Why do people use monster sized return pumps?

[acpoweradapter]

If it didn't work fine for people they wouldn't have oversize pumps on their tanks.

Maybe some people like the simplicity of being able to use one pump for the sump and flow.

 

[aday2remmbr]

If it didn't work fine for people they wouldn't have oversize pumps on their tanks.

Maybe some people like the simplicity of being able to use one pump for the sump and flow.

exactly, thats one less powerhead you ahve to buy for your tank and also a return pump. so it really saves you money.

 

[Crazy fish eye]

Bigger is better. That's what she said. Lmao. But if your small than go ahead and complain about every one who is bigger.

 

[acpoweradapter]

Nothing wrong with that at all. That could also be achieved by slowing down the return....aka A SMALLER PUMP!

Why should he spend money on a smaller pump when the one he is using now works perfectly fine for him?

 

[aday2remmbr]

Why should he spend money on a smaller pump when the one he is using now works perfectly fine for him?

congratulation acpoweradapter! you have officially reached your 420th post! haha

 

[acpoweradapter]

congratulation acpoweradapter! you have officially reached your 420th post! haha

Haha looks like you're on the way to get a lot more than me! 4 months and you're over a 1/3 of the way to what I got in 4 years

 

[greech]

Well I bought a Sicce 3.0 for a 40 breeder/20g sump that only needs to pump about 4'. I did this for a few reasons... 1) I use a HOB overflow and wanted to make sure I had enough flow to keep bubbles from collecting in the U-tube, 2) because I wanted the ability to add extra flow if I wanted it by either adjusting the pump or adjusting the ball valve I have after it, 3) I am going to upgrade one day and wanted a pump for that, and 4) I wanted a good quiet pump.

Check, check, check, check

 

[gmoney243]

Most tanks I see in my area that have big pumps use cls for flow not for skimmer/sump

 

[justisathomesea]

I was under the impression you wanted 5-10x the gallons of water you have to turn the water over between the sump and display. That is why I would think people may uses big pumps to make sure they have that over turn rate.

sent from my hand held computer

 

[rysher]

slow flow = more contact time with the filtration in the sump,
more filtration = better water quality

fast flow = less contact time with, macro,rocks, dsb, etc, etc,
water isn't as good.


however, i use 1200gph return on a 40b since i have an ATS, the faster the water running thru the ATS, the better the filtration.

if i have rocks,macro,dsb etc etc in my sump, i'd use a slower flow, 3-5x the volume of my DT, for better filtration.
and i'll get powerheads with a turn over rate of 20x of dt volume.

 

[firebirdude]

slow flow = more contact time with the filtration in the sump,
more filtration = better water quality

fast flow = less contact time with, macro,rocks, dsb, etc, etc,
water isn't as good.


however, i use 1200gph return on a 40b since i have an ATS, the faster the water running thru the ATS, the better the filtration.

if i have rocks,macro,dsb etc etc in my sump, i'd use a slower flow, 3-5x the volume of my DT, for better filtration.
and i'll get powerheads with a turn over rate of 20x of dt volume.

Thank you. I can't believe this many people seem to be arguing this fact.

While doing a little poking around, in Feb issue of Coral Mag, Marine Biologist Daniel Knop suggests as little at 0.4X turnover rate. While I would say this is a little low, but proves the point.

 

[acpoweradapter]

Thank you. I can't believe this many people seem to be arguing this fact.

While doing a little poking around, in Feb issue of Coral Mag, Marine Biologist Daniel Knop suggests as little at 0.4X turnover rate. While I would say this is a little low, but proves the point.

No one is arguing that slow is not better.

But if whatever turnover someone has works for them, then they have no reason to change.

 

[jinks]

slow flow = more contact time with the filtration in the sump,
more filtration = better water quality
fast flow = less contact time with, macro,rocks, dsb, etc, etc,
water isn't as good.

This isn't really true. If the water you were filtering was not part of a closed loop it would be. In the 1 pass it got by your filter you would have to get 100% of the waste out because when its gone its gone. Your tank is a closed loop. Your skimmer or what ever your using pulls wast out of the water and that water is spit back into the tank and mixes with all the other dirty water. This lowers the % of "dirt" in the water. Im not saying you want to blast water through at crazy high speed but the idea that slowing it down to low speed is just as bad.

 

[mike5051]

ok firebirddude, I'm not interested in arguing, but I just took my return pump volume down via ball valve and it can't keep up with my drain. How could a smaller return pump work in what I want to achieve? I drain more water than my 9.5 can return...I would need bigger than a 9.5 to keep up with the natural gravity drain. I might be missing something, but this is my first reef ready tank, and I used the equipment that I had on hand. Enlighten me please on where I am not getting it....

 

[acpoweradapter]

You could put a ball valve on the drain and slow it down quite and allow a smaller pump to keep up.

 

[rysher]

This isn't really true. If the water you were filtering was not part of a closed loop it would be. In the 1 pass it got by your filter you would have to get 100% of the waste out because when its gone its gone. Your tank is a closed loop. Your skimmer or what ever your using pulls wast out of the water and that water is spit back into the tank and mixes with all the other dirty water. This lowers the % of "dirt" in the water. Im not saying you want to blast water through at crazy high speed but the idea that slowing it down to low speed is just as bad.

write a book and prove the other books wrong, you might make a fortune:thumbsup:

 

[firebirdude]

ok firebirddude, I'm not interested in arguing, but I just took my return pump volume down via ball valve and it can't keep up with my drain. How could a smaller return pump work in what I want to achieve? I drain more water than my 9.5 can return...I would need bigger than a 9.5 to keep up with the natural gravity drain. I might be missing something, but this is my first reef ready tank, and I used the equipment that I had on hand. Enlighten me please on where I am not getting it....

Thanks for being reasonable. I know I tend to lose it sometimes. LOL:hmm1:

Believe you're mistaken. Or maybe I'm misunderstanding you.

I drain more water than my 9.5 can return...I would need bigger than a 9.5 to keep up with the natural gravity drain.

This is impossible. The pump moves water into the tank, the OVERFLOW overflows water down into the sump. Your drain could handle 50,000gph of flow... but if the pump only pumps in 200gph, then that's the amount overflowing.

Try this. Slow down your return pump to a trickle. What happens?

 

[firebirdude]

This isn't really true. If the water you were filtering was not part of a closed loop it would be. In the 1 pass it got by your filter you would have to get 100% of the waste out because when its gone its gone. Your tank is a closed loop. Your skimmer or what ever your using pulls wast out of the water and that water is spit back into the tank and mixes with all the other dirty water. This lowers the % of "dirt" in the water. Im not saying you want to blast water through at crazy high speed but the idea that slowing it down to low speed is just as bad.

Nobody said anything about a closed loop. A closed loop is designed to add flow to the tank. Just like powerheads. They have nothing to do with, and are completely independent of, the tank's overflow and sump.

 

[createdlight]

i have a 4300gph return pump on my sump, but refugium is not affected by this flow, refugium is fed by spray bar and refugium drains into sump at slow rate. I thought that was the point of the op, too fast of a flow through refugium

 

[firebirdude]

I thought that was the point of the op, too fast of a flow through refugium

It is. Thank you. Same goes for media reactors.