Better to throttle back high end pump or go with what I need now?

krsATL · 01/30/2019, 12:20 PM

I am fairly new to the craft. Working on design of my second tank after shutting down my first one a while back.
I have a question on external AC pumps. I will be putting my sump and other maint. items in a basement below the display. I want to know if it is okay to buy a high end in (higher flow/head) than I need now, in anticipation that I will someday use the benefits of more flow, etc. by adding more in the basement and adding additional display tanks. I have read you can throttle down the flow using a valve but I want to be sure that doesn't harm the pump or cause excessive heat. I might end up with thousands of gal. more an hour than I currently need and could need to cut it back quite a bit for now. Is it better to buy one closer to my current needs or scale back with a higher end? Thank you.

kfisc · 01/30/2019, 12:25 PM

Welcome! With what you describe, I'd go with what you need for now. Thousands more gallons per hour than needed would be a nightmare in the making if you dial that much back.

krsATL · 01/30/2019, 12:35 PM

Thank you!

GQuinn · 01/30/2019, 02:14 PM

Did you use this when calculating how much pump you need?
http://www.reefcentral.com/index.php...oss-calculator

What external pump are you planning on using? If it’s a DC pump you will probably never get the flow they quote.

hkgar · 01/30/2019, 02:17 PM

Be sure to calculate the head loss. I have a basement sump and a 180G DT. I am using an Awaki 100 rated for 2136 GPH and my flow is about 600. I do have a gate valve but it is wide open. I have a lot of head pressure because of distance and turns the return need to take.

lolgranny · 01/30/2019, 03:04 PM

Gate valve is fine. My 400g is fed by a hammerhead and that is 50’ across the house and down in the garage. No issues with mine being choked down.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

krsATL · 01/31/2019, 10:32 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GQuinn

Did you use this when calculating how much pump you need?
http://www.reefcentral.com/index.php...oss-calculator

What external pump are you planning on using? If it’s a DC pump you will probably never get the flow they quote.

Thank you!
I was going to go with an AC but throttle seems to be the only way to back those down. I am looking at that calculator but still working out the length and bends to be exact. I was looking at the Iwakis but paying 400 for a little more than I need didn't seem as efficient as paying 600 for something like the ReeFlo Tiger Shark which is way more than I need now but may be perfect a year or two from now.

krsATL · 01/31/2019, 10:33 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by hkgar

Be sure to calculate the head loss. I have a basement sump and a 180G DT. I am using an Awaki 100 rated for 2136 GPH and my flow is about 600. I do have a gate valve but it is wide open. I have a lot of head pressure because of distance and turns the return need to take.

Thank you!

krsATL · 01/31/2019, 10:35 AM

Thank you. I may have to go about 25 feet across the house and about 12ft down. The first tank is a 90gal. so I don't need a ton but was looking to be cost efficient and not damage a $600 pump.

on the spot · 01/31/2019, 05:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by krsATL

Thank you. I may have to go about 25 feet across the house and about 12ft down. The first tank is a 90gal. so I don't need a ton but was looking to be cost efficient and not damage a $600 pump.

90 is fairly small - with all that head loss what advantages do you see with a remote sump right from the jump? Nothing wrong with it. just curious.

lolgranny · 01/31/2019, 05:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by on the spot

90 is fairly small - with all that head loss what advantages do you see with a remote sump right from the jump? Nothing wrong with it. just curious.

Maybe he did it right and went with a nice 100+ gallon sump and some frag tanks down there

haha

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

krsATL · 01/31/2019, 05:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by on the spot

90 is fairly small - with all that head loss what advantages do you see with a remote sump right from the jump? Nothing wrong with it. just curious.

Good question, not sure if my answer will be a justifiable answer for everyone but here goes: I had a nice 75 set up in my basement, loved it. I only had one room finished in the basement, so over time, I found that I did not go down as often as I should and I was not taking care of my tank the way I should. Once I lost a fish, I decided to shut it down and figure out how to get one in my office. I have a 90gal corner tank that fits in my office real nice but I don't want the mess and hassle of doing water changes and other maint. stuff in my office. I also could not convince the wife that I could keep the office looking nice. I don't have a stand that would really house everything that I would want plus supplies. Once I learned that a good number of people put all that maint. stuff behind walls and in basements, I was convinced that I needed to do that. I am turning the 75 into a sump and will have a few other tanks like a quarantine and maybe a frag in the future but I mainly want to grow it so I have a couple of other tanks on the main floor that all draw from the same sump etc. I would increase the sump size at that point as well. I guess my reasons are that I learned what my weaknesses are and I am trying to find away to beat them. Out of site eventually meant out of mind and the rest of my family didn't go downstairs either because only one room was finished and it wasn't a great place to hang out. I work from home so my office seems that ideal place for me to really enjoy a tank. I am still working out all the details, I am open to all the advice I can soak up. Please let me know your thoughts on what I have shared. Sorry so long an answer.

krsATL · 01/31/2019, 05:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lolgranny

Maybe he did it right and went with a nice 100+ gallon sump and some frag tanks down there

haha

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I haven't yet, but that's what I want. I have a rather large room that will be mainly for just my fish support. I hope I enjoy it enough to really grow the basement support. I keep hearing the more water you have, the easier it is to maintain, so eventually I would like my basement support tanks to be quite larger than any of my displays. Advice on that idea is also welcome as I have not committed beyond the point of no return at this stage.

swiftvision · 01/31/2019, 06:28 PM

I'm running my Reef Octo Vario-S 8 at 20% just fine. Any higher and it creates a whirlpool where it hits the glass and sucks down air into the tank.

