I like your idea of spray bar a few hours a day for detritus. I may try that.

 

[Travis]

Travis, I like your idea of spray bar a few hours a day for detritus. I may try that.

If I could run it 24/7 I would but it makes a big difference in how much my chiller needs to run and my electric bill, especially during the summer months.

Running it intermittently works but 24/7 is best if you can. When it kicks on it blows all the detritus off the bottom and there is a sudden increase in particulates in the water. This affects the skimmer, causing the foam to collapse for a good 10-15 minutes. So for those 10-15 minutes, detritus isn't being removed. But the skimmer does start foaming again and then starts taking it out. I'm sure that during those 10-15 minutes that the skimmer isn't foaming, some of the detritus is finding its way into pores in the rocks, but this is going to happen no matter what you do, just a little more in my case when the skimmer isn't foaming.

 

[64Ivy]

I run everything wide open. And if I add anything, it also goes in wide open.

 

[jlehigh]

Hey Scott,

I wish I had time to hunt down a thread where Anthony addresses this question. In summary: Water movement is the mechanism which makes food available to our corals. Less movement = less feeding opportunity. There will never be a point where slowing the flow from typical levels will benefit the coral. You will notice for whatever the reason SPS corals and some LPS extend their polyps the most during lights-out. This seems to me to be prime feeding time where you definately want significant flow transporting food to those lil grabbers

That said, since I believe detritus is a significant food source to corals I will sometimes turn my flow off for a few minutes and then resume it. Since I have alternating flow through 14 inlets this mixes the flow up a little from the previous flow pattern and results in kicking detritus up in previously settles areas. I then resume the flow as usual..

 

[Travis]

You will notice for whatever the reason SPS corals and some LPS extend their polyps the most during lights-out. This seems to me to be prime feeding time where you definately want significant flow transporting food to those lil grabbers

Unfortunately, it is a common misconception that the sps corals are extending their polyps just for feeding. Polyp extension in sps corals is actually more related to "breathing". When the lights go out, photosynthesis stops and CO2 levels increase. When you get an sps coral shipped to you it is usually all polyped out in the bag because the O2 levels are low.

 

[RedEyeReef]

Unfortunately, it is a common misconception that the sps corals are extending their polyps just for feeding. Polyp extension in sps corals is actually more related to "breathing". When the lights go out, photosynthesis stops and CO2 levels increase. When you get an sps coral shipped to you it is usually all polyped out in the bag because the O2 levels are low.

That's interesting, never knew that one.

 

[jlehigh]

Travis,

Great point of clarification. I was aware of this and understand that not a whole lot fits in the mouths of our corals but I would venture they catch more while the polyps are extended versus partially retracted. Probably more so when slime netting though..