Flow question

[six.line]

What's the target rate for optimal flow in a tank?

How is it distributed? I.E., can you have your return pump account for 50% of total flow rate and assorted powerheads account for the other 50%?

If a pump is rated for 900 gph, at what head is that? What if that same pump needed to push water 4 feet back into the display tank, does that mean that my flow rate goes down, and if so, by what function?

 

[kraze3]

any flow would count. closed loop, skimmer (if its ont he tank), powerheads, return pump etc.

There is a head loss calculator on the main rc page that should help you

 

[six.line]

OK, cool, that helps me figure out how much a pump is actually work. Can you still distribute the flow between pumps and powerheads?

 

[kraze3]

yeap! if your return is 50 gph and your powerhead is 50 gph your total flow is 100 gph.

 

[conefree]

A pump's typical advertised capacity will be its flow with zero head pressure. Depending on pump design, its flow falls off from there as you add more head pressure. So be wary of which pump you want. Check out the head loss calculator on the bottom left of the homepage. Compare your flow with your current piping configuration and vary the pump until you get a couple of choices that will give you the flow you need at that head pressure.

Once you have that list, then you have to choose between wattage, external vs. internal, reliability, etc. Battles are waged daily on which pump is best for which application.

HTH