too much flow?

[lonewolfandson]

hi guys and gals,

my first post so sorry if someone asked this before. i have tried looking for the info but i cant find it. i bought a 90 gal already up and running. this is my first salt tank and i am confused on how much flow is needed in the tank? i have two "kodalia 3 - 850 gph" on each side of the tank. and where ever i am pointing these they are kicking up sand. should i have both in or only one? and where would you point it? i do have a anemone, mushroom and xenia in the tank with 6 fish if that has anything to do with it.

thanks,
derek

 

[marcah]

It depends on what you have in for corals..
Softies require a slower flow rate of up to 20 times per hour while if you jump up to more lps then a 20 to 40 times per hour is needed, then if you are going to go with more sps corals up to an 80 times per hour rate..

and welcome to the site hope you get the answers you are looking for.. enjoy
that is a flow rate of around 20 times per hour so it isnt to much for what you have try pointing them more upwards to move the top more.. You will want a good flow on the nem and xenia.. The mushrooms don't require as strong a flow..

 

[Bifferwine]

I used to have Koralia 3s in my 90 gallon tank. I used 4 of them. So I don't think that 2 is too many.

Where are you positioning your powerheads? Near the top of the water? If they are at the surface, they shouldn't be kicking up sand like that.

 

[lonewolfandson]

thanks for answering. the powerheads are located on both ends towards the back. they are kind of shooting towards each other almost. one is really pointing up and the other is shooting just below that current. i hope that makes sence. neither thou are pointing any where near the bottom. for the xenia and nem i want them swaying right. not raging all over and with that much it seems to me that they are getting worked over.

 

[marcah]

doesn't have to be swaying to much but do want quite a bit on them.. the nem will sway more..,, the nem if it doesn't have enough flow may start walking on you .... I personally like to have the powerheads poinitng towards the front of the glass on slight angles toward eachother so I get some deflection from the glass to disperse the flow some...

 

[lonewolfandson]

thanks for the help,

and i dont know what i did wrong but after searching for powerhead placement i got a ton of the same question asked. sorry everybody for that. but i did not find thew answer to this question. can i remove the powerhead directional cone? i hope somebody understands that. my powerheads have a piece that pops off on the front of it. with these off the tank is still moving but not raging.

 

[marcah]

Is it something like this?
3200gph DUAL TWIN WAVE MAKER AQUARIUM PUMP POWERHEAD | eBay

If you meant a directional cone like that then yes it can be removed...

 

[lonewolfandson]

yep that is it. thanks for the help. i took those off and have both running everybody looks happy and i dont have any sand floating around.

thanks again for the help.
derek

 

[marcah]

good luck and enjoy :D