Sump flow rate- skim. 180g/h - no refug.

CapitolsRock · 05/07/2012, 02:59 PM

Berling Method - 40 gallon

Skimmer 180g/h

Was wondering with the conventional wisdom for flow rates would be with a setup like I have. It isn't like the old days when you had a many things in your wet/dry sump. I'll just have a simple setup with my skimmer exit water running into a pvc pipe with gfo/carbon sock. Then back to the tank.

How would it help to send water through the sump faster than the skimmer can skim?

I don't have room for a refugium and most of the oxygenation will be done with the wavemaker pumps.

Need advice - thanks....

bnumair · 05/07/2012, 07:30 PM

if i read it properly u want skimmer exit water to go through gfo/carbon sock?
i personally dont like to restrict skimmers out by any way. even though u are not restricting the flow by when the sock gets dirty and clogged (which is in 3-6 day) it will cause the level to rise in the sock and thus causing back pressure in the skimmer itself which in return will over flow from the top neck.
you can always install a valve to the input side of the skimmer and let only enough water flow that keeps the water level at the base of the neck(without the skimmer pump on).

James77 · 05/07/2012, 07:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CapitolsRock

BerHow would it help to send water through the sump faster than the skimmer can skim?

It doesn't really accomplish anything but use more power, assuming your turnover is high enough to heat the water. I use low-flow sump as well, I push maybe 450 gph on my 120 display. Some also rely on the sump turnover to proved flow, I have separate poweheads/

CapitolsRock · 05/07/2012, 08:11 PM

bnumair

Quote:

like to restrict skimmers out by any way

Good point bnumair but the skimmer exits by gravity into a pvc pipe thats below, so if the pipe backs up, the water billows over the side of the pipe and doesn't back up skimmer outlet.

Quote:

doesn't really accomplish anything but use more power, assuming your turnover is high enough to heat the water

Exactly what I was thinking but I wanted to hear from people that are doing just it that way. W

What good does it do to just ram water through the sump at 10x the tank volume if it isn't processed properly?

05/07/2012, 02:59 PM	#1
CapitolsRock Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2012 Location: Washington DC Area Posts: 47	Sump flow rate- skim. 180g/h - no refug. Berling Method - 40 gallon Skimmer 180g/h Was wondering with the conventional wisdom for flow rates would be with a setup like I have. It isn't like the old days when you had a many things in your wet/dry sump. I'll just have a simple setup with my skimmer exit water running into a pvc pipe with gfo/carbon sock. Then back to the tank. How would it help to send water through the sump faster than the skimmer can skim? I don't have room for a refugium and most of the oxygenation will be done with the wavemaker pumps. Need advice - thanks....

05/07/2012, 07:30 PM	#2
bnumair Dr. Reef at ur service Join Date: May 2009 Location: Tulsa, Ok, USA Posts: 7,751 Blog Entries: 15	if i read it properly u want skimmer exit water to go through gfo/carbon sock? i personally dont like to restrict skimmers out by any way. even though u are not restricting the flow by when the sock gets dirty and clogged (which is in 3-6 day) it will cause the level to rise in the sock and thus causing back pressure in the skimmer itself which in return will over flow from the top neck. you can always install a valve to the input side of the skimmer and let only enough water flow that keeps the water level at the base of the neck(without the skimmer pump on). __________________ Water Quality: NO3 0,Phos 0,Cal 440,Alk 7.5,Mag 1300 "Reef Fast, You Crash, Reef Slow, You Pass" Mike's Reef 3:16 Current Tank Info: 350g DT,95g sump, 50g Frag tank, 4800gph return 4x Sea swirls. 6x AI Vega Color. 200# Pukani rock, dual recirculating skimmer, Biopellet, GFO Carbon rx's, Cal rx. Closed loop. 1.5hp chiller, genesis renew. Apex & RKE