cutting down flow on an eheim pump

[reefinmike]

i had a spare eheim pump laying around that i used for a calcium reactor. little did i know that 630gph would turn my calcium reactor into a fluidized sandbed. i read in some post that large external pumps use less electricity and are not strained as much if they are put on a ball valve? would it be OK to put a valve either on the intake or return of the pump to slow it down to about 300gph?

thanks

mike

 

[lvpd186]

You should be able to put a ball valve on the output, but never on the input. Although it might be easier just to buy a new pump, like an MJ, for your feed pump then trying to adjust the bigger pump down.

 

[Icefire]

put a Tee on the output than a ball valve on the side of the tee that return "spare" water to the sump.

 

[luke33]

A good suggestion from both, a T would work, but if you go to the trouble of a ball valve and so on, you'll spend $10-15, so i'd just buy a maxi for 15-20 and not worry about the ball valve.

 

[BrokeColoReefer]

i do the same thing, i run a t with some 1/4" line back to the sump, that way, whatever water that the reactor doesnt need just goes back in the sump.