Water Flow/Plumbing Help

[Speedway_06]

I really need some help here as I have no idea what I am doing while trying to set up the flow and plumbing for my tank to be. I have a 90 gallon AGA with built in overflow (drilled) with a 1" drain and 3/4" return. I have built a stand that is 40 inches tall and am planning on installing a 30 gallon sump with 3 chambers, one for the skimmer, return, and fuge. I have heard many different opinions as to how much flow should be in the tank but I need to exactly which pumps/powerheads I need to buy and install. I am planning this being a mixed reef w/ soft, lps, and sps corals along w/ fish. I assume that the return will be about 5 feet in verticle height with limited 90 or 45 degree turns. Does anyone have any suggestions as to how I can figure out which pumps/powerheads will give me the perfect amount of gph flow in my tank. I was thinking a mag7 return with 2 Hydor Koralia #3's in the tank....is this too much? too little? Please help as I am lost.

 

[an411]

The Hydor Koralia are nice powerheads I think that they will be sufficient for that tank. I have 2 number 4's in my 120 and there is plenty of flow. The Mag 7 should work fine but keep in mind that these pumps are a little noisey and create a fair amount of heat. I had a mag then eventually replaced it with an ehiem. I also have heard that ocean runners are good pumps never used one personally.

 

[Speedway_06]

I believe this tank is pretty common out there....Is there anyone that has the same one or one similar? How many gph is the overlow draining from the tank, or how can I figure that out? That way I will have a better idea of which return pump to get so that I dont overflow the tank. Any ideas? Also do you think that the Korailia #3's are too small? Would the #4's be too big for this tank?

 

[Aadler]

600gph is your max that you can get through a 1" pipe: Drain Calc

Reccomended turnover is 20-40x per hour, so if you give yourself a MAX of 600 from you rreturn pump, you will need at least 1200 additional gph from powerheads to reach 20x turnover (90x20=1800gph). so if you put two #3's in the tank that will give you an additional 1700 GPH plus the 600 from the return puts you up to 2300gph or 25.5 turnover per hour. not a bad number, you could get a number 4 and a 3 or a 3 and two 2's if you want that many PH's/powercords in your tank.

take a look at the head loss calc to see if the pump you end up getting will work.

You could maybe use the eheim 1260 for your return, then you can do a lot as previously mentioned with the koralias

 

[kaihonu82]

whatever you decide, make sure you put a ball valve on your return pump so that you can balance the amount of water you're pumping up into your display to the amount of water draining down to your sump.

 

[Playa-1]

I'm getting ready to build a 90 gallon system in a few months. I'm going with the eheim 1262 and a couple of Hydro Koralia #3 powerheads. The eheim pumps are supposed to be nice and quiet and energy efficient and can be used inside or outside the sump. I will tee off of the overflow and feed a refugium and i will be restricting the flow as i believe the 1262 will be too much pump for this set up. The eheim 1260 is probrobly a better choice for your system.
There is a headloss calculator on the main page where you can plug in your specific information that will tell you what size pump your looking for. Keep in mind that just because the overflow can handle a maximun of 600gph that you don't necessarily want to run that much flow through the sump. I will be starting with 3 to 5 times flow through the sump and making small adjustments until i get it where i want it.

 

[Playa-1]

Actually i'm planning to tee off the return line to feed the fuge.

 

[marduc]

Playa-1 -
Chances are unless you have a pressure rated pump pushing water through a smaller than normal diameter pipe, T-ing the return for the sump will not work as planned. The water will take the path of least resistance meaning that (this is simplified) generally the bulk of the water if not all will go to whichever location has the lowest elevation/head loss, your display or your fuge.

You would be best served to use a separate pump and line for your fuge.

 

[Speedway_06]

I was planning on T-ing off the drain line to supply the skimmer section and the fuge of my sump. I assume that I would use a ball valve on the fuge supply line to limit the amount of water going to that area...is this correct?

 

[Aadler]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10943099#post10943099 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Speedway_06
I was planning on T-ing off the drain line to supply the skimmer section and the fuge of my sump. I assume that I would use a ball valve on the fuge supply line to limit the amount of water going to that area...is this correct?

yes

 

[Aadler]

Oh wait... why would you T the drain line? you should be Ting the return line.

 

[marduc]

Your drain line should never be filled to capacity, if it was you would be facing flooding issues from your overflow not keeping up. If it is not filled to capacity then T-ing it will not work period, again physics.. path of least resistance.

T-ing a return line can work, but it has limitations, and is like walking a tightrope to get just the right balance, any slight change in flow, any obstruction, growth in your lines ect. will upset this balance. spend $50 get a drop in pump for the skimmer section (provided there is room) and run tubing from this to your fuge.

 

[Aadler]

Re: Water Flow/Plumbing Help

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10941955#post10941955 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Speedway_06
...planning on installing a 30 gallon sump with 3 chambers, one for the skimmer, return, and fuge...

all you need is a line prividing water to the refugium, just T the 3/4" return line from your soon-to-be new pump, put a ball valve between the T and the refugium and close it 80% of the way, this will allow a little water into the refugium section, while reducing your flow to the display, as previously noted it will also be HIGHLY recomended to put a ball valve between the T and the tank, as this flow should be restricted so you are nowhere near your 600gph limit.

 

[Playa-1]

I'm going with eheim 1262 and will be using ball valves for the tee to the fuge and ball valve on the return line to restrict flow. It will work just fine.