Torch flow

[Murphs_Reef]

My torch is getting far to much flow now I have cleaned my pumps out. I don't really want to reduce it as the tank is getting a good flow around it now.  No idea where to place this torch though as there are coral all over the place.. Ideas would be helpful. 

 

Pumps on both sides of the tank.. on the left a Nero 3 at 75% and on the right a Jecod Sow 8 at 60%.

Zoas, GSP and mushrooms cover the left corner and most of the rockwork in the bottom left corner a small duncan. And a hammer on the lower centre right and one mounted on the Tonga branch on the left ... 😱

 

Red highlights where it is now 

 

Close up of the torch. Was the same size as my hand when flow was reduced

 

[jack1978]

Beautiful tank!

 

[banasophia]

Yes your tank is looking great. Pretty filled in, not sure where to put the torch. Maybe dial back one of the powerheads a bit and put it closer to that one? Maybe drop some food in there to get a better sense of the flow and slower spots? 

[aclman88]

turning down a bit is good or try angling the power heads to alter how the torch receives flow. I would be hesitant to place it near other coral or move it if it was happy tbere

[Murphs_Reef]

Cancel that ask.. it seems to have found its groove under the new flow 

 

[banasophia]

Looks good! 🤩

[spectra]

Yeah looks good and have never had a torch that did not like flow..... unless directly in front of a power head. 

 

frag tanks and local dealer have good flow and the torches love it...... 

[Murphs_Reef]

Yeah man now we are happy.. move it right back

[Murphs_Reef]

In the way if an update... The Torch has bailed its last polyp... I just couldn't get it into a zone where the flow was low enough to keep it gently moving. I guess the flow in the tank is just too high.. for branching LPS I'll stick with Hammers and Duncan's going forward. 

[banasophia]

Sorry to hear about the torch 😞

[mcarroll]

Anything else tweaking this coral like low-PO4 issues or maybe something else?

[Murphs_Reef]

2 hours ago, mcarroll said:

Anything else tweaking this coral like low-PO4 issues or maybe something else?

I'm not sure. It could be, there was an instability event during July but parameters have since become more stable, if anything they are very slowly creeping down but nothing that should cause bailout? 

[mcarroll]

I guess it was just really getting nailed by the return pump outlet if that's all that was going on.  

 

If that's it, then it's worth re-working that outlet to be better in some way....put a Hydro Flo on it, or a flat spreader....something.  Maybe even downsizing the return pump?

[Murphs_Reef]

1 hour ago, mcarroll said:

I guess it was just really getting nailed by the return pump outlet if that's all that was going on.  

 

If that's it, then it's worth re-working that outlet to be better in some way....put a Hydro Flo on it, or a flat spreader....something.  Maybe even downsizing the return pump?

Yeah possibly. I have turned the return down to 50% so around 2k gal per hour.. the jecod sow 8 and Nero 3 are down to 50% each as well, BUT that has created dead spots which I'm not happy about. Now the torch is gone I might up the wave pumps again as the hammers and Duncan's seem to be ok in a little higher flow. 

This is the problem with the taller tank... Getting flow throughout the tank top to bottom without going daft is challenging.

[mcarroll]

5 hours ago, Murphych said:

I have turned the return down to 50% so around 2k gal per hour..

???

 

What size tank is this?   What is your return pump make and model?   And is the sump right under the tank? 

 

And what year is it???

[Murphs_Reef]

 

3 hours ago, mcarroll said:

???

 

What size tank is this?   What is your return pump make and model?   And is the sump right under the tank? 

 

And what year is it???

It's my reefspace 92gallon with sump yes. 

 

Aha! Not 2k gal per hour... Typo... It's set to 2k litre per hour. 

[mcarroll]

Thank you for that....mars rover again... 😉 

 

92 gallon tank, 2000 flow rate (500 GPH)...

 

If it helps, IMO you can take that down to 200 GPH (800L/h) without losing anything significant filtration-wise.  The injector you have in the return now is kinda like having an unconverted MaxiJet 2000 in your tank.....which doesn't exist of course.  If you want to push higher flow you need to un-focus it at the outlet somehow....lots of options depending how it's plumbed now, etc.

 

Kick it old-school with a SCWD or an Ocean's Motions setup!

• https://www.oceansmotions.com/product/4-way-240v/
• https://3iqventures.com/products/1-scwd-wave-maker-switching-current-water-director

 

It looks like you might have a loc-line outlet:

Those are the two standard tips.....ideally you could at least switch to the fan tip.  A spray-bar would be even better....might have to DIY it tho.

 

Or just scale the flow back to the range I suggested....I'm sure it'll be fine there.