Powerhead Position And Flow.

[HappyGeorge]

I have just added two Common Clowns to my 80l MT50 (24 hours ago), the thread for setting it up was in Nano section but it's very quiet in there so thought I would ask this question here.

I have a Newave 1000 powerhead, currently running at 1400lph.

I am new to marine and am used to seeing strong swimming Malwai's swimming into and against the Newave 5500 with apparent ease and enjoyment, however the Clowns seem to be sticking to lower half of the tank in one or two areas. At the moment I have the internal circulation pump running from which the outlet is up high and pointed to the front of the tank with the Newave 1000 at the front pointing at the pile of rock in the middle of the tank.

Question is should I be turning the powerhead off at all i.e at feeding times or at night, in order to give them a break, or is it their want to restrict themselves to one part of the tank. Is it just their unusual swimming style that makes it look like they are struggling?

Should I move the powerhead, either moving permanently or move it each night to just blow across the top of the tank towards the refugem inlet?

Should I buy a second Newave 1000 to cancel out/re-distribute some of the current?

Many Thanks.

 

[HappyGeorge]

Not wanting to pester anyone but there have been 148 people through this forum in the last 2 hours, surely someone must have some useful advice.........pretty please.

 

[Donya]

I haven't kept clowns so far, so I can't comment on the swimming style, but turning powerheads off briefly at feeding time couldn't hurt. If should at least let the fish eat more of the food before it blows away and gets stuck somewhere in the rock. If the swimming style changes a lot during feeding with the flow decreased, I would think that might also show a need for some kind of rearrangement, but someone else with more clow experience will have to chime in of course. I wouldn't turn the powerhead off completely overnight though, since that's probably asking for tank stability problems.

 

[HappyGeorge]

Thanks, when I turned it off earlier their swimming style (style used in its loosest possible context) didn't change that much to be honest. Have just put lights back on today and they are a little more adventurous, but I'm a bit dissappointed that they don't want to put more effort into exploring my aqua-scaping, don't they realise how long I spent choosing the right rocks and then viewing them from every possible angle? Ungrateful little beggars.

 

[Siamese Fighter05]

I used to run a 16gal nano which housed a small percula clown and remember having this problem myself. The tank had a maxijet 1200 and an interpet 400 if i remember rightly.

I noticed that you added them recently and you will probably find that in another couple of days the clowns will acclimatize to the flow from the powerheads and have no problem swimming through the flow. Turning the powerhead off during feeding times for the next couple of days could help but after they get used to it you will be fine to leave them on.

I wouldn't recommend turning off the pumps at night as that would be no good for the setup, the clowns will find somewhere comfortable to sleep at a night time out of the way of the flow. Mine used to sleep on top of the maxijet on his side on a nightime

 

[Eversurf]

You also have to remember that clowfish stay in a very small area of the tank. Mine always hang out at the same 2-3 spot at the bottom of the tank. Since they have been in your tank for less than 24 hours they are most likely still getting use to the tank. What size are they? Their size is in a close relationship with the size of their swimming area, the bigger the clown fish are the more likely they are to move around in the tank. In a bigger tank they will get bigger and make their teritory much larger.

Just be patient and make sure your water condition is good.

Have fun!!!!


-Surf

 

[seffieuk]

Hi

Clowns are funny little things - they have a swimming style all of their own! They do often prefer one place to another in a tank, doesnt sound at all odd to me

Seffie x

 

[spadge]

Agreed with seffie, plus from my research and i must stress research and not experience, clowns often find an area with low currents, in fact the advice sheet i read stated they will often sit in corners behind pump return flow and powerheads etc, it did also say there as loopy as a bag of nuts when it comes to swimming styles

 

[DarrenUnwin]

Agreed with seffie, plus from my research and i must stress research and not experience, clowns often find an area with low currents, in fact the advice sheet i read stated they will often sit in corners behind pump return flow and powerheads etc, it did also say there as loopy as a bag of nuts when it comes to swimming styles

Totally agree, mine sits behind the outlet from my filter system, although will move (waddle) about once its dinner time. I think this is usual behaviour, in all my years if diving, I cant recall seeing any swimming in open water, apart from in the the disney film