Water movement - how important is it?

[GoLowDrew]

I read and understand the benefits of water movement.

My quesiton is, how much is needed on a 29G tank? My water movement is my filter now. Do I need to add a power head back? How do I know if there is enough movement?

[acrodave]

A lot of it depend on what you are keeping.But with any coral water flow is good to remove waste and bring food in a 29 i would get a maxi jet 900 or any of the other ones out there something in the 230gph range

[steri]

It's pretty important. It helps to move the water through your LR which is your main filter. Also, the more it's moving, the less of a chance you will have to get things like hair algae problems later on down the line (assuming params are ok). I think 10 times the volume of the tank is a minimum. A lot of people have 20 times their water volume. Personally, I have around 15 times, I think I could use more flow ;)

[papagimp]

One of the most important reasons I don't see mentioned here, your corals can't go walking aroudn the tank quick enough to get all the oxygen they need....they will rely on water movement so they can 'breath'. Also keeps particulate matter in suspension until the filtration can take it out of the tank (mechanical filtering, sump, fuge, ect. ect.)

[joesfiddy]

i have a koralia 2 600gph and a 3 850 gph on a 55 gallon tank i have lots and lots of flow

[Playa-1]

Flow is important and how much you need all depends on what your going to keep in the tank. Flow that works great for one creature will stress another creature. If your just keeping a FOWLR tank then i think the rule of thumb is roughly 20x your display tank volume.

[jgiannini]

I have 2 koralia 3's in my 38 gallon tank....plus the flow from the skimmer and canister filter. It may be too much flow, but I'll adjust as things get added.

[Vin7250]

the denitrifying bacteria resides deeeeeep within the "nooks and cranny's" of the live rock and only with strong flow can the water reach these bacteria to be "denitrified"!!

[viperdragon666]

ya i have a 29gal and the only thing i have in the tank for water movement is a koralia 3 with 850gph and it is almost to much so i wouldnt go with anything more then that unless ur going bare bottom cause i have trouble with my sand moving and it is pointed at the top of the water i think a koralia 2 would be great for u

[Vin7250]

29 GAL really calls for about 600gph flow so for whatever thats worth!!

[viperdragon666]

ya but u have to think u really dont have 29gallons of water in the tank i made up 30 gallons of water for mine and i still had about 5 left over so really its 24 gallons if not less so it ups everthing a little

[Vin7250]

it ups what??, if you have a 29 gallon tank you should have about 600gph in flow thats just my opinion though....the 3 or 4 gallons you lose due to displacement is irrelevant

[DrBegalke]

I'd go with a couple of koralia 2's or similar.

Flow is probably the most important, after lighting.

[steri]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=11148219#post11148219 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by jgiannini
I have 2 koralia 3's in my 38 gallon tank....plus the flow from the skimmer and canister filter. It may be too much flow, but I'll adjust as things get added.

I have always understood that one should not be counting the 'flow' they get from their skimmer in the amount of flow in the tank. Just an FYI.