What kind of return pump ?

mrme · #1 12/27/2007, 06:36 AM

Hey guys, I'm going to be getting a new 60g, Replacing my Glass with an acrylic-Pre-drilled, with a corner overflow.
I need help Deciding on a Return pump for this tank.
It will be barebottom, and of course, SPS dominated.
I was thinking a pump that push's maybe 1200gph.
I will also have a Koralia 4 for extra flow(on the other half of the tank).
I would like a strong enough return pump, so that i will not need to many extra pumps in the tank.

I also Plan to upgrade to a Vortech pump soon.

The corner overflow looks like it can suck a good amount of water.
I need some ideas on what brand pumps are the best, and how many gph should i be looking at.

Thanks in advance !
Hope everyone else's reef is well !

Kip · #2 12/27/2007, 09:58 AM

sounds to me like you wanna lot of flow thru the sump/overflow/return. unless you have a super huge sump, high turnover thru the sump usually lends itself to high noise.

when i help folks set up tanks.. i usually tell them to run 5-8x thru their sump (this is a good rate for the skimmer too)

if you want a rock-solid quiet return pump with minimal maintenance, etc... i'd go with an eheim 1262 at ~900gph.

If you want redundancy (in case one fails)... run two pumps and split the gph b/w them. give them each their own return plumbing though so that they dont fight each other.

i like eheims and use them anywhere i can

kdblove_99 · #3 12/27/2007, 02:45 PM

I was thinking that is alot of flow through the sump as well.

I would use a Oceanrunner 2500 even though i have a 3500 for my 60 cube

sjm817 · #4 12/27/2007, 03:12 PM

A typical overflow is good for maybe 600 GPH. As others have said, unless you have a huge sump, dont use a big return pump. If its going in the stand, no way. I would be targeting maybe 200 - 350 GPH.

ElDiabloPollo · #5 12/27/2007, 03:47 PM

I only put 2-3 x the tank volume through the sump. I recommend the panworld pumps for the return (external only) and I would get a Reeflo Dart for a closed loop for more flow without powerheads.

chin · #6 12/27/2007, 04:45 PM

Most of the conventional overflows w/ a 1.25" drain can handle about 1000 gph, but I wouldnt recommend that much water flow through the sump on a 60g. A 1200 gph pump is too much unless you plan on using the main pump to run through a chiller and a recircluating skimmer w/ an extra large sump. The tank should turn over maybe 5X/hr. The sky is the limit as far as flow in the tank, but the flow through the sump should be limited.

mrme · #7 12/27/2007, 06:31 PM

That seems like such a small amount of turnover.
But Noise is a concern.. and of course things overflowing is another concern.

I am planning on going with a Large sump.
But you guys think i should keep the return pump Under 1000 Gph ?

Robert Patterso · #8 12/27/2007, 07:17 PM

I use the Ehiem 1250 for my return from sump and the 1262 for a closed loop on my 70 gal. I'm only getting about 3x turnover through the sump. No water noise and allows the skimmer to do its job. Building a new 140 and transferring the 70 over to it. I will then use the 1262 for the return pump and a Sequence Dart for closed loop. It's not about the turnover going through the sump just the tank.

oldreefer76 · #9 12/27/2007, 07:56 PM

I have 214-240 gph through the sump of our 55g using a Mag 3

chin · #10 12/28/2007, 05:35 AM

There will be too much current running through the sump w/ a 1000 gph pump. What type of sump are you going to run? If you plan on sectioning off an area for a refugium, that size pump is definitely too large. Its not about the overall flow throught the sump, its the overall flow in the tank that is important. Are you concerned about overall flow in the tank? If this is the case, alternate pumps are necessary such as running a closed loop system and/or stream pumps. Hope this helps.

bdare · #11 12/31/2007, 12:39 PM

How can people say that x gph will be too much flow through his sump when we don't know how big his sump is?

If his sump is large enough to handle the flow, why no do it? People list reasons like noise and bubbles. There are ways to deal with these problems.

Also the layout of the sump makes a big difference. If the sump goes Drain / Skimmer -> Fuge -> Return there will be A LOT more flow than if the drains are split with a return pump in the middle.

If a skimmer is rated for 300gph and you design the sump using the first example above with a 600 gph return pump true... you aren't getting the efficency. However, if you run that same 600 gallon per hour return pump and have half go to the skimmer section and the other have go to the fuge... Now you have 300gph but you can also use more flow comign from your sump...

sjm817 · #12 12/31/2007, 12:44 PM

The assumption is the sump is in the stand (I pointed that out in my previous post.). You can only fit a small sump under a 60G. Irregardless, there is no reason to use a 1200 GPH return on a 60G tank. I dont like drains going directly to a fuge either. It becomes a detritus trap.

bdare · #13 12/31/2007, 12:46 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by sjm817
The assumption is the sump is in the stand (I pointed that out in my previous post.). You can only fit a small sump under a 60G. Irregardless, there is no reason to use a 1200 GPH return on a 60G tank.

Why not? I have a 20H sump under my 40 breeder and I'm running an Eheim 1262 (898gph). After headloss and running through a SCWD I'm getting 6-700 gph. It's dead quiet. I have my drains split as I described above and I love it!

sjm817 · #14 12/31/2007, 12:48 PM

Have you measured the flow? IME, a SCWD cuts the flow back way more than that. I would expect ~ 700 GPH from a 1262 without a SCWD. What do you use for an overflow setup?

bdare · #15 12/31/2007, 12:51 PM

I'm pretty sure the SCWD cuts the flow back more on slower pumps than it does on larger ones. I have not measured it, but I will say this.

I have an 1100 gph Pan-World pushing my closed loop. At any one time that 1100 is split between 2 outlets. The pressure coming from those is pretty darn close to that of the return outlets... It blows pretty darn nice.

I have a 4x6x4 internal overflow box with a 1" durso pipe. The durso itelf is 1.25" with a 1" bulkhead.

sjm817 · #16 12/31/2007, 01:00 PM

I had one on a Mag9.5 and it cut the flow to less than 1/2. It had the same flow as a mag5 with no SCWD. The 1262 is a much better pump, and can handle head a lot better, but I'm sure it cuts the flow back more than you think. See how long it takes to fill a 1G container from the drain line if you want to measure it.