Proper Sizing of pumps and skimmers

MHG · 03/17/2011, 08:39 AM

I did some searching and played with some of the calculators on the site. It is the method that is probably confusing me... If I have a 60g cuve with a 1.5 inch (at least I think it is 1.5 if the gole in the glass is 1.75) drain. I have a 3/4 return but I am going to use that as a fail safe drain so I will pipe my return over the back.

Si id I am correct, after determining head loss, a 1.5 inch drain will handle a max flow return pump of around 1300 gph... I assuming I have lets just say a 1000 gph (after head loss) pump, I am dumping a 1000gph into the tank and thus 1000 gph down into the sump. The skimmer will draw in X (depending on the size of the skimmer pump) and everything else will dump over the baffle into the next chamber.

What is a good method to matching the skimmer pump size to the return pump size? Is ther a ratio that is a "best practice"? So if I use a reef octopus 4 (GPH of 250), is that good? FYI, I am limitted to 20 inches in height for my skimmer to give me maintenance room. Should I try to find the skimmer with the higher flow rate or use a lower gph return pump to match the biggest skimmer I can get?

I know you want to keep the flow rate in the fuge area low so that is something I will accomplish with a ball valve and a "T" off the return pump.

phenom5 · 03/17/2011, 09:12 AM

A 1.5" drain should be able to handle 1000gph, but I probably wouldn't run that much water through your sump.

Typically 3-5x turnover is recommended through a sump.

jabbott · 03/17/2011, 11:01 AM

Yea, that is an awful lot of water through the sump for a 60g tank.
I would do what phenom5 said. 3-5x and use some power heads in the tank to make up the rest.

MHG · 03/17/2011, 11:20 AM

OK, so 3 to 5 times 60 gallons (DT) so 300 gallons after head loss for the return pump... should the skimmer be matched close to that?

MHG · 03/17/2011, 11:31 AM

I just found this thread that goes into it pretty good.

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/sh...ested+turnover

MHG · 03/17/2011, 12:35 PM

So since the head loss is what is determining the ultimate output the calculator on the home page is fairly useful. Most og the skimmers I see in my size are around 250 GPH. With my head loss, that seems to be a magic number that all the pomps are either over or under... Figures...

So assuming that I go with an Reef Octopus 4 at 250 GPH I am thinking either a Mag 7 at 347 GPH after head loss or a Quiet 1 at 398 GPH after head loss. The Mag 7 seems to be a popular pump.

My sump/fuge is likely going to be a 20 Gallon high since that is the biggest I can fit in my stand and still have room to work. I can probably double that and go with a cube sump but I wont be able to fit anything else in that stand...

I am thinking of setting up my fuge like this

skimmer>retirn.fuge with the output of the return "T'ed" off to slow feed the fuge...

Dactylopterus · 03/17/2011, 01:16 PM

I would go with an eheim 1260 if sound is a concern, that's what i have in my 65 gal with 25 gal sump. then the mag 7. I've heard that the quiet one is not that quiet.

MHG · 03/23/2011, 05:55 AM

Should I be trying to figureout the skimmer size than figure out the return pump size?

pmrossetti · 03/23/2011, 06:47 AM

1.5" hole in bottom does that much(1300). with a durso in it however it does a lot less. like 7-800gph.

MHG · 03/25/2011, 11:08 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MHG

Should I be trying to figureout the skimmer size than figure out the return pump size?

Bump

MHG · 04/02/2011, 07:01 AM

I got the reef octopus 4 skimmer. I am not trying to size the pump. I wast lookig at the Eheim 1260 but its nt on the calculator..

03/17/2011, 08:39 AM	#1
MHG Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2011 Posts: 2,919	Proper Sizing of pumps and skimmers I did some searching and played with some of the calculators on the site. It is the method that is probably confusing me... If I have a 60g cuve with a 1.5 inch (at least I think it is 1.5 if the gole in the glass is 1.75) drain. I have a 3/4 return but I am going to use that as a fail safe drain so I will pipe my return over the back. Si id I am correct, after determining head loss, a 1.5 inch drain will handle a max flow return pump of around 1300 gph... I assuming I have lets just say a 1000 gph (after head loss) pump, I am dumping a 1000gph into the tank and thus 1000 gph down into the sump. The skimmer will draw in X (depending on the size of the skimmer pump) and everything else will dump over the baffle into the next chamber. What is a good method to matching the skimmer pump size to the return pump size? Is ther a ratio that is a "best practice"? So if I use a reef octopus 4 (GPH of 250), is that good? FYI, I am limitted to 20 inches in height for my skimmer to give me maintenance room. Should I try to find the skimmer with the higher flow rate or use a lower gph return pump to match the biggest skimmer I can get? I know you want to keep the flow rate in the fuge area low so that is something I will accomplish with a ball valve and a "T" off the return pump.

03/17/2011, 09:12 AM	#2
phenom5 Unregistered Member Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Arizona Posts: 5,096	A 1.5" drain should be able to handle 1000gph, but I probably wouldn't run that much water through your sump. Typically 3-5x turnover is recommended through a sump. __________________ Rob Current Tank Info: DSA 155 Pro \| ATI Sunpower \| ATB 840 v2 \| Apex \| Wav

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03/17/2011, 11:01 AM	#3
jabbott Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2010 Location: Staten Island, NY Posts: 181	Yea, that is an awful lot of water through the sump for a 60g tank. I would do what phenom5 said. 3-5x and use some power heads in the tank to make up the rest.

03/17/2011, 11:20 AM	#4
MHG Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2011 Posts: 2,919	OK, so 3 to 5 times 60 gallons (DT) so 300 gallons after head loss for the return pump... should the skimmer be matched close to that?

03/17/2011, 11:31 AM	#5
MHG Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2011 Posts: 2,919	I just found this thread that goes into it pretty good. http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/sh...ested+turnover

03/17/2011, 12:35 PM	#6
MHG Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2011 Posts: 2,919	So since the head loss is what is determining the ultimate output the calculator on the home page is fairly useful. Most og the skimmers I see in my size are around 250 GPH. With my head loss, that seems to be a magic number that all the pomps are either over or under... Figures... So assuming that I go with an Reef Octopus 4 at 250 GPH I am thinking either a Mag 7 at 347 GPH after head loss or a Quiet 1 at 398 GPH after head loss. The Mag 7 seems to be a popular pump. My sump/fuge is likely going to be a 20 Gallon high since that is the biggest I can fit in my stand and still have room to work. I can probably double that and go with a cube sump but I wont be able to fit anything else in that stand... I am thinking of setting up my fuge like this skimmer>retirn.fuge with the output of the return "T'ed" off to slow feed the fuge...

03/17/2011, 01:16 PM	#7
Dactylopterus Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2011 Location: Calgary, Canada Posts: 231	I would go with an eheim 1260 if sound is a concern, that's what i have in my 65 gal with 25 gal sump. then the mag 7. I've heard that the quiet one is not that quiet.

03/23/2011, 05:55 AM	#8
MHG Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2011 Posts: 2,919	Should I be trying to figureout the skimmer size than figure out the return pump size?

03/23/2011, 06:47 AM	#9
pmrossetti Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Cali. Posts: 3,199	1.5" hole in bottom does that much(1300). with a durso in it however it does a lot less. like 7-800gph.