Your Reef Tank Needs MORE FLOW!

I now run SIX Gyre XF350's in my tank as well as the dual return from the abyzz A200 return pump. In this video I talk about why you should add more flow to your tank and why flow is so important and overlooked in the hobby!

[@stevemunn367]

This is probably the best reef tutorial I’ve seen, I look forward to seeing more like this 👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻

[@ReefNerd]

Wow thank you!

[@sandroaces]

Check out bulk reef supply

[@KingPinOutdoors]

Feed mode was designed for spot feeding corals not fish, so that’s why feed mode is marketed it’s not directed to fish

[@sunnygoold9449]

For me this is your 2nd best video (the best is the one with your missus) - I loved this and so true - particularly in regards to fish feeding. I just added a small Tunze (AC) for this very reason.

[@ReefNerd]

Awesome thanks!

[@andersiniesta]

Great video! I have been so confused about which and how many flow pumps to go with and how to set them up. This helped a lot - thanks!

[@stephenbassett1610]

Hi Marcus, thank s for that insight on flow, I will be acting on that advise, thank you.Steve 😊

[@sa7el]

This was extremely helpful, subscribed!!

[@robing8705]

I'm six months in on my 5ft 100 gallon reef tank, till two week ago i only had a MP60 (i know, overkill but i got it on the cheap). Then i added an Nero 5 to put it on the other side, slightly tilted upwards to enhance surface agitation. With my 1250 gallon per hour return pump i thought i was good. This morning i watched this video and already purchased a xf 330 gyre lmao 😂

[@TheJordanSchoen]

Great video man.

[@ReefNerd]

thanks!

[@flyinbryan7151]

Finally someone addresses the nonsense that is ‘feed mode’!! The more the food blows around the better, everyone gets fed that way!!

[@Merknilash]

Yeah sorry, hard disagree I have fish that have to be target fed. Good luck acclimating a new Copperband or making sure your YWG gets food.

[@BigRigWA]

I never use feed mode for the fish, corals is a different story. I find that the food whizzing around the tank allows all the fish a chance to eat otherwise the sailfin tang hogs it. And damn you Marcus, I just added 2 more gyres onto my afterpay. I'll send you the bill 🤣🤣🤣

[@ReefNerd]

HAHA enjoy! You wont regret it!

[@larssloth6220]

Greate video. Random flow in the aquarium is always a good topick 👍

[@ReefNerd]

Thanks!

[@kevin8360]

At the recommendation of this videos title, I upped my flow. The fish blew out and the live rock swirls around like a tornado. The corals pretty much look like a smoothie now. Is this enough? 😊

[@insanity4224]

Lol I have NEVER understood the idea behind ‘feed mode’ glad I’m not the only one! Fish like to chase ‘live’ food! Same reason lures don’t just sit in the water, movement solicits a feeding response.

[@ReefNerd]

Totally!

[@kevin8360]

Coral feeding…

[@arsenioseslpodcast3143]

Wish I had known this before. The algae I had in my tank suffocated the fish and everything in my 16 gallon. Took 2 months off, started a 6 gallon, and now I have a wavemaker and a pretty big filter and provides great flow.

[@Newt211]

Thank you! I believe you are right and that people underestimate flow. I have my first tank coming in a few days and I just picked up a second powerhead. After watching your video I think getting another 2 in a few months would be a good idea. I think you nailed the stagnant water issue on how a coral breathes, feeds, and removes waste and how people under estimate the most crucial aspect of a healthy tank. **what is the coral at your thank you screen at the end called?** What species is it?

[@clintonyorke]

Great video. BTW I use reverse mode twice a day for 5 mins 10 sec foward 15 backwards with 4 secs ramp and it helps keep it clean. I also shade the gyres with a cover on the rim of the tank that adds shade stopping algae growth as it receives hardly any light.

[@ReefNerd]

Great idea!

[@MiloTinCan]

Great video! Have you tried fixing flow accelerators to your returns? It’s a cheap and good hack to increased and randomized flow.

[@eues803]

Well I don't have a Salt water aquarium, but i undestood everything you said since it maré só much since, buy the way, very Nice looking tank, great corals and fish.

[@ReefNerd]

Glad it was helpful!

