Add bypass to return pump plumbing for flow control?

BrettDS · 08/07/2015, 10:19 AM

So I'm working on plumbing my new fish room. I'm planning on to split the output from my return pump to feed my refugium and my frag tank as well as the DT.

I'm planning to install valves on the feeds for the refugium and the frag tank, but not the DT. Normally I would add a bypass with a valve to return some water directly back to the sump, which would allow me to adjust the flow to the DT without restricting the pump.

However, the pump I'm using is a speed controllable dc pump so I'm thinking that between adjusting the speed of the pump and the valves on the other two tanks that I'll be able to control the flow rate to the DT, but do you think it would be wise to install the bypass anyway just for fine tuning?

billdogg · 08/07/2015, 10:34 AM

I would go ahead and spend the extra couple bucks. Although you might not ever use it, if you don't put it in now, you will be wishing you had when you do need it.

BrettDS · 08/07/2015, 11:54 PM

Thanks... I wound up adding the bypass. The sump is still filling with RODI water to be mixed with salt tomorrow, so I haven't tried it yet, but at least it will be there if I need it.

BrettDS · 08/08/2015, 09:05 AM

Well, I wound up using the bypass already. I haven't started the system up yet, but I let the sump slowly fill with RODI water last night and I needed to mix it with salt this morning. I realized that it was going to be a pain to try to mix salt in all of the individual compartments separately, but then it occurred to me that I could just use the return pump with the bypass to circulate the water through the whole sump. So I shut off the valves for the frag tank and the fuge and opened the bypass and turned the pump on low. I have no valve for the DT, but with 16 feet of head the water can't get up there anyway with the pump on low.

Water is circulating through the sump now mixing the salt in quickly.

08/07/2015, 10:19 AM	#1
BrettDS Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2012 Location: Orlando Posts: 1,109	Add bypass to return pump plumbing for flow control? So I'm working on plumbing my new fish room. I'm planning on to split the output from my return pump to feed my refugium and my frag tank as well as the DT. I'm planning to install valves on the feeds for the refugium and the frag tank, but not the DT. Normally I would add a bypass with a valve to return some water directly back to the sump, which would allow me to adjust the flow to the DT without restricting the pump. However, the pump I'm using is a speed controllable dc pump so I'm thinking that between adjusting the speed of the pump and the valves on the other two tanks that I'll be able to control the flow rate to the DT, but do you think it would be wise to install the bypass anyway just for fine tuning?

08/07/2015, 10:34 AM	#2
billdogg Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Grove City, Ohio Posts: 10,806	I would go ahead and spend the extra couple bucks. Although you might not ever use it, if you don't put it in now, you will be wishing you had when you do need it. __________________ I'll try to be nice if you try to be smarter! I can't help that I grow older, but you can't make me grow up! Current Tank Info: 120 mixed reef with 40b sump, RO 150 skimmer, AI Sol Blue x 2, and a 60g Frag Tank with 100g rubbermaid sump. 2 x Kessil A360w lights, BM curve 5 skimmer

08/07/2015, 11:54 PM	#3
BrettDS Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2012 Location: Orlando Posts: 1,109	Thanks... I wound up adding the bypass. The sump is still filling with RODI water to be mixed with salt tomorrow, so I haven't tried it yet, but at least it will be there if I need it.

08/08/2015, 09:05 AM	#4
BrettDS Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2012 Location: Orlando Posts: 1,109	Well, I wound up using the bypass already. I haven't started the system up yet, but I let the sump slowly fill with RODI water last night and I needed to mix it with salt this morning. I realized that it was going to be a pain to try to mix salt in all of the individual compartments separately, but then it occurred to me that I could just use the return pump with the bypass to circulate the water through the whole sump. So I shut off the valves for the frag tank and the fuge and opened the bypass and turned the pump on low. I have no valve for the DT, but with 16 feet of head the water can't get up there anyway with the pump on low. Water is circulating through the sump now mixing the salt in quickly.