Too Much Flow?

[Inconservatory]

The flow in my tank seemed like it was at a good level to take care of the SPS in my tank, but I recently added a sailfin tang and even he is having a hard time getting a handle on stabilizing himself. I'm not sure if this is mainly due to him being in a low-current environment from QT and the LFS. My main fear would be that he won't be able to get a good night's rest, or that just fighting through the currents would be too stressful.

Thinking forward; if a tang can't handle the water movement within the aquarium, then I have doubts about clowns, cardinals, and especially mandarins thriving in this environment.

I have compromised with the sps and fish by putting one of the larger pumps on a timer with 15 min off/ 30 min on during the day and 15 min off/ 15 min on during the night. I have a Koralia 1 and two 1300gph pumps in a 65gal.

Thank you for your insight.

 

[Myteemouse]

I have a sloid 7000 GPH flow that never turns off in my 125 All my fish find happy rest spots at night no problem.
My tang loves it.

 

[MGDMIRAGE]

Yeah your current flow is standing at 46 times turnover plus some change shouldn't be anywhere near too much. I at one time had 85 times turnover in my 20 and nobody complained It's now at 77.5 fairly turbulent but all fish get around just fine.

 

[Herefishyfishy]

Before any advice, need a LOT more info
Tank size and shap, how much live rock and placement, what creates flow and outlets, how large are coral colonies. Rock and coral creates "wind-brakes" some small pumps could be too large in some tanks, and some HUGE powerheads might not be enough. A couple pictures would also help, placement is the real key.

 

[roscoe]

I have around 16000gph in my 270g tank right now. Granted the vortechs and tunzes are on controllers and they are not full speed all the time. So I think your flow is fine.

 

[leebca]

Unless you're talking in the range of 'hurricane' style water flows, a healthy fish can stabilize itself quite well.

 

[mal1099]

yeah i have 3700gph in my 52 cube and my fish seem ok just turn my vortchs off at feedign time.

 

[Inconservatory]

Thanks for the input, everyone!

I have a 65gal, about 48"x16"x18". I'll need to get more precise measurements.

Here is a picture of my tank setup:

There is a larger powerhead on the left side, next to the Koralia 1. I went ahead and put that larger powerhead on a timer with 15 mins off and 30 mins on during the day, while the nighttime has 30 mins off and 15 mins on at night.

The tang in question is about the size of a half-dollar. He struggles to get around, but can race from one end of the tank to another. I don't see him at night, so I assume that he's found a safe place to rest.

 

[Myteemouse]

yes TANGS LOVE flow.. If you see him zip from one side to the other if scared or playing he's fine..
Mind you I had two k-4's in a 29 gallon tank thats near 100x turnover..
My tang was fine.. but now in the 125 he will go face to face with a K-4 and pick the little algae off the inside of the power head .. funniest thing I think I've seen..
As for a t night.. yes the yellow tang (most fish in general) will find a hiding spot at night..
I will come out to my tank and only see the clown swimming next to my fragspawn.. the other 12 fish are hiding for the night..

 

[Inconservatory]

MyTeeMouse, tangs are supposed to be kings of flow, which makes the following statement so strange:

I've come home tonight to find my beloved sailfin tang's dorsal torn something terrible! I've turned off the pump and will probably get something lighter. I assume that when he grows up a little, the water movement would be more manageable.

I will look up more information on mending tattered fins, but does anyone have advice at the moment?

 

[Myteemouse]

If you have good water it will heal quickly..
I have had fish with chunks of fins and scratches and they heal within weeks if not days if not too big..
I would think the flow is not the suspect.. ( I could be wrong) unless he bumped into some rocks ..
What are you other critters in the tank???

 

[Inconservatory]

The only other fish in the tank is a green chromis. There are a few shrimp and an assortment of sessile inverts.

My worry is that the constant flux of the larger pump would take the tang up too quickly when it comes on and cause too much pressure on each side, possibly tearing the fin in that way.

 

[leebca]

You need a proper diagnosis. Though we can't give definitive diagnoses, at least you want to have something to rely upon before embarking upon a treatment.

If the fish is having trouble stabilizing and there are tattered fins, then investigate to the best of your ability the reason(s). Was there damage/injury done to the fish when it was captured? transferred? bagged? acclimated? etc. Nets often do cause fin damage.

A fish will repair fin damage not only with good water quality but at least if they have and are given proper nutrition. Fins heal remarkably fast, so if they don't something else is going on (bad nutrition, for instance). Water flow will not cause fin damage.

If maintaining balance is a real persistent issue, then there may be an internal problem with the fish from bladder to other disorders caused by physical (injury) or pathogen. At this point, until you can establish a good reason or causative pathogen, the fish is fine where it is. Provide proper nourishment and environment and monitor the fish closely.

 

[Myteemouse]

well said lee
I was assuming they have the proper diet..
My fish heal Super fast. ( they eat better than me sometimes LOL)

 

[Inconservatory]

Their fins DO heal super fast! I check the tang this morning and about a half of the damage has been repaired. I'll tinker with the flow so that it's more circular instead of clashing in the middle.

 

[Inconservatory]

LEE - The tang looks like he's having no trouble keeping balance, but he has to give it his all to swim against the pump. This sort of looks like a satellite returning to Earth, but without all of the flames and debris. I will have more of a chance to watch his behavior in the day this weekend and may come up with some more information. Thanks for the info!

 

[Herefishyfishy]

No idea how everything is set up so let me ask a couple Qs:
Are the pump return or outlets jet type with a small nozzle or fan shaped?
All pointed in same direction creating a tank vortex?
Why so much current created?

Best to have random broad flows in lieu of uniform concentrated jets.

 

[Inconservatory]

Sure thing, Fishy, let me try and describe the setup.

I have a Rio 2500 pushing water from the sump to the main tank. The outlet for this is fan shaped and in the back left corner of the tank. It rests diagonally so as to stir up some surface distortion, or else debris tends to collect and circle on the left side of the setup.

There is a koralia 1 on the left side of the tank to supplement more flow and to break up the incoming water. I read that crossing the streams of pumps helps to create a more random flow, which really helps for SPS corals.

On the right side of the tank, coming from the back wall, is a 1300gph I bought off of eBay. It's an off-brand (or "no brand," as it does not have a logo anywhere on the gadget), so I don't know it's level of quality, but it works very well and has a large circular outlet about an inch in diameter in the front. The force from this pump tends to sweep into the rounded acrylic front corner and slide across the front of the tank. I had intended for this pump to ricochet water when it hit the front panel, but the rounded corner seems to help the flow spread across the front of the tank.

I had an extra pump of the same type on the left, where the koralia 1 was, but when I saw the trouble the tang had fighting the two opposing forces, I put the pump on a timer. My novice assumption would be that the continual ON and OFF of the heavy pump took the tang by surprise, so it would have to turn two quickly, possibly tearing his fins in the process.

I've had many bettas with torn fins when released into a tank with moderate flow, which had to be moved to one of those cruel-looking betta bowls. I figured that flow would be to blame for this instance. The chromis, however, was doing fine in the tank, probably because its fins are so small and close to its body.

If I may have a Poppa moment, I would like to say that my sailfin and chromis love palling around with each other. They make a sweet couple, that is until feeding time!

I hope this clarifies some. Here's a picture of my setup: