Rate by importance

[TRDfan]

when it comes to a well maintained reef system, which one of the 3 is most important?? water quality or flow or lighting??

#1 _______?
#2 _______?
#3 _______?

is water quality (regualar water changers) good if there is not enough flow?? vice versa. Does lighting matter if there is not enough flow?? vice versa...ect

 

[MikeC]

Check out my sig

 

[prattreef]

As your question implies all 3 are important. If I had to rank them I'd go:

Water quality
Flow
Lighting

 

[beerfish]

In human terms, this equates to rating food, water, and oxygen.

Oxygen is in constant need, but you won't live long without food and water.

None of these will replace another, though some are more immediate needs. I'm going to step outside of the common thought here and place water flow as the greatest need. You can go a few days without lights, and you can miss a few water changes, but without flow, everything will die within hours. Overall, however, a well balanced tank needs all three to be successful.

 

[Tonyscoots84]

they are all #1s

 

[Pop Corals]

Water quality is the most important and would say lighting is the least. You should do weekly water changes and check your salinity. should be around 1.025

 

[CoralMeister]

#1 Money
#2 Equipment and everything else.
#3 More money.

 

[Tonyscoots84]

they are all #1s

 

[PolandSpring]

I'd rate them as

1. water quality
2 & 3. Flow & lighting.

different corals need less and more flow and light so therefore they are equal in my opinion.


The question should be more like
which is more important, water quality, expensive(which as a result of the cost of the fixture, your normally going to have a strong, high PAR fixture) lighting, expensive(such as MP40's or tunze) powerheads.

If so,

1. water quality is number 1
2. any lighting fixture can work as long as the corals are getting enough light
3. any powerhead can work as long as there is sufficient water movement for the corals in your tank.

 

[Alfredo De La Fe]

1. Water quality
2. Flow
3. Lighting
4. Temperature control

It depends on what you are keeping though. Octocorals are not as picky about water "quality", but "quality" is defined differently for them than it is for SPS and LPS and differently between different types of LPS. Put a fox, gonipora or elegance in a tank with pristine water in which SPS will thrive, chances are they will end up dying within 6-12 months.

Same can be said for flow. Frogspawn could do great in almost no flow whatsoever but will not do very well in very high flow.

Alfred