Too much return flow?

[Stickboy97]

So I'm setting up my DSA 105g and need to decide which pump to use.

I have a Sicce 3.5 - 660gph & a Jebao DC 12000 - 1600 gph if I convert it properly.

Is 660 gph enough & is 1600gph too much?

If I am reading correctly the 1" siphon (straight pipe, no restrictions) should flow 960 pgh, so I don't think the Sicce will keep up. But 1600gph Jebao is too much.

If it matters I am setting up a BA with 1" main siphon. I am only pumping 3/4" return about 4' up.

 

[slojim]

I've looked at the sicce curve recently because i ordered one. With *4ft elevation and 3/4 pipe, i think you'll be closer to 400. Old me would have scoffed at 4x flow, but that's supposed to be ok if you have good in tank circulation from power heads.
Provided you are using an overflow scheme, and that's what a bean animal is for, it won't drain faster than you return water.
I'm sure folks with your set up are using both pumps successfully

 

[Stickboy97]

thx! I have 2 MP40's so flow in the tank shouldn't be a problem. I'm no physics major so I wasn't sure about the flow the siphon would have vs my return. In my head I could see it draining faster than I could return water & having a BIG issue.

 

[slojim]

I think if you do a search for flow calculator, you'll find a tool that will help you calculate flow. You might try running it with your 3/4" pipe and with something larger, 1 or 1_1/4. You'll get more flow out of the same pump. It might not make a big enough difference in your case - you'll have to plug the numbers in and see what it spits out.
In the siphon or overflow case, that's a potential problem if you have a bottom outlet, since in theory the whole tank has to drain before the water runs out, but on an overflow, level is always close to the lip and the flowrate varies significantly with level - in the extreme, level drops to where it can no longer overflow, and it stops. On the other end, flow generally increases with increasing sump depth, so as the water drops into the sump, the pump output will go up a little. As long as your sump is properly sized to handle all the overflow (power outage situation), pump size is only important to flow rate and energy use, not to keeping up with the overflow.

 

[skiingfast]

You match the flow rates of your return pump and overflow.

You do that by putting a gate valve on the end of your drain. Close the drain enough so that water fills the whole standpipe so you don't hear it gurgling. Then it will match the flow from the return.

Also if you oversize your return pump you should run it at a slower speed, never the max. That has two great benefits, reduces the noise, and makes it last a lot longer.