# Do I have too much flow?



## Mike (Jul 16, 2006)

I was losing a battle with cyanobacteria and kept reading that flow would help inhibit it. I called Marine Depot and asked them to sell me the appropriate powerhead for my 55 gallon tank. The person I spoke to suggested two hydor koralia evolution 1050s, rated at 1050gph each. 

Is this too much flow? Since I added them to the tank, the hermit crabs that used to walk around at the bottom of the tank appear to be hiding in crevices in the rocks, I could barely find a place to put the small piece of pulsing xenia I bought without it getting bowled over, and the chromis I added to my display tank this morning look like they are struggling to swim. :-(


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## Pasfur (Mar 29, 2008)

Just so you know, the 1050 is not intended to mean 1050 gallons per hour... this unit flows at 750 gallons per hour. As for flow rate, this is something that you almost have to see in person. I can't really judge this. However, if you are seeing that much flow as you describe, then you probably could reduce to one uniit, or perhaps change the flow directions?

Personally, I prefer multiple slower flow units, as opposed to high output designs.


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## willieturnip (Aug 30, 2009)

That's under 30 times, that shouldn't be problematic at all.. that sounds great in fact.

Can you post a few pictures maybe? Or describe/draw a diagram of how your power heads are pointed etc.


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## njudson (May 21, 2009)

I also have 2 Evo 1050s in a similar sized tank and I think it is a nice flow. Something I have noticed is that the direction they are pointed makes a huge difference. I have one at each end of the tank with the flow pointed up and towards the back or front glass.


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## Mike (Jul 16, 2006)

Thanks, guys. 



Pasfur said:


> Just so you know, the 1050 is not intended to mean 1050 gallons per hour... this unit flows at 750 gallons per hour.


Marine Depot and Foster and Smith Aquatics both indicate that it's rated at 1,050gph. Where did you read that it was rated at 750gph? If you saw that at Marine Depot, you have to choose the 1050 from the drop down, as it displays the 750 by default.



Pasfur said:


> As for flow rate, this is something that you almost have to see in person. I can't really judge this. However, if you are seeing that much flow as you describe, then you probably could reduce to one uniit, or perhaps change the flow directions?


I had the second powerhead off since I started this thread, but this morning I turned it back on and experimented with the flow directions. The one in front of the rock is aimed toward the top of the tank, and the one behind the rock on the opposite side is aimed straight ahead. The two chromis in the tank seem able to handle this just fine. The resultant current pattern gives the xenia a second or two reprieve from being blown around, so hopefully it will do well in these conditions (although it still isn't pulsing). In fact, since the chromis seemed to be doing ok, I turned the MiniJet that was still in the tank on as well.



willieturnip said:


> That's under 30 times, that shouldn't be problematic at all.. that sounds great in fact.
> 
> Can you post a few pictures maybe? Or describe/draw a diagram of how your power heads are pointed etc.





njudson said:


> I also have 2 Evo 1050s in a similar sized tank and I think it is a nice flow. Something I have noticed is that the direction they are pointed makes a huge difference. I have one at each end of the tank with the flow pointed up and towards the back or front glass.


Thanks for letting me know my flow is "in the right ballpark". Here's a picture of the current setup. What do you guys think of the powerhead arrangement?


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