external return pump

briansbelle · 03/21/2010, 08:05 AM

i am sick of this return pump i have...i have it ran in the sump and every other day it is sucking in micro bubbles....

the area where the pump is in my sump isnt very big and i cannot take out the last baffle b/c the sump is running...and i cannot add more water b/c my skimmer is all setup and cannot be in more than 7" of water so that isnt an option....

i am looking for a good recoomendation on a return pump that can be ran externally(hooked to return line,and hose in the sump), also my return pump is a mag 5 i believe...

thanks!!
belle

briansbelle · 03/21/2010, 08:51 AM

figured out the problem... the area where the return pump is isnt very big at all, the pump barely fits in there...so less area=less water...
so i raised the water level up to an inch from the top of the center baffle which didnt afffect the area where the skimmer is at all...so now i have more headway for evap....

slief · 03/21/2010, 08:52 AM

Why not make a little acrylic piece will 2 legs that goes over the pumps inlet. It should be tall enough to have the top of it just below the surface of the water. The legs would be narrow enough to fit between the sump wall and the baffle. It should be as wide as you can make it. The top of this thing should be as dee[ as you can make it. It would like like a box without the bottom with the sides narrower than the top. The idea is that it will prevent the pump for sucking air at the highpoint of the return pump bulkhead as it will act as a cover between the pump and the waters surface.

Alternativly, you could just glue in a piece of glass or acrylic above the inlet just below the water surface and accomplish the same thing..

Your pump change option will reduce flow so if you can figure out how to work with what you have, you might be better off.

briansbelle · 03/21/2010, 08:55 AM

thanks! i think i have it figured out

just need to get my ATO hooked up...lol

03/21/2010, 08:05 AM	#1
briansbelle zoa collector :) Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: heath ohio Posts: 327	external return pump i am sick of this return pump i have...i have it ran in the sump and every other day it is sucking in micro bubbles.... the area where the pump is in my sump isnt very big and i cannot take out the last baffle b/c the sump is running...and i cannot add more water b/c my skimmer is all setup and cannot be in more than 7" of water so that isnt an option.... i am looking for a good recoomendation on a return pump that can be ran externally(hooked to return line,and hose in the sump), also my return pump is a mag 5 i believe... thanks!! belle

03/21/2010, 08:52 AM	#3
slief RC Sponsor Join Date: Sep 2009 Posts: 14,173	Why not make a little acrylic piece will 2 legs that goes over the pumps inlet. It should be tall enough to have the top of it just below the surface of the water. The legs would be narrow enough to fit between the sump wall and the baffle. It should be as wide as you can make it. The top of this thing should be as dee[ as you can make it. It would like like a box without the bottom with the sides narrower than the top. The idea is that it will prevent the pump for sucking air at the highpoint of the return pump bulkhead as it will act as a cover between the pump and the waters surface. Alternativly, you could just glue in a piece of glass or acrylic above the inlet just below the water surface and accomplish the same thing.. Your pump change option will reduce flow so if you can figure out how to work with what you have, you might be better off. __________________ Director Customer Support Royal Exclusiv USA For All Royal Exclusiv & Bubble King questions please refer to our Sponsor forum: http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/fo...play.php?f=745 Current Tank Info: 480G display mixed reef, 90G sump, 90G refugium, 60G display refugium. Check out my build thread: http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1783476

03/21/2010, 08:51 AM	#2
briansbelle zoa collector :) Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: heath ohio Posts: 327	figured out the problem... the area where the return pump is isnt very big at all, the pump barely fits in there...so less area=less water... so i raised the water level up to an inch from the top of the center baffle which didnt afffect the area where the skimmer is at all...so now i have more headway for evap....

03/21/2010, 08:55 AM	#4
briansbelle zoa collector :) Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: heath ohio Posts: 327	thanks! i think i have it figured out just need to get my ATO hooked up...lol