Proper pump size

Paschendale · 12/10/2008, 09:58 AM

Hello everyone. I am going to be upsizing from a 40g to a 75g using a 55g for a sump/refugium. I plan on using 2 - Eshopps 300 overflows (as tank is not drilled). What size pump would I need in the return for these 2 overflows? Budget is low as possible.

Flavum · 12/10/2008, 10:19 AM

5-10 time turnover rate per hour.

400 gph- 750 ball park

crvz · 12/10/2008, 10:33 AM

Yeah, I like staying in the 5x tank turnover. Somewhere in the 500 gph range is good for the return pump on a system that size.

Guygettnby · 12/10/2008, 12:52 PM

i dont agree with 500gph, i would do more like 700gph. i run a magdrive 7 on my 65g tank with 20g sump and that is not enough. i am getting ready to switch over to a magdrive 9.5

so i wouldnt recomend you using anything less then a mag 7, i personally think this eqation works best for me.

10x(total gallons of water)= GPH

wich in your case would be:

10x75=750gph and thats not including your sump volume.

Guygettnby · 12/10/2008, 12:59 PM

oh i did forget to mention 1 thing. when looking into a pump make sure you account for the head hieght. like say your pump is 2 feet below the tank, the actual GPH that pump is going to put out is less at 2 feet then it is at 1 feet. here is a quick graph to show you the mag pump and what GPH they are at what head hieght.

http://www.marinedepot.com/ps_Aquari...e_supreme.html

crvz · 12/10/2008, 01:37 PM

Guygettnby, why do you recommend more than 5x through the sump? Obviously taking into consideration that you're not using the return pump as the main means of flow in the display.

Guygettnby · 12/10/2008, 01:46 PM

i see better filtration in using 10x over 5x...but now that i think about it, i guess it also depends if you are using a sump or a refugium. right now i am using a sump and i have noticed alot better filtration with the higher turnover rate compared to the lower turnover rate i used to use.

so i see if your using a fuge you would want to have alittle less of a turnover rate.

why do you recomend using 5x and not more?

melvinudawl · 12/10/2008, 01:54 PM

i think anything in the 5-10x range is "normal". A fuge is a separate thing ideally. In my case, my fuge is fed of of my return line at a much lower flow rate than the return. I'd think you're generally served better by going a little larger for a return pump than you think you need. You can always use a ball valve to limit the flow and you can potentially feed future upgrades like a fuge off the same pump. Leaves you room for adjustment so can can use what works best for you. I think pumps also last longer if they are throttled back as well.

kaiboshi · 12/10/2008, 01:55 PM

Shouldn't you aim for what your sump(skimmer/fuge) can process and get the remainder of your flow from a closed loop or powerheads? I mean, otherwise you'd be using a return pump to generate flow and the other means are more efficient in terms of energy and heat added. Is my line of thinking whacked?

Paschendale · 12/10/2008, 02:02 PM

I really appreciate the advice everyone. I've been looking at head loss all day and am getting kinda frustrated. I am going to build my own stand to accommodate the 55g below the DT. I really like the look a higher stand gives to a tank. I was thinking about 40'' tall with tank height putting it at 61" or so. I plan on building a shelf inside the stand for entire 55g to sit on ( approx. leaving 8'' underneath for storage) That would give me about 4 1/2 ft of straight head loss. I am leaning towards the Eheim 1262 but if the 1260 would be OK I'd go with it.

12/10/2008, 09:58 AM	#1
Paschendale Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Clearwater Fl. Posts: 3	Proper pump size Hello everyone. I am going to be upsizing from a 40g to a 75g using a 55g for a sump/refugium. I plan on using 2 - Eshopps 300 overflows (as tank is not drilled). What size pump would I need in the return for these 2 overflows? Budget is low as possible.

