Question about Flow

[reeftechie]

I am going to set up my 230 with a dolphin 6300

6300 High 6300 9.6A/115v 1.5"/1.5" 50'

Here is the question:

1. Is this going to be to much flow for only 2 returns off the pump.

I am going to use a 4 Way, send 2 for returns and 1 for the 150 gallon sump in the opposite room.

I will be using 1 1/2" PVC, Here is a wonderful drawing :D

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v259/reeftechie/mysump.jpg

Is this going to be too much power for the returns? I also have 2 Tunze 6100's in the tank, which I can slow down if needed.

Just wanted your opinion.

Thanks,
RT

[Anthony Calfo]

do not fear strong water flow in the tank... it is near impossible to have too much water flow. But it is easy to have too much of the wrong kind. You may likely have the latter as the majority of flow in the tank will be coming from two laminar (blasting) effluents.

It would be much better IMO to plumb these into a manifold with multiple tees and nozzles to create outstanding (and less severe) random turbulent water flow.

See the article and illustration here:

http://www.wetwebmedia.com/pbh2oret.htm

lots of other great links/pages on that/our free content website. Just like RC :)

Do explore/read/journey

best regards,

Anthony

[reeftechie]

would it hurt to reduce the line coming out to 1" instead of 1 1/2" it wont look as bulky. Is that ok on the pump?

[MiddletonMark]

Pardon for jumping in Anthony + RT ...
But wouldn't reducing the output increase the velocity of the water travelling thru it?

Less bulky, but I'd guess that's not really the flow we're looking to achieve. Then again, might work well plumbed into spray bar/manifold/etc. I loved my spraybar that I installed behind my rockwork ... until my return pump fried and I had to remove it. But the indirect flow sure brought out the stony coral polyps.

But ... if you're moving the same amount of water thru the pipe, but the difference being a 1" output and 1.5" output ... a lot more velocity coming out of the 1". Split, run to manifold/etc ... no biggie. But if an exit in the tank ... maybe not ideal [unless on something like a seaswirl].

Just my take.

[Anthony Calfo]

Hmmm... I'm honestly not sure if that will help you. I'd need to sit down and look at the pump specs, path of flow (run, elbows, head, etc) to consider it duly.

As to pump restriction... do seek/heed the mfg.'s advice here starting with their website perhaps.

For future reference... Pablo Escobal's "Aquatic Systems Engineerin" is a truly outstanding reference for technical issues and questions. Really a must have for advanced andsimply interested aquarists. Lots of facts and physics involved :)

kindly,

Anthony :)

[Anthony Calfo]

very good points, Mark :)

indeed/agreed if RT opts for a spray bar or teed manifold loop, the extra boost through smaller pipe will be desirable if not outright needed. 3/4" or 1/2" pipes are most commonly used sizes for this (1/2" for smaller tanks under say... 90 gall). It would take a monstrous pump (and overflow capacity if fed by a sump pump) to use 1" pipe properly (adequate flow through tees/effluents).

Ant-

[reeftechie]

Well this pump is a beast it will run at 50' of head before it shuts down.

I will have it less then 5 feet head, so I will be getting the full 6000+ gph.


I am going to try to reduce it down to 1" and see where that puts me, its only a couple of bucks for the PVC. Ocean motions will be in place of this. So this is temp. But I don’t want to see a bunch of ugly PVC in my tank either.

I will take a look at dolphin’s site.

I thank both you mark and Mr. Calfo for your help. I will post some pics tonight :D

RT

[MiddletonMark]

Please do, I'd love to see it!
[reading about your equipment ... I'm going to have to check your gallery + www side tonight and see what you're doing with that. Makes my equipment mess seem tiny]

[Anthony Calfo]

Better than reducing/restrictig flow for most pumps: do consider a bleeder tee off the pump that runs back to the sump. It spares undue wear :)

always welcome to my friend... its what clubs and online communities are for - good fellowship.

Best of luck,

Anthony

[reeftechie]

9.6A OMG I never even looked at this. My god its going to cost $100 a month just for the pump :( good thing this is just temp lol.

[Anthony Calfo]

wow... that is simply obscene power consumption :p

If this pump really is more than you need... and we can see that the operating cost will be dear, it really will be better even in the short term to buy a new/more efficient pump. The former may not be worth it even if it was free :D

[reeftechie]

I think you're correct, my god this thing is a freaking Energy HOG, I see why I got it for free now lol... And how did you know that.... How do I tell the wife that this pump almost consumes more power then my 3 400 watt MH's :D lol...
.
Hey Ant, you need a good pump :D lol

[Anthony Calfo]

heehee... in the last 15 yrs I've seen this scenario a few times ;)

Definitely falls under the mantra, "good things are seldom cheap... and cheap things are seldom good" :) Use the pump for a door stop :P Or rather... simply keep it for an emergency backup.

Ant-

[MiddletonMark]

Check into the sequence pumps. A little less outrageous flow, but from what I've heard good power consumption.

Then again, I'm not moving the Red Sea around in my house :D
[though I hope to in the future, thus listen to you wise guys to learn ahead of time]

[reeftechie]

Smart choice Mark lol.. Let us mess up so you can reap the rewards lol...

Yeah I can see the door stop thing happening real soon lol, or at least a paper weight lol.

It is a beast, I think I should have known when a pump has 1 1/2 in and outs, its time to look at the next pump lol

RT

[reeftechie]

Well after a long weekend, I got it all hooked up, so I turned on the Outboard Motor, and lets just say it knocked over all of my corals even the ones glued down, so that lasted less then 1 min at a cost of $45.00 in pvc.. So, back to the drawing board. Ocean Motions it is. I will post once I get it all hooked up and going again :D.

RT

[bookfish]

How about a bigger tank to justify the pump!
J/K, don't tell your wife I said that!-Jim