How many gallons though sump????

[WarDaddy]

I am struggling with the plumbing plan for my 90...

should the sump have 450 gph though it, or 900 gph?

the question comes down to do I want to run 1 Quietone 3000 or 2 form the sump up to the display?

Sump should have about 40 gallons in it.

What ya think...

a) 1/3 the flow though the sump, 2/3 on the closed loop
b) 1/2 the flow through the sump, 1/2 onthe closed loop

[raskal311]

Slower is better but it will also depends on how much your going to rely on your return as flow.

[WarDaddy]

I have 3 pumps.. the question is do I place 2 on closed loops, or 2 in the sump :-)

The only reason I lean to the sump, is that I have a fail safe... IF 1 pump fails I still have flow throught the sump as I obtain a replacement. So that is a good point at the 50/50 set up

[SirLight1337]

low flow through the sump. Im going all SPS barebottom so i went with 1200 gph through the sump and 3600 on the CL.

[Kenfuzed]

Depends how you plan on using your sump. In my case I'm running approx 900-1000 gph flow through my 50g sump/refugium (sump-a-fuge) because I want more contact time and gentle flow through my chaeto. My closed loop and powerheads are moving around 2400 gph. Therefore I believe my sump flow is just under 1/3 of my total flow.

Your total flow will also depend on whether you are keeping sps, lps/softies, or fish only. With sps most recommend a higher turn over.

[WarDaddy]

I want to try SPS, I will have LPS.

The tank is 90 Gallons.

Plan A: 500 (5x) gph though the Sump, 1700 (17x) GPH Closed loop, total flow 22X

Plan B: 900 GPH though sump (10X), 1000 (10x) GPH closed loop, total flow 20x

The sump will be just a sump (will have a small prop section)... I will have 2 HOB refuges to cheato/rubble/pods. One fuge on the sump one on the main.


I like plan A for a nice slow sump... good contact time for skimming.
Plan B is appealing for the fail pump situation, but having a spare $50 pump around is not a big deal.

[Konadog]

You can't split a pump to be used on a closed loop and sump. You can do it, but it's not a closed loop.
If you are putting a skimmer in the sump, what is the gph of the pump for the skimmer? I would keep the flow around what the skimmer pump is if this is what your configuration is.

[WarDaddy]

Originally posted by Konadog
You can't split a pump to be used on a closed loop and sump. You can do it, but it's not a closed loop.

No split... Either 2 pumps from the sump, or 2 closed loops. I amy not be clear, that has been know to happen :lol:



If you are putting a skimmer in the sump, what is the gph of the pump for the skimmer? I would keep the flow around what the skimmer pump is if this is what your configuration is.

This is interesting... I have a Coralife SuperSkimmer 220 nedlewheel. it is rated at 500 gph, in theory I should go with plan A, that will force almost all the water that goes through the sump though the skimmer... NICE. I think I am going with this setup. I will design the sump so that all water should go thought the skimmer, what ever extra water will be a small waterfall out of this section of the sump. Hummmmmm...

THANKS! This board is always full of good ideas

[Crusty Old Shellback]

To add just a little to Konadog's reply. If you have a skimmer in the sump, you want a little more flow than what your skimmer pump is rated for. That way you don't starve the pump. Having a little water not go thru the skimmer is not going to hurt much.

My current system has about 4000 GPH going thru the sump. I actually have two sumps. One is a 30 G that houses my skimmer. The tank overflow feeds this sump. Both the output of the skimmer and output of the sump feed into a 90 G sump for return to the tank. With this setup, my skimmer pumps are always drawing in fresh overflow water from the tank but are not being sucked dry as I have excess water in that sump overflowing into the return sump.

[WarDaddy]

humm, it will be close... I will have a small tank that will be using the sump aswell... that should give the advantage to the overflows with the skimmer in a close 2nd.

[WarDaddy]

Whooot Finally I ave a plan... well until the tour, I am sure I will change everything then :)

[Crusty Old Shellback]

Build it now before you change your mind. :D

Then your less likely to change it.

[WarDaddy]

problem is the 55 that will be the sump, is currently the main reef...

I am starting the stand this weekend, yee!

[Entropy]

I am running about 400gph through my sump so I can get away with using a small pump. I have about 2300gph in my tank (150g). I would suggest as much flow through your sump as your skimmer pump is rated, but I am running about half that.

[Konadog]

Here is the thread I was originally looking for: Refugium tips (formerly "flow rate through a refugium") (http://archive.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=462212). Lot's of info.