The Benefits of Flow & Nutrition

While it's no secret that stable water chemistry and proper lighting are pivotal for the overall health of your corals, water flow and nutrition are equally important. In fact, water flow and nutrients just might be key to gaining an edge over your coral with even better coloration and faster coral growth.  

So how can I improve coral health with flow? The answer is easy, optimize the rate of flow based on the amount of light you are providing. 

For example, corals that receive a relatively high amount of light, say 200 PAR or more, should receive much more flow than corals in the 100-200 PAR range. Resolving a limited rate of photosynthesis via water flow is often all it takes to go from surviving to thriving! A vast majority of reef tanks suffer from insufficient flow and a good general rule is when it looks like your corals have enough flow, bump it up 10% - 20% more. Adjust the flow patterns and pump placement as necessary to accommodate the aquascape and coral growth over time.

What kind and how much coral food should I use? The best approach is to supplement an increase in energy production (photosynthesis) with a variety of appropriately sized, nutrient-rich prey items on a daily basis. The most successful feeding regimes are often a combination of different dry, live, and refrigerated coral foods. Choose a liquid supplement that contains amino acids and mix it with the daily food mixture along with some saltwater from your aquarium.

Corals naturally feed at night and offering food during the evening will maximize the amount of food the corals can capture and ultimately reduce waste. Reduce the rate of flow in the tank and spot-feed your corals directly using a bulb syringe. Give your corals at least 30 minutes or so to completely capture food items before returning to full flow.

With sufficient flow, the coral's rate of photosynthesis will not be throttled, and complete nutrition provides all of the essential building blocks resulting in increased growth and the very best coloration.