[@vegetadt6348]

I keep flow high during feeding as well and fish freed good. I have 4 wavemakers on a redsea 170

[@ReefNerd]

Nice work!

[@gooma99]

Great video so a question from a fellow Aussie what would you do for a mixed reef in a waterbox cube10

[@ericgasparro2545]

Interesting observations around feeding, in the wild there's two periods of 'still' water that occur daily around the changing of the tide. Typically a lot of fish will stop feeding around this time as they're used to waiting for the current to carry food to them.

[@ReefNerd]

Yea I agree!

[@richardportelli1983]

You have inspired me mate, Just got my 3 foor reefer 250 running a few weeks ago. I'm noticing a few corals don't have very good PE or are retracted after the move. I'm thinking the one wavemaker is not doing the job. But I've been putting it off after I recently tried a new pump that was way too big so I sent it back. Going to look at some smaller pumps but just buy like 4 of them instead.

[@ReefNerd]

Yeah remember its way better than run 4 pumps on 20% then 1 pump on 80%

[@richardportelli1983]

@@ReefNerd yeah I would love to oversize all the pumps also but in smaller tanks it looks rubbish. But I'm going to try for pumps around 9000 to 1000 litres per hour. Maybe 2 traditional style pointing at the surface and 2 small gyre pumps on the back like you done yours.

[@robertverzin1235]

Looks like Billy is about to sell me a couple more Gyres 🤣

[@ReefNerd]

haha hope so

[@stellarlivingstoned]

20 minutes on flow? 6 pumps? Genius!

[@knasereddin]

I like what you said lots of people believe that flow is more important than light my problem every time I increase my flow in the tank my mushrooms get disconnected from the plugs I can't find the perfect flow for the mix tank I have but as you said maybe I should have more smaller waze Maker than the huge ones that I have

[@ReefNerd]

Yea I should have mentioned that mushrooms and riccordea are maybe the biggest exception to what I said int he video... they dont often tolerate strong flow and it serves make them walk or detach... Specifically they can be a hard balance for a high flow tank, try to find the lowest flow areas of the tank and thats where you can keep those kinds of coral

[@soflosuds]

Nice how you think I should get tank is 66x36x20 right 4 mp40 ?

[@ppsthlm]

What’s your view on Vortech? I’ve got a new tank arriving tomorrow. 120cm x 80cm, 50cm tall. My idea is to go for 2 Gyre 350s and 2 MP40s. After seeing this video I realize I might need even more. Thanks for that.🤨🤣 No seriously, a great video. Thanks.

[@ReefNerd]

It's good. Lots of people love them. Really, as long as it moves water, any wavemaker is going to do the job! I dont have any Vortech myself, but mostly because of the form factor of the dry side does not suit my purposes. I like the slimline exterior magnet of the Gyres. Give your tank is brand new, 2 xf350's and 2x MP40's will be an awesome way to start, set them up with some good cross flow coming from the sides and back and youll be sweet!

[@rc2300s2r]

Feed Mode for me in my 120g = 2 return pumps (Varios 6)down to 10% and my 2 Nero 3 and 2 Nero 5 power up. The fish love it and everyone gets food too since it’s blowing all over.

[@ReefNerd]

Exactly, give the fish something to do and make their behavior much more natural to have to chase their food!

[@kfea2382]

I’ve got 3 mp 40 in water box 100.3 is that good great aquamaxx skimmer 1.5 times needed in proper depth

[@andy2798100]

You have inspired me but I still don't quite know how I'm going to achieve it. I have bought so many powerheads, ive got a nero 3, maxspect jump gyre, tunze 6040, jebao sow4 and a jebao slw10. I only have a 125 tank so I don't want to put too many powerheads on it. So far the maxspect jump gyre gives a nice flow but it's all one way so the corals all lean in one direction so I took it off the tank. The nero 3 gives a nice flow but with the fish guard on you can only have it flat against the glass and I wasn't getting much surface agitation so I removed it. Tunze 6040 is ok but I get a lot of vibration with it so stopped using it. I've got back to using a jebao sow4 one end and a jebao slw10 on the other end. Both pumps aiming at the surface slightly off centre. So I've got one frogspawn coral that keeps receding and I've got a few gorgonian corals that have stopped opening. I will try adding a 3rd powerhead but know idea where to put it. Maybe I will see if I can make use of the maxspect jump gyre. Great video. Thank you.

