two return pumps?

[marcrunner]

setting up a new 300g. just wondering if anyone has tried two return pumps. I reall like eheim but they don't make a return pump big enough. What would happen if I ran two to one return line. would I get close to dounble the flow? I also need to go through the chiller before it goes back up.

 

[mflamb]

What size is the output from the pump? What size is the "one return line"?
Mike

 

[marcrunner]

outputs are 3/4 from pump. I can make the return whatever I want.

 

[Double-J]

If you have the room why not get a sequence snapper or dart. The snapper has more GPH than two 1062's and uses about a 100watts compared to 160 with both ehiems. JMO

 

[FishyBiz]

I dont see a problem why you couldnt run two pumps. I would see it as a redundancy thing and could be good just in case one pump bites the dust. On the other hand, its more to maintain and I would rather have one bigger pump using less watts. Just my 2 cents. Whatever you decide i wouldnt run both pumps to 1 return.

 

[ReefMeister2]

I run dual QuietOne 6000 pumps for a combined 2000 GPH after headloss. This for a 90 gallon display, mind you

Makes for a nifty water change system too, I reckon:
http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=579223

 

[marcrunner]

thanx guys, I am going to rethink things as I am now changing my stand and canopy. I was trying to run everything from one corner overflow. Now I have more options

 

[ruiny]

You wouldn't really get redundance because if one pump failed the other would just pump through the broken pump back into the sump. You could add check balls, but they add lots of back pressure. Also I feel the dual pumps would be working against each other to a certain degree. I would say go with one bigger pump that gives the desired flow.

 

[Crusty Old Shellback]

You can run 2 pumps in several different configurations.

1) run each as an independant pump, each with it's own return line.

2) Run each pump in parallel, ie outputs tied together. may increase flow but not pressure.

3) run 2 pumps in series, ie 1 output to the others input. This will increase flow and pressure of the pumps.

Or go with one larger pump, like a dart or something. I'm running a dart as my return on my 400 and a hammerhead and barracuda on Closed Loops.

 

[999sterling]

I'd have to agree with ruiny. Two pumps wouldn't provide redundancy unless they were used with separate returns. Also two pumps in tandem would tend to add back pressure to each other. It can be done, but you would put additional wear on your pumps. Course everything's gotta wear out sometime!:twitch:

I would recommend a single larger pump. I expect you would find that you also have less power consumption with a well chosen larger pump than with two smaller one. JMO