Pump Question

[RandysReefTank]

This question has probably been beat to death. If anyone can point me to threads that answer it I would be extremely grateful.

My return pump has a 1.5" outlet. If I am running horizontally from my equipment room back to the display tank, is it better to run it all 1.5" and then reduce it at the tank, or, reduce it at the pump and then run it to the display?

I believe that pumping and then reducing is better than reducing and then pumping but not sure.

Any, and all, help is greatly appreciated.

Randy

 

[vsiege]

I'll keep it short. Run 1.5 from return pump to display. Do not reduce the return line. Once it gets in tank, distribute flow as you may. Also put a union ball value right after return, as well as a spring check valve after that. I threw in another union ball valve just before it goes into my tank (optionalbut convenient). Hope that helps. And one last thing, if you are using anything over. 5" pvc, you should definitely use the primer in addition to thr cement.

 

[Vinny Kreyling]

Never reduce the outlet size of the pump until the last moment, if anything an increase is better.
Be careful with check valves, they require maintenance & usually fail @ the worst time. If the pump runs externally use a union ball valve from the sump so you can pull the pump without draining the sump.

 

[toby.toby]

if it's a dc pump they like some back pressure, conversely their efficiency increases with back pressure to a point

 

[Vinny Kreyling]

Toby, that should be an AC pump. DC does NOT do well with head.

 

[toby.toby]

Toby, that should be an AC pump. DC does NOT do well with head.

oh i'm not sure now, i'm certain i saw a graph with dc pump efficiency increasing to a peak with a certain head pressure, but i guess ac probably does the same .

dc uses less electricity in general tho by the looks, if you can find a dc pump with enough head height i would go with dc to save on bills

 

[RandysReefTank]

Thank you everyone.

 

[vsiege]

You got it [emoji106] Take care