Help Me Choosing a Pump Size for Return and Manifold

Firochromis · 03/08/2012, 01:45 PM

Hi all,

I need some help about choosing a pump size for my 120 g tank. Total water volume will be around 200 g and it is 3' high from sump. I'll use Bean Animal's overflow system. I want to use Red Dragon pumps, since the aquarium is in my living room. I'll feed a manifold with a T from return line, and then divide to flow to four outputs: chiller (300gph), refugium (300gph), phosphate reactor (200gph) and a zeolith reactor (300 gph). I want some 1200-1500 g return at aquarium. So these numbers make a total of 2500 g. Red Dragon 10000 pump has a capacity of 2500 g @ 3'. Manifold will be at 15" height but considering the head loss caused by T's 90 elbows, I think this calculation is roughly correct.

I haven't used pumps at this size so I need a confirmation for this purchase. Do I missed anything? Any suggestion or negative comment about manifolds? If for some reason I can not use manifold, then the pump will be useless for me. Do you think a smaller return pump like RD 6000 and a mini RD 3500 for the manifold would be safer?

rovster · 06/21/2012, 10:49 AM

I know this is an older thread, but I would like to bump it for the OP cuz I've got a VERY similar situation.

03/08/2012, 01:45 PM	#1
Firochromis Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Ankara, Turkey Posts: 86	Help Me Choosing a Pump Size for Return and Manifold Hi all, I need some help about choosing a pump size for my 120 g tank. Total water volume will be around 200 g and it is 3' high from sump. I'll use Bean Animal's overflow system. I want to use Red Dragon pumps, since the aquarium is in my living room. I'll feed a manifold with a T from return line, and then divide to flow to four outputs: chiller (300gph), refugium (300gph), phosphate reactor (200gph) and a zeolith reactor (300 gph). I want some 1200-1500 g return at aquarium. So these numbers make a total of 2500 g. Red Dragon 10000 pump has a capacity of 2500 g @ 3'. Manifold will be at 15" height but considering the head loss caused by T's 90 elbows, I think this calculation is roughly correct. I haven't used pumps at this size so I need a confirmation for this purchase. Do I missed anything? Any suggestion or negative comment about manifolds? If for some reason I can not use manifold, then the pump will be useless for me. Do you think a smaller return pump like RD 6000 and a mini RD 3500 for the manifold would be safer?

06/21/2012, 10:49 AM	#2
rovster Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Miramar, FL Posts: 7,518	I know this is an older thread, but I would like to bump it for the OP cuz I've got a VERY similar situation.