almostazoo
New member
Mag 9.5 with 4ft lift, pressure is too high with just one return so I am weighing my options... How much flow can a spray bar handle before it turns into a water laser beam?
Spray bar return or dual return???
- Thread starter almostazoo
- Start date
almostazoo
New member
I will have a ball valve in the return but the idea was not to limit the return volume but rather to diffuse it into the display tank so as not to disturb the substrate like it does right now. The tank is only 14" deep so no matter how I point the single return I end up with a half bare bottom tank.
NaClH20NMYVEIN
Red Dragons!
I would do 2 or 3 returns or just get rid of that MAG heater.
tcamos
Reef, Crustacean, Puffers
I guess I don't understand the advantage of doing it that way...just more returns?
dublo8
New member
It would distribute the pressure throughout without it being from just one outlet. Ryan is right though that mag is a heater for sure. If you don't want to get another pump than get a splitter for your locline so you can have 2 outlets and use different end nozzles. The round ones seem to concentrate the flow, They also have flat end "ends" as well as a spraybar type of thingamabobber (technical term).
Rippinfrags
Active member
Split the returns and spring for an Eheim
I don't get what is so great about an eheim pump, I was going to buy one, but I felt there power consumption was much higher compared to others. I really wanted to buy an eheim, but couldn't justify the price. Can you tell me what sways you toward eheim pumps?
Rippinfrags
Active member
Oh and I forgot to mention that I agree with dublo, split your return with loc line and point the nozzles straight across, not at an angle. Keep the mag pump, you already have it and the mag works as a heater and a return pump.
Rippinfrags
Active member
I must have missed that, thanks for the quality info. Have you compared the eheim to other pumps such as the aqua bee and the ocean runner? I have found that both of those supposedly run at a lower wattage than the eheim. I ended up purchasing an ocean runner and find it to be very quiet, but its rather large in size!
usefulidiot213
Bryan H.
Does anybody have a spray bar on their return? I have heard of it, but never tried it myself & never seen one.
almostazoo
New member
I went for dual returns, nobody chimed in on the spray bar. as for the pump... I use mag because I have always used mag and never had one fail and get almost no heat add from it. My temp hits a high of 81F with MHX2 running and the A/C set to 79F.
I have a single return just using flex tubing, my return is split and 1/4 of the power from my MAG7 goes to my fuge. I have been thinking about a spray bar for the DT and found this great thread about a previous TOTM upgrade:
http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2008050
Granted his spray bars are on his closed loop, but one is on the return from the sump.
I just plan to use a smaller PVC pipe across the back/top of my tank as the spray bar with a few small holes drilled into it. (dont really want to spend the $$ to get all the locline shown in the thread)
http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2008050
Granted his spray bars are on his closed loop, but one is on the return from the sump.
I just plan to use a smaller PVC pipe across the back/top of my tank as the spray bar with a few small holes drilled into it. (dont really want to spend the $$ to get all the locline shown in the thread)
NaClH20NMYVEIN
Red Dragons!
I agree that MAG's are work horses but to say you dont get any heat add from it is just false. Any in tank pump will add heat, MAG's just do it better than most. Use a MAG in a water change trash can and you will see in a few hours that the heat add is amazing. Glad to hear its working for your need though.
usefulidiot213
Bryan H.
I have always thought about using a spray bar on my return, but really never seen a good example of it. I think I might try it out this weekend. Nice little Home Depot project. 
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