Sump flow, can it be to slow?

trick440 · 01/25/2007, 10:58 PM

Will this sump flow be to slow?

I have a 110g tank, w/ a 15g sump. (I also have fuge, but its seprate.)

I am thinking of using a return pump that will only be 120 gph. (after headloss)

Is this ok? I was thinking maybe the slower flow wouldn't have enought turn over to pickup floaties and stuff that gets filtered out in my sump, by the protein skimmer and filter material.

My current pump is 480gph and its kinda fast because my sump is only 5" wide at the bubble trap and LR area. So water gets 'thrown' over the last bubble trap divider.

swjim · 01/26/2007, 08:16 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by trick440
I was thinking maybe the slower flow wouldn't have enought turn over to pickup floaties and stuff that gets filtered out in my sump, by the protein skimmer and filter material.

My current pump is 480gph and its kinda fast because my sump is only 5" wide at the bubble trap and LR area. So water gets 'thrown' over the last bubble trap divider.

I would have the same concern you already stated, the flow wouldn't be enough to make efficient use of your skimmer, I would shoot for somewhere between 3-5x tank volume through the sump. It also would likely reduce the oxygen levels and gas exchange in your tank unless you planned to make up for the flow in another way - old pump hooked up as a CL maybe?

Is upgrading to a larger sump a possibility? IMO 15 gal is on the small side for a 110. In addition to the microbubble challenges, I would also be concerned about it overflowing if you lost power.

E-A-G-L-E-S · 01/26/2007, 08:26 AM

What's the gph of your skimmer's pump?

trick440 · 01/29/2007, 05:24 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by swjim

Is upgrading to a larger sump a possibility? IMO 15 gal is on the small side for a 110. In addition to the microbubble challenges, I would also be concerned about it overflowing if you lost power.

The sump is a 40g, with 15g of sump and 10g of fuge, then 15g is empty for water return when the pumps go off.

THe gph on the skimmer is 700.

useskaforevil · 01/29/2007, 06:40 AM

you should put in a T connection with a ball valve in your return, that'll slow the draining of your return section but still allow you to use the big pump.

01/25/2007, 10:58 PM	#1
trick440 Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Posts: 117	Sump flow, can it be to slow? Will this sump flow be to slow? I have a 110g tank, w/ a 15g sump. (I also have fuge, but its seprate.) I am thinking of using a return pump that will only be 120 gph. (after headloss) Is this ok? I was thinking maybe the slower flow wouldn't have enought turn over to pickup floaties and stuff that gets filtered out in my sump, by the protein skimmer and filter material. My current pump is 480gph and its kinda fast because my sump is only 5" wide at the bubble trap and LR area. So water gets 'thrown' over the last bubble trap divider.

01/26/2007, 08:26 AM	#3
E-A-G-L-E-S Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Lehigh Valley, PA Posts: 7,038	What's the gph of your skimmer's pump? __________________ Smug Egotistical Contemptuous It's difficult to get a man to understand something that his salary requires him not to.

01/29/2007, 06:40 AM	#5
useskaforevil Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: kent, ohio Posts: 1,012	you should put in a T connection with a ball valve in your return, that'll slow the draining of your return section but still allow you to use the big pump. __________________ "and the delicate mechanism stripped its gears" Current Tank Info: 80gallon bowfront