Too much flow?

[guitardude]

Sorry in advance for posting on a topic that has been talked about so much before, but I have looked at old threads and couldn't find any with a similar enough setup to mine to draw a conclusion.

I have a 29g with soft corals: a few different zoanthids, several xenias, star polyps, and a few different mushrooms(some kind of Rhodactis). For equipment producing flow I have a penguin 350 and 2 marineland penguin 1140 powerheads(one in each back corner). I believe this totals up to 950 GPH for about a 32x turnover. I have approximately 35 lbs of liverock in the aquarium as well as a 3/4" sandbed. I removed my CSS 65 a week ago and am running skimmerless at the moment.

The star polyps, which are currently on the sand next to a rock, seem angry with either of the powerheads turned on, even when aimed higher up in the tank.

I am not sure what is going on with one of my mushrooms. The purple (I believe "hairy") mushroom doesn't look quite as nice lately(not extending quite as much) and now has two "mouths"... maybe it will finish splitting soon.


Am I overdoing it on flow?

[Hop]

There could be a few different things going on from the flow to water parameters to light... But it is possible and likely that it is not the amount of flow, but rather the delivery of the flow that could be the issue. The powerheads deliver a narrow, higher velocity stream, rather than a wide, calmer spray.

Ultimately anything you can try to do in order to decrease the velocity and maintain the flow amount would be a good thing. Although in that tank 20-25x turnover should suffice

[guitardude]

Thank you for the quick response =)

So I should either modify the nozzles or point them out of the way at the glass or something?

[scoop]

I bounce the flow off the glass, then to the middle of the tank, that seems to work well.

[mustang_stroked]

You definetly dont want a hurricane..lol..nice easy breeze is what i found to be successful and even getting a wave maker so they arent always going the same way is actually what they really like.