How much flow to sump?

[rogergolf66]

Ok I have a 120 gal tank with sps. In the sump is a filter sock and skimmer. What is the range of gph flow from return pump to display? Can there be to much flow? I know there can be to little but I'm not worried about that.

What do u think and why?

Roger

[Below Radar]

I've heard 2 different things...10x water volume, so 120gph for you. I've also heard that's too much and 4-5x is plenty.

[kriv4o]

Originally Posted by Below Radar

I've heard 2 different things...10x water volume, so 1200gph for you. I've also heard that's too much and 4-5x is plenty.

fixed and agreed

[sn4265]

I've got a 120 gal with a 40B sump for a total water volume of somewhere around 140 gal, and I have a Mag 9 for a return pump. I've been running the system for almost 2 years now without any problems that I would find attributable to flow. I have to admit though, I really never have given it that much consideration beyond the initial setup.

[Entropy]

I have heard several theories. As much as physically possible, as much as possible without bubbles getting to your return pump, 5-10x, as much as your skimmer can process.

I am running about 450 gph on my 150g my skimmer processes about 300gph so I guess I am making it up as I go.

With a filter sock I would say the more the better since it is mechanical filtration. The skimmer might not work as well, but a filter sock is going to make a big difference (assuming it is kept clean).

[Palting]

One factor is your oveflow capacity. What type of oveflow do you have, and do you know it's rated capacity?

Another factor is noise. The hihger the flow, the more "toilet flushing" sounds.

How big is your sump/skimmer combo? Can they handle the flow? You dont' want your macro algae getting blown out of the refugium .

As an example, I have twin overflows in my 150, each capable of 750 gph, and i have a 30 gallon sump with a 300 gallon capable skimmer. So, I got 2 return pumps. each capbale of 750 gph at a 4 foot head. Perfect, right? Wrong! It sounded like I had Niagara falls in there. Got some valves, and turned the output down, and finally just ran one pump at full throttle.

[hackney]

5x turnover

[rogergolf66]

I have already put in a new pump pushes over 2,000 gph through my tank to the sump. The sump in handling it fine and so is my 2 in overflow.

Thanks so much for all the responses but what I really want to know is if you have to much flow from sump to tank to sump what will happen in the tank? Anything?

[rogergolf66]

Originally Posted by Entropy

I have heard several theories. As much as physically possible, as much as possible without bubbles getting to your return pump, 5-10x, as much as your skimmer can process.

I am running about 450 gph on my 150g my skimmer processes about 300gph so I guess I am making it up as I go.

With a filter sock I would say the more the better since it is mechanical filtration. The skimmer might not work as well, but a filter sock is going to make a big difference (assuming it is kept clean).

Why does the skimmer not work as well and does the sock filtration better then skimmer filtration?

[husslr187]

heres my post a while back about the same exact thing. there is some good info in there and a link somewhere down the page about sumps as well

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/sh...w+through+sump

[Palting]

Originally Posted by rogergolf66

I have already put in a new pump pushes over 2,000 gph through my tank to the sump. The sump in handling it fine and so is my 2 in overflow.

Thanks so much for all the responses but what I really want to know is if you have to much flow from sump to tank to sump what will happen in the tank? Anything?

Ok. One thing that's unusual is that you must have a custom overflow of some kind, because most built-in overflows can only handle 750 gph each. Just curious. What kind of return pump do you have that's pushing over 2,000 gph, and what kind of overflows?

What happens with too much flow from the return pumps? Nothing bad, really. Your skimmer will process whatever water the skimmer pump picks up, and if you have a refugium, the macro will process at whatever rate they process regardless of flow. You can have too much noise from all that water gurgling down the drains if you have a Durso sytem, that's not really a bad thing if you don't mind the noise.

[Ron Reefman]

Originally Posted by Palting

Ok. One thing that's unusual is that you must have a custom overflow of some kind, because most built-in overflows can only handle 750 gph each. Just curious. What kind of return pump do you have that's pushing over 2,000 gph, and what kind of overflows?
What happens with too much flow from the return pumps? Nothing bad, really. Your skimmer will process whatever water the skimmer pump picks up, and if you have a refugium, the macro will process at whatever rate they process regardless of flow. You can have too much noise from all that water gurgling down the drains if you have a Durso sytem, that's not really a bad thing if you don't mind the noise.

Overflows are as different as snowflakes IMHO, and saying that they only run at 750gph is really not a fair answer at all. The rate of flow is so dependant on the water level in the tank, how long the weir is and how wide and deep the teeth are (if there even are any). I have a small overflow that is original to the tank and I use both the 1" bulkhead and the 3/4" bulkhead as drains with no durso (flow of about 900-1000gph or more). I also feed my skimmer by gravity from a new 1.5" bulkhead and then use a Little Giant submersible pump rated at 3200gph (2200gph with my 6' head) for return to the DT.

The second half of your answer I agree with completely. IMHO, if you don't have a refugium, use whatever flow you want. Fuges work better with slower flow (5-7X) but that can easily be designed into the sump with some form of bypass.

[rogergolf66]

Originally Posted by Palting

Ok. One thing that's unusual is that you must have a custom overflow of some kind, because most built-in overflows can only handle 750 gph each. Just curious. What kind of return pump do you have that's pushing over 2,000 gph, and what kind of overflows?

What happens with too much flow from the return pumps? Nothing bad, really. Your skimmer will process whatever water the skimmer pump picks up, and if you have a refugium, the macro will process at whatever rate they process regardless of flow. You can have too much noise from all that water gurgling down the drains if you have a Durso sytem, that's not really a bad thing if you don't mind the noise.

Then tank is custom acrylic tank with single 2 in overflow with a durso on it. I am running a reeflow snapper dart hybrid pump. I have it teed off to run multiple reactors and 2 1 in sea swirls. I went with this pump as it was 50 watts les draw then past pump and pushed almost 2,ooo gal more water.

[Entropy]

Originally Posted by rogergolf66

Why does the skimmer not work as well and does the sock filtration better then skimmer filtration?

A well maintained filter sock is going to remove almost all the crap that goes down the drain. It will keep your water clearer and give you better water quality. The caveat is that you have to keep it clean. If you let it sit until it is overflowing you are creating a nitrate factory and killing the effectiveness of the sock.

As for the skimmer, I am sorry if I misled you with my statement. IMO a filter sock is not as good as a skimmer, but if you have a sock you are removing a percentage of the same stuff a skimmer will help remove. So if your skimmer is removing 100% of the bad stuff and you add a filter sock that removes 50% of the bad stuff, logic says the skimmer is not going to remove as much now. It might still remove 100% of the bad stuff that goes into the skimmer, but there will just be less bad stuff available so the skimmer will look like it is doing less (it will pull less volume).

Most of us don't have a problem pulling too much bad stuff out of the tank though so I would run the best skimmer you can and a good filter sock.

[rogergolf66]

Thanks for the info. Was helpful