[@ReefNerd]

Any power head that is too strong or loud or causing vibrations could be solved usually by running the, at a much lower percentage, if the vibration or noise persists it could be faulty? Most are designed to be silent. You dont need all the powerheads to be giving surface agitation either, having flow low down in the tank is just as important. Try adding a couple of yours back on the tank and running them on lower settings and pointing in all different directions, will help randomise the flow

[@andy2798100]

@@ReefNerd thank you. The tunze 6040 is faulty, it was sent for repair when I first bought it but it’s never been right. Thanks for the advice, I will try adding some powerheads lower down on a slower setting.

[@mohamadosman9236]

What are your thoughts on a wavebox on efficacy on the flow they offer?

[@ReefNerd]

In general waveboxes went out of trend, they are pretty inefficient and also have a tendency to cause spills or put a lot of pressure on silicon seams of some tanks. I have never personally used one though

[@dingyah]

@@ReefNerd howdy, feel like ill chime in here. I use a tunze wavebox on a waterbox 130.4,, along with 2 gyres and they're actually incredibly efficient in terms of moving water for the wattage they use. They also dont really put enough pressure to make having a tank's life risky as you would have upgraded by a decade or so - most tanks that are new are built to last decades. The trade off is of course, you lose some space for a literal box in a corner, but if you're looking for full flow throughout the tank the wavebox has been a great addition to kill any dead spots in the tank.

[@antonp6917]

Ive killed plenty of coral with too much flo

[@ReefNerd]

there is a line between too much and too little that needs to be walked carefully. Though in my experience the signs of giving a coral too much flow are pretty obvious and easy to identify. The signs of not enough flow... not so much many reefers dont identify this

[@MicrobiusBlue]

I now run 2 Jebao Slw10 on my reef, lovely wide flow and silent...I have a box of more expensive "premium pumps" just sitting there from the past 20 years as the Jebeo slw beats them all, the premium priced pump manufacturers should be ashamed

[@ReefNerd]

Totally! However the ones you have sitting in a box, maybe add them into your tank as well, even if you just run them on 20-30% it will do way more value than sitting in a box!

[@MrDUSTYBOY272]

I have a Nero 3 running at 75% in a 240 litre. With 6500 lph internal filter output opposite. Is this enough?

[@ReefNerd]

Hard to say. look to the shape of your rock scape and how it effects the flow and coral to tell you if its enough. With SPS in particular varied random flow is key. This can be difficult to achieve with only 2 points of flow.

[@ppsthlm]

Also, do you go for a lower flow during the night?

[@ReefNerd]

I dont. Flow remains pretty active all the time

[@Anton-42]

Sand is such a issue mine is so light it's getting blown around soo much

[@taylor4tails]

How many power points are you using? looks like i need to buy a new powerboard hahaha

[@ReefNerd]

4 of the gyres are running off a hydros controller, so a single power supply there. the other two are running off their original maxspect controller which with the xf350's means another small power supply for each one. So 3 in total for my 6 gyres.

[@robertlopez2283]

So is it true they break down a lot? Or are hard to clean?

[@ReefNerd]

All 6 of mine, as well as the 3 that I used for 3 years on my old tank are all running and have never had a failure. Iv had a single bushing need replacing, but spares are included in the kit... As for cleaning... they are in my opinon no harder or easier than any other wavemaker to clean, take them out of the tank disassemble (tool less, just push and pull them apart) and soak in citric acid, light scrub, reassemble, good to go, I do this maybe once every 6 months

[@NickRosePhotos]

I really don’t see the return pump as contributing to the in tank flow. Most of the time people will be running the pump low to get 5x or lower turn over rate. You really don’t need that high of turn over rate.

[@damiankrawczuk87]

ja mam 4

[@chrisparker5962]

yep sorry not like me i just had one of gyre packup so i took it out on you very sorry

[@ReefNerd]

haha i certainly didnt have the money to buy 6x XF350's new... i collected them over time second hand from facebook market place