Does anyone else run a Mag 24 straight up from the basement

[gaubow22]

I know this is specific, but I wouldn't mind chatting if you do..

[Pittsburgh]

Yep. I tried. Mag24 about 10' straight up and another couple of feet horizontal somewhere in between. The pump didn't handle head pressure very well, not enough flow for a reef tank. Ended up getting an external PanWorld pump (don't remember the model #, can look it up later if you want), it was a beast of a pump and worked really well.

Upd: Here's my original thread from way back when

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/sh....php?t=1506942

[gaubow22]

Thanks. Didn't know if anyone would be there for this one. I seem to get "pretty good output" from mine, but not sure what that means. Even if it is only 400 gph that turns my 90 over 4x an hour. I have two tunze on controller for more flow. I just wonder how I know if it is enough for my tank.

[Pittsburgh]

4x sump turnover is not bad at all. It really depends on your skimmer performance. If your skimmer processes 600gph and your sump turnover is only 400gph, then its not enough, your skimmer is reskimming clean water all the time. If your skimmer processes only 200gph, then 400gph is too much flow and the skimmer doesn't have enough time to clean the water properly.

[Sk8r]

I tried with a Mag 12---no way on earth.
I ended up getting an Iwaki (Japanese motor) 100, but have to throttle it back with a valve or it would shoot clear across the living room. Somewhat less than that would handle it.

[Pittsburgh]

Originally Posted by Sk8r

I tried with a Mag 12---no way on earth.

This is actually a very true statement. Somewhere else with less gravity it'd probably have worked just fine!

[gaubow22]

I have a Octopus NWB200 rated by Coralvue up to 250 gallons on a 90 gallon tank. My tank water looks great and tests great, but then again, it's only been 2 mos.

Just by putting my hand in front of the output, it feels about the same pressure as my 6055 tunze powerhead.

My biggest concern was how loud it was, but someone suggest a silicone trivitt from Bed Bath and Beyond and it has help tremendously.

[gaubow22]

Originally Posted by Pittsburgh

4x sump turnover is not bad at all. It really depends on your skimmer performance. If your skimmer processes 600gph and your sump turnover is only 400gph, then its not enough, your skimmer is reskimming clean water all the time. If your skimmer processes only 200gph, then 400gph is too much flow and the skimmer doesn't have enough time to clean the water properly.

I am not sure that I completely understand. So if my skimmer processes 600 and my turnover is 400 skimming clean water, that is a good thing correct? You are just saying that I could stand to have the flow through my sump higher if I wanted to, correct? Sometimes I just can't get my mind around flows, etc.

[Pittsburgh]

Originally Posted by gaubow22

I am not sure that I completely understand. So if my skimmer processes 600 and my turnover is 400 skimming clean water, that is a good thing correct? You are just saying that I could stand to have the flow through my sump higher if I wanted to, correct? Sometimes I just can't get my mind around flows, etc.

Not quite. See, say your skimmer is rated to handle a 100g tank, to do so it must process 600gph. If it were any slower, then it could no longer handle a 100g tank and would be underpowered. Now if your skimmer processes 600, but you only provide it with 400g of dirty water per hour, you are not using your skimmer at its full potential and the water doesn't get cleaned as effectively.

Now, say instead of 400g turnover, you give your skimmer 800. In this case, it does not have time to process all of the wastes out of the water and roughly 800-600=200gph bypasses the skimmer and goes back into the tank dirty.

What I'm saying is that your turnover should be close to your skimmer capacity to maximize its effectiveness. It doesn't have to match perfectly, but getting close to it is making your filtration system more effective.