thinking about upgrading my return... 2 questions

[jacksonpt]

I've got an eheim 1262 now that I'm thinking about upgrading. It's rated at something like 650gph at 4' - I need roughly double that.

So what do people recommend for a 1000-1200 gph at 4' pump? Anyone got anything laying around they aren't using?

My preference would be an external pump, but I'd consider submersible depending on what's out there. Noise is a concern, heat is not (within reason).

 

[RoscoPColtrane]

What are your reasons for the upgrade? There have been a few discussions about running low flow between display tanks and sumps. There are a few big advantages... lower electricity, less noise, less heat. As long as you are supplying enough flow to your skimmer 650gph is enough for most applications. If you need additional flow in your display tank powerheads are much more efficient.

FWIW I use a ~600gph Oceanrunner pump as a return on my 120gal and have been very happy with the pump, it is very quiet.

 

[Capt_Cully]

You gotta start looking at different manufacturers websites and checking out their headloss curves. I'm a fan of the panworlds. Nice. Inexpensive. Low energy consumption. Only reason I didn't get another one was the head pressure I'm pushing.

 

[jacksonpt]

Thanks Cully... I'll look into the panworlds.

Eheim seem to be the best reviewed of the "smaller" pumps, then there are some really good bigger pumps (reeflo and the like, which are too big for my setup), but I'm not sure what pumps are highly regarded in between...

 

[jacksonpt]

What are your reasons for the upgrade? There have been a few discussions about running low flow between display tanks and sumps. There are a few big advantages... lower electricity, less noise, less heat. As long as you are supplying enough flow to your skimmer 650gph is enough for most applications. If you need additional flow in your display tank powerheads are much more efficient.

Yes, 650gph of actual flow would probably work... but if a pump is rated at 650gph, that means I'm actually going to get 400-500 once everything is plumbed. And that's not enough. I'm shooting for ~400gph at each of 2 returns.

I am running 2 vortechs as my primary flow, but I'm going to use 2 returns to help with dead spots behind the rock work.

 

[rjmayes34]

in my 120 long(5ft) i have a mag 9.5 and thats good for me. Then i have two korailas 1050 evos. The next step up to the mag 12 would have including me adding a ball valve to slow flow(would have been to much) and which in turn takes a little life away from the pump always running suppressed!
If i ever want more flow i will upgrade the two korailas to the next size up.
Then i have a little flow from my HOB refugium and a little flow from my Fluval 405(i use it to run carbon)

 

[Capt_Cully]

I'm going to use 2 returns to help with dead spots behind the rock work.

What about leaving everything the way it is and plopping an MJ behind the rocks on a timer. They are designed to withstand start-stop operation. That will help storm the tank a bit and keep that area clear.

FWIW, I'm planning the same thing. My return will be aimed at my overflow to help propagate a gyre. I think detritus will surely accumlate behind the rocks. Blasting it 2 or 3 times a day with the MJ's will get that crud back into suspension, hopefully leaving it subject to mechanical filtration via filter bag, and also giving the skimmer a shot at it.

Just spit-balling. A million ways to configure things, but it's a cheaper solution than a new pump and plumbing. What's an MJ these days? $20??

 

[jacksonpt]

What about leaving everything the way it is and plopping an MJ behind the rocks on a timer. They are designed to withstand start-stop operation. That will help storm the tank a bit and keep that area clear.

I've tried powerheads before with mixed results, though never on a timer for start-and-stop use. Would that help, as opposed to having them run constantly?

 

[Capt_Cully]

Its something I plan to try. As for success, its purely theoretical in my experience. I do know that others storm their tanks in a similar fashion for the above stated reasons.

I'd expect the start up to be a bit rough, which is what you'd want to kick up stuff that has settled under your "regular" flow set up. In theory that would get it back out into suspension before it piled up and became a nitrate factory. I'd think that, plus routine siphoning with water changes, would be one way to get you where you're going with minimal changes and cost.

Just an option. You could also kick up the flow overall. But one thing I can say, from experience, is that no matter how much flow you have, detritus will find spots to pile up, UNLESS that flow is variable. Even then its still possible, but lower in area and volume, again IME.

Just look at the kind of flow Gary M cranks out, and the manner in which he employs it to kick all that volume up.

 

[jacksonpt]

Yes, I fully expect detrius to build up in places regardless of what I try. I'm trying to avoid having large areas or entire sections of the tank that are stagnant, which I'm pretty sure is what's happening now.

There's always something to tinker with on our tanks isn't there?

 

[SkiFletch]

Always something to tinker with . Cully, I like that idea of storming the background of the tank... My deadspots are far fewer with the VorTech than they were before that, but I still get some behind the rock stack. Perhaps this is a good solution for me. Hell, I have some spare MJ's and a switch, maybe I'll tinker with it.

 

[Capt_Cully]

Hell, I have some spare MJ's and a switch, maybe I'll tinker with it.

Cripes, I've got buckets of em! Not sure where they even came from. Don't remember buying them.

 

[SkiFletch]

Lol yeah, I have a shelf downstairs with more powerheads than I know what to do with