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Friday, September 27, 2013

Why Is Water Flow So Important In Your Reef Aquarium?

1. Laminar Flow - Laminar flow of water is the flow where the water flows horizontally, in a single direction. The flow is produced by a mechanism called as a powerhead from one side of the reef aquarium, and it continues to flow to the other end continuously. The handicap with the laminar flow of water is that it does not provide for any sort of vertical flow of the water.

2. Power Flow or Surge Flow - In this type of flow in the reef aquarium, the water is made to flow horizontally in one direction for some minutes, and then suddenly stopped and forced to flow in the other direction for a shorter time. Thus, the flow of water is kept horizontal, but the directions are reversed in alternation.

3. Turbulent Flow - The turbulent flow is a specialized method of water flow where the water is simultaneously allowed to flow in several different directions. Turbulence is best for the inhabitants of a reef aquarium, because in the natural state the water is in a turbulent state of motion. It also helps to exercise the reef inhabitants in several different ways.

Whatever the type of flow maintained in the reef tank, it has certain special benefits for the inhabitants. The following are the main benefits it provides:

1. In nature, the water in the seas and oceans is in a perpetual state of motion, and it is important to replicate this environment in the reef aquarium so that the inhabitants find it as close to their natural habitat as possible.

2. If there is no flow maintained in the reef aquarium, then the motile organisms in the reef aquarium will become sluggish and lethargic. However when a flow is maintained, the animals will need to constantly plow with or against the flow. That helps them to exercise their bodies and become healthier.

3. Maintaining a flow in the aquarium is a means of cleaning the tank. The flow helps to flush out the embedded impurities and even microorganisms from the corals and other such static organisms within your reef tank. It also helps to clean the fish, since the flow can clean out difficult areas such as those behind the dorsal fins.

4. The flow in the aquarium also helps to distribute the nutrients and other materials in the aquarium in a proper manner. This is also important to maintain the proper flow of gases in the aquarium such as carbon dioxide, and to maintain the ammonia cycle. This is very important in maintaining the proper amount of pH throughout in the aquarium. This is also imperative for proper growth and development of the organisms in the reef aquarium.

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