That seems like it's too slow as I want around 1200GPM for my 100 gallon display.

lolgranny · 01/31/2019, 07:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by krsATL

I haven't yet, but that's what I want. I have a rather large room that will be mainly for just my fish support. I hope I enjoy it enough to really grow the basement support. I keep hearing the more water you have, the easier it is to maintain, so eventually I would like my basement support tanks to be quite larger than any of my displays. Advice on that idea is also welcome as I have not committed beyond the point of no return at this stage.

Save the $ now and get a bigger display

both are lovely, but the one you see when you’re lazy *** is sitting on the couch is more mute enjoyable than the one across the house in the garage. Just my opinion. I would have gone with a 10’ tank if I had to do it again.... and maybe I will, but not soon enough.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

krsATL · 02/01/2019, 08:02 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lolgranny

Save the $ now and get a bigger display

both are lovely, but the one you see when you’re lazy *** is sitting on the couch is more mute enjoyable than the one across the house in the garage. Just my opinion. I would have gone with a 10’ tank if I had to do it again.... and maybe I will, but not soon enough.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Thank you, great advice.

hkgar · 02/01/2019, 02:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lolgranny

Save the $ now and get a bigger display

both are lovely, but the one you see when you’re lazy *** is sitting on the couch is more mute enjoyable than the one across the house in the garage. Just my opinion. I would have gone with a 10’ tank if I had to do it again.... and maybe I will, but not soon enough.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Yup, I started with a 40, moved up to 90 and now a 180. I would probably go bigger if I had a longer wall!

But do not forget to budget for bigger and better equipment. A bigger tank may require a larger pump, like you are thinking of, to obtain the corals.

krsATL · 02/01/2019, 06:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by hkgar

Yup, I started with a 40, moved up to 90 and now a 180. I would probably go bigger if I had a longer wall!

But do not forget to budget for bigger and better equipment. A bigger tank may require a larger pump, like you are thinking of, to obtain the corals.

Thank you!

01/30/2019, 12:20 PM	#1
krsATL Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2015 Posts: 11	Better to throttle back high end pump or go with what I need now? I am fairly new to the craft. Working on design of my second tank after shutting down my first one a while back. I have a question on external AC pumps. I will be putting my sump and other maint. items in a basement below the display. I want to know if it is okay to buy a high end in (higher flow/head) than I need now, in anticipation that I will someday use the benefits of more flow, etc. by adding more in the basement and adding additional display tanks. I have read you can throttle down the flow using a valve but I want to be sure that doesn't harm the pump or cause excessive heat. I might end up with thousands of gal. more an hour than I currently need and could need to cut it back quite a bit for now. Is it better to buy one closer to my current needs or scale back with a higher end? Thank you.

01/30/2019, 02:17 PM	#5
hkgar Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: Dewitt MI Posts: 5,051	Be sure to calculate the head loss. I have a basement sump and a 180G DT. I am using an Awaki 100 rated for 2136 GPH and my flow is about 600. I do have a gate valve but it is wide open. I have a lot of head pressure because of distance and turns the return need to take. __________________ Gary 180 gallon, 40 gallon sump, 3 250 W MH + 4 80W ATI T5's, MTC MVX 36 Skimmer, Apex controller Aquamaxx T-3 CaRx Current Tank Info: A 2 Barred Rabbitfish, Red Head Salon, Yellow/Purple, McMaster Fairy, Possum, 2 Leopard Wrasses, Kole, & Atlantic Blue Tangs, 2 Percula Clown, 3 PJ and 1 Banggai Cardinalfish , Swallowtail, Bellus and Coral Beauty Angels

01/30/2019, 03:04 PM	#6
lolgranny The DQ King Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: Chicago (McHenry) Posts: 2,414	Gate valve is fine. My 400g is fed by a hammerhead and that is 50’ across the house and down in the garage. No issues with mine being choked down. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk __________________ -Dave Current Tank Info: 40g RIP. 300g system, 180g display.

01/31/2019, 06:28 PM	#14
swiftvision Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Portland, OR Posts: 179	I'm running my Reef Octo Vario-S 8 at 20% just fine. Any higher and it creates a whirlpool where it hits the glass and sucks down air into the tank. That seems like it's too slow as I want around 1200GPM for my 100 gallon display. __________________ 100 Gal Cube Reef 8 Gal Nano Reef Current Tank Info: 8 Gallon Nano Reef and custom 100G cube reef

01/30/2019, 12:25 PM	#2
kfisc Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2003 Posts: 2,020	Welcome! With what you describe, I'd go with what you need for now. Thousands more gallons per hour than needed would be a nightmare in the making if you dial that much back.

01/30/2019, 12:35 PM	#3
krsATL Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2015 Posts: 11	Thank you!

01/30/2019, 02:14 PM	#4
GQuinn Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Indiana Posts: 982	Did you use this when calculating how much pump you need? http://www.reefcentral.com/index.php...oss-calculator What external pump are you planning on using? If it’s a DC pump you will probably never get the flow they quote.

01/31/2019, 10:35 AM	#9
krsATL Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2015 Posts: 11	Thank you. I may have to go about 25 feet across the house and about 12ft down. The first tank is a 90gal. so I don't need a ton but was looking to be cost efficient and not damage a $600 pump.