12/10/2008, 10:19 AM	#2
Flavum Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Knox, TN Posts: 728	5-10 time turnover rate per hour. 400 gph- 750 ball park __________________ Good guys, bad guys Which is which? The white collar worker Or the digger of the ditch? Man, who's to say who's the better man? I'm doing the very best I can Best I can - Minor Threat

12/10/2008, 10:33 AM	#3
crvz Team RC Member Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: houstonia Posts: 7,989	Yeah, I like staying in the 5x tank turnover. Somewhere in the 500 gph range is good for the return pump on a system that size. __________________ -Chris- You don't win friends with salad. "Look! They're trying to learn for free!" ... "Use your phony guns as clubs!" Current Tank Info: rectangluar? wet?

12/10/2008, 01:37 PM	#6
crvz Team RC Member Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: houstonia Posts: 7,989	Guygettnby, why do you recommend more than 5x through the sump? Obviously taking into consideration that you're not using the return pump as the main means of flow in the display. __________________ -Chris- You don't win friends with salad. "Look! They're trying to learn for free!" ... "Use your phony guns as clubs!" Current Tank Info: rectangluar? wet?

12/10/2008, 12:52 PM	#4
Guygettnby Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: FL Posts: 3,050	i dont agree with 500gph, i would do more like 700gph. i run a magdrive 7 on my 65g tank with 20g sump and that is not enough. i am getting ready to switch over to a magdrive 9.5 so i wouldnt recomend you using anything less then a mag 7, i personally think this eqation works best for me. 10x(total gallons of water)= GPH wich in your case would be: 10x75=750gph and thats not including your sump volume.

12/10/2008, 12:59 PM	#5
Guygettnby Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: FL Posts: 3,050	oh i did forget to mention 1 thing. when looking into a pump make sure you account for the head hieght. like say your pump is 2 feet below the tank, the actual GPH that pump is going to put out is less at 2 feet then it is at 1 feet. here is a quick graph to show you the mag pump and what GPH they are at what head hieght. http://www.marinedepot.com/ps_Aquari...e_supreme.html

12/10/2008, 01:46 PM	#7
Guygettnby Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: FL Posts: 3,050	i see better filtration in using 10x over 5x...but now that i think about it, i guess it also depends if you are using a sump or a refugium. right now i am using a sump and i have noticed alot better filtration with the higher turnover rate compared to the lower turnover rate i used to use. so i see if your using a fuge you would want to have alittle less of a turnover rate. why do you recomend using 5x and not more?

12/10/2008, 01:54 PM	#8
melvinudawl Premium Member Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: CT Posts: 180	i think anything in the 5-10x range is "normal". A fuge is a separate thing ideally. In my case, my fuge is fed of of my return line at a much lower flow rate than the return. I'd think you're generally served better by going a little larger for a return pump than you think you need. You can always use a ball valve to limit the flow and you can potentially feed future upgrades like a fuge off the same pump. Leaves you room for adjustment so can can use what works best for you. I think pumps also last longer if they are throttled back as well.

12/10/2008, 01:55 PM	#9
kaiboshi Registered Member Join Date: May 2008 Location: Pa Posts: 261	Shouldn't you aim for what your sump(skimmer/fuge) can process and get the remainder of your flow from a closed loop or powerheads? I mean, otherwise you'd be using a return pump to generate flow and the other means are more efficient in terms of energy and heat added. Is my line of thinking whacked?

12/10/2008, 02:02 PM	#10
Paschendale Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Clearwater Fl. Posts: 3	I really appreciate the advice everyone. I've been looking at head loss all day and am getting kinda frustrated. I am going to build my own stand to accommodate the 55g below the DT. I really like the look a higher stand gives to a tank. I was thinking about 40'' tall with tank height putting it at 61" or so. I plan on building a shelf inside the stand for entire 55g to sit on ( approx. leaving 8'' underneath for storage) That would give me about 4 1/2 ft of straight head loss. I am leaning towards the Eheim 1262 but if the 1260 would be OK I'd go with it.