Possible Powerhead/Flow Issue? Help Please...

[mandyplo]

So my tank has been up and running for about 7 months. 55gallon system with 40 lbs of live rock, more to come in the near future.

I recently purchased a protein skimmer (Octopus BH-2000 hang on back) and 2 Hydor Koralia Powerheads (1050 gph each)

The powerheads are SOO powerful... Our cleaner shrimp cannot fight the current to crawl up on his rock...
Our 2 blue Chromis' are hiding in a cave in the rocks gasping vigorously...
We have had the powerheads turned off now for more than 24 hours but the Chromis' are still hiding and gasping

Could the chromis' be stressed from the powerheads? We have NOT assembled or attached the protein skimmer yet, just the powerheads. If the Chromis' are stressed, what can we do to help them? I am at a loss as we have already turned the powerheads off thinking this would help them but it doesn't seem to be doing much...

Another question is, is there a way to turn down the strength/velocity of the power heads to a lower flow? I didn't think they were controllable but maybe there is a way someone knows of to make it less intense...
And where should we be positioning the powerheads? This is how I currently have it set up but I have no idea if this is at all right:

http://i.imgur.com/D9wEH.png

I am getting the boyfriend to do water tests atm and I will update this post as soon as we determine all the parameters. The only test kits I don't have yet are calcium magnesium and alkalinity, they are coming in the mail.

Any recommendations on powerhead placement? Should we place them infront of rockwork to block some flow maybe? I don't know :(
I hope our Chromis' don't die they are our first fish and they look very sickly right now!!!

[mseepman]

If you don't have anything else pushing water in the tank, the gasping maybe from a lack of oxygen in the tank. The Skimmer will help but so will aiming a power head at the surface to create some more agitation. When you turned off the power heads...what was moving the water in the tank?

[mandyplo]

The only thing moving water in our tank before the powerheads was the filter, which is still running, and the Chromis' did fine with just a filter running for about 3-4 months now...

Update: the water parameters are as follows:

Nitrite. Nitrate & Ammonia = 0 or undetectable by our cheap test kit (new one coming in the mail)
pH = 8.3
Salinity = 1.023

So should we turn one power head back on and point it at the surface rather than straight at the glass wall?

Thanks!

[mseepman]

Yes, probably a good idea. Also your salinity is too low...pretty soon your cleaner will bite it at that level. Aim for 1.025 or 1.026

[mandyplo]

Okay, thank you. We mixed up some salt in tank water and added it in. We also put one power head on the left side back of the tank and pointed it to the front of the tank towards top of the water so its not covering a large area and not pushing everyone around like crazy, but its aerating the water for them again.

I hope this works the one Chromis looks very very stressed, I have a feeling he won't make it.

The salinity is now at 1.205...

We usually just feed the Chromis flakes, but we have given them brine shrimp and they just go CRAZY!!! for it... should we put some in and see if it sprites them up a bit?

[bling_bling466]

I would say just run one power head for now pointed up and play with them........(everyone loves getting there hands wet a couple time a day right?????):twised::wink:

[bling_bling466]

Plus you salinity is low if u mean 1.205. Means 1.20

[gregzz4]

The salinity is now at 1.205...
Hope you meant 1.025

Plus you salinity is low
Hope you meant high, not low, if it's truly 1.205

Typos can kill :razz:

[Snaz]

The powerheads are SOO powerful... Our cleaner shrimp cannot fight the current to crawl up on his rock...

+1 turning the powerheads back on.
Shrimp needs to find a new rock.

[mandyplo]

So I just remembered 2 days ago we did the "cyano-x" treatment to get rid of the red algae. Well, the algae is gone but we forgot to put our carbon back in the filter and the directions say to do a 25% water change once all red algae was terminated. The algae is completely gone as of a few hours ago, so needless to say we are doing the water change right now and putting the carbon back in the filter. I have a feeling this is whats stressing the little dudes out.

Here is a video of how fast they are breathing... other than the breathing they look very lively and healthy, they just aren't as rabid as they usually are during feeding right now.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fvg2GnwkD-8&feature=youtube_gdata_player

Edit: RedCyano-RX is the actual name of the red algae treatment, not Cyano-x.