Sump Pump

[pbukow]

I have a 55 gal with an overflow rated for 600gph and a sump that can hold about 12 gal of water, what size and flow rate of pump does everyone recommend. Planning on keeping mostly softies with maybe a few lps and a clam or two under 260 watts pc.

Am I thinking too much into this and just need a pump with at least a flow rate of 600gph or is there something more. Also what brand does everyone recommend? thanks ahead of time

 

[rustybucket145]

Mag7 would put you probably at about 600gph in the tank.

 

[jer77]

I agree, a mag7 will be fine. Or an Ehiem 1260 if you want something with less heat and more reliable. I have a 55 gal with a mag7 and it works great for me.

 

[pbukow]

What about the Odyssea WP-700, its a lot cheaper but will it be worth the savings?

 

[mg426]

Ocean runners are getting a lot of talk now a days. They are not bad in price either. Ehiems are considered the best. I use a Mag 9 myself in my 125. It does ok. Its actually pretty quiet, the 5s and 7s I have owned sounded like a deisel engine running though.

 

[davocean]

You're looking for too much flow for sump IMO.
3-5x turnover should be what you want.
Go eheim, you won't regret it, dead silent and cool running.
Next choice would be oceanrunner IMO

 

[pbukow]

thanks everyone, I just got my first sump and i want to do everything right from the start. I was checking out the mag 7 now rethinking

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9516798#post9516798 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by davocean
You're looking for too much flow for sump IMO.
3-5x turnover should be what you want.
Go eheim, you won't regret it, dead silent and cool running.
Next choice would be oceanrunner IMO

Do you mean 3-5x turnover of the sump volume or the entire tank volume? Sorry if i seem like i need my hand held, i'm just trying to get different opinions from everyone b4 i do anything to double check. Thanks again everyone

 

[davocean]

3-5x turnover for sump is good.
Overall turnover depends on what you want to keep.
20-30x for mixed, 30x or more for sps(general guidline)
This can be done w/ loop or add of powerheads(tunzes,koralia,seio's)
Don't feel bad/stupid asking these Q's, we were all there dude!

 

[pbukow]

Thanks dav, this thread has been pretty helpful so far. As have all the other ones that i have posted on/read.

What does everyone think about the rio 2100 models, i heard mixed opinions on them.

 

[Icefire]

Go with about 150-300gph pump (3x-6x turn over)
The overflow will handle 500gph max anyway.

I went with a Hagen Aquaclear 802 as return pump, rated 400GPH@0' but can handle about 250-300@5'.

Silent, no heat.

 

[sjm817]

I'd use an Eheim 1250 for that setup.

 

[rustybucket145]

3-5x turnover for sump is good.

I just don't agree with this.... So if he has a 10 gallon sump you want him to run a 30 - 50 gph pump? Can you say stagnat water and cyano bacteria???

Run as much as your overflow can handle -and- as much as your sump can handle without creating a micro-bubble issue in the display tank.

If you use a Mag 7 you're only going to be getting about 500gph to the tank. After a couple of weeks and the pump (any pump) slimes up a little your gph will drop continuously over the course of a couple of months until you have to remove the pump for cleaning and then your gph will be back up around the 500gph range.

If you go with a smaller pump your gph rate will drop off considerably faster and by the end of a couple of months you will be lucky if it's pumping any water at all. So if your flow's high at the beginning of the two months and low at the end doesn't that average out about right?

My point is, if you start off with the exact gph rate you want, in a couple of weeks you're going to be below that.... a couple more weeks even more below your target, and by the time it's cleaning time you will be lucky to be pumping much water at all.

Of course this is all just my opinion from my personal experiences. Just remember you can always add a ball valve to lower the flow from the pump, but......... they haven't invented one yet that increases the flow from the pump.

 

[sjm817]

3 - 5x display size after head loss as a general rule. That is ~ 165 - 275 GPH. Eheim 1250 would be right in that range.

 

[mister crabs]

youshould match your return pump closely to what your skimmer can process. there isnt any point in pushing 700gph thru the sump if your skimmer can only process 500gph. thats just dumping 200gph of dirty water back into your display.

 

[davocean]

I'm not a fan of Rio's, too many problems.
If you're looking for a good budget pump I'd definitely go oceanrunner on sale fostersmith.

 

[Icefire]

mister crab wrong, even if your skimmer's pump is 500gph, the skimmer reprocess the same water unless it's inline with the drain.

That's why you want only 3-5x turn over so the skimmer picks the stuff better.

 

[sjm817]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9530793#post9530793 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by davocean
I'm not a fan of Rio's, too many problems.
If you're looking for a good budget pump I'd definitely go oceanrunner on sale fostersmith.

AFAIK, OR doesn't have a pump in that GPH range.

 

[pbukow]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9530150#post9530150 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by rustybucket145
I just don't agree with this.... So if he has a 10 gallon sump you want him to run a 30 - 50 gph pump? Can you say stagnat water and cyano bacteria???

Run as much as your overflow can handle -and- as much as your sump can handle without creating a micro-bubble issue in the display tank.

If you use a Mag 7 you're only going to be getting about 500gph to the tank. After a couple of weeks and the pump (any pump) slimes up a little your gph will drop continuously over the course of a couple of months until you have to remove the pump for cleaning and then your gph will be back up around the 500gph range.

If you go with a smaller pump your gph rate will drop off considerably faster and by the end of a couple of months you will be lucky if it's pumping any water at all. So if your flow's high at the beginning of the two months and low at the end doesn't that average out about right?

My point is, if you start off with the exact gph rate you want, in a couple of weeks you're going to be below that.... a couple more weeks even more below your target, and by the time it's cleaning time you will be lucky to be pumping much water at all.

Of course this is all just my opinion from my personal experiences. Just remember you can always add a ball valve to lower the flow from the pump, but......... they haven't invented one yet that increases the flow from the pump.

If i just clean the impeller assembly once and a while then it wont matter if i get a pump with the exact gph right?

How often have you had to clean pumps to kepp the orginal gph flowing through em?