Return from sump

ros · 03/18/2006, 11:35 PM

I was going to put a return to the diplay tank from a sump. When choosing a pump do I also have to include the height of display tank in calculating the pump size? The return line will be going over the top edge of the display tank.

Scuba_Dave · 03/18/2006, 11:40 PM

Yes, total height = head, plus elbows

dkh0331 · 03/19/2006, 05:24 AM

Here is a head loss calculator - http://www.reefcentral.com/calc/hlc2.php

Fill out the blanks and it provide the gph.

HTH

David

ChemE · 03/19/2006, 09:11 AM

The vertical height you feed to the calculator should be measured as the difference in height between the water level in the return section of your sump and the water level in your display. As an example, the water level in my display is 57.5" above the floor and the water level in the lowest chamber of my sump is 8" above the floor. Thus, the static head my pump works against is 49.5" or 4' 1.5".

I can't quite tell from Scuba_Dave's post, but it looks like he is including the height of the return piping. When calculating static head, do not include the height of your plumbing if it goes over the back wall of the tank. The only thing that matters is the height differential between the two bodies of water. Your return pipe could go through the roof and then back down and the static head would not change. All the extra pipe would increase the dynamic head but that is a different animal all together.

03/18/2006, 11:35 PM	#1
ros Moved On Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: Lemont,IL Posts: 263	Return from sump I was going to put a return to the diplay tank from a sump. When choosing a pump do I also have to include the height of display tank in calculating the pump size? The return line will be going over the top edge of the display tank.

03/19/2006, 05:24 AM	#3
dkh0331 Es gibt keinen ersatz Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Close to the edge, down by a river Posts: 3,581	Here is a head loss calculator - http://www.reefcentral.com/calc/hlc2.php Fill out the blanks and it provide the gph. HTH David __________________ Just found out that grandpa has a drug addiction. He is addicted to viagra. No one is taking it harder than grandma.

03/19/2006, 09:11 AM	#4
ChemE Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: East Nashville, TN Posts: 1,607	The vertical height you feed to the calculator should be measured as the difference in height between the water level in the return section of your sump and the water level in your display. As an example, the water level in my display is 57.5" above the floor and the water level in the lowest chamber of my sump is 8" above the floor. Thus, the static head my pump works against is 49.5" or 4' 1.5". I can't quite tell from Scuba_Dave's post, but it looks like he is including the height of the return piping. When calculating static head, do not include the height of your plumbing if it goes over the back wall of the tank. The only thing that matters is the height differential between the two bodies of water. Your return pipe could go through the roof and then back down and the static head would not change. All the extra pipe would increase the dynamic head but that is a different animal all together. __________________ Holding it down on the engineering tip y'all Current Tank Info: 190G

03/18/2006, 11:40 PM	#2
Scuba_Dave EMERTXE YID Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: Asylum, South of Boston, MA Posts: 10,362	Yes, total height = head, plus elbows