Apex compatible return

[saltwaterwannabe]

I have been searching but cannot seem to find a current list of Apex compatible return pumps. I am considering the Waveline 6000, that is clearly apex ready, but have seen some mixed reviews. Is the Jebao DC12000 Apex compatible?

This will go on a 90 gallon tank with a 30 gallon sump. Any suggestions on a return pump to work with my Apex? Are adapters or modules needed?

 

[hiimsean]

It seems like you're looking for a D.C. pump? If so I believe a lot have their own controller but you could program feed modes for that outlet. The new vectra should be programmable through the WXM module but I'm not 100%.

 

[bcavalli]

Dan here is a link to the Jaebo DC return module. I believe it works with the RW series as well.

 

[enderg60]

Im guessing you are wanting to increase and decrease flow on a schedle when you say apex compatible. If so, this is something you DO NOT WANT TO DO.

Varying the main return flow will cause your overflow/drain system to go nuts and make tons of noise.

If this is what youre after, go with a very small return pump (as in 2-3x turnover) and use a larger pump for a closed loop or power heads and control those to get the flow dynamics you want.

 

[saltwaterwannabe]

Thanks for the responses.:thanks:

I guess I should have said why I am looking for an Apex compatible return pump. I was looking at a couple purposes, one to run a low flow feed mode from the Apex and the second to be able to run a post-feeding high flow stage to clear excess food from the tank. I can certainly appreciate that the high flow could wreak havoc on the overflow, which I had not thought of before and is certainly something to consider, which is why I love this club since others sometimes bring these issues to my attention before I learn the hard way.:up:

I have a couple of return pumps that stick sometimes when trying to restart even after a thorough cleaning, which causes the time consuming effort of removing the pump, clearing the obstruction, putting it back in the sump, and restarting - not really conducive to a morning feeding before work. I was hoping that instead of completely shutting the pump off that I could reduce the speed to near zero while not actually stopping it for feeding. Granted, the pumps that were sticking were used pumps I purchased and may have been nearly worn out, but they stuck none the less and I want to eliminate stuck pumps. My new Eheim pump has never stuck on restart, so maybe it is just a matter of pump selection. I also stopped morning feedings for now since what I have in the tank is fine with one feeding a day, so the sticking issue is not quite as much of issue as it once was but this could change as I add more inhabitants to the larger tank.

The post feeding high flow idea was taken from others, I believe Seth the Wineguy was one of the members. The idea was to overfeed the tank then turn the water over a lot more than normal for about 10 minutes after feeding to pass more water through the filter sock and skimmer before the excess food finds a place to lodge in the rocks. If there is a risk of this causing issue with the overflow, then I do not think I will risk the high flow scenario this early into the hobby.

I am thinking of an automated feed mode as well that would be timed with a dosing pump and maybe even an auto feeder. I have not yet decided to do this, but I wanted to leave my options open. If the Jebao accommodates a low volume feed mode controlled by the Apex, then that sounds like my best bet without risking high flow overflow problems. I would love to pickup a Vertex, but I would rather spend the price difference on other equipment, coral, or fish for now....maybe when it is time to replace this pump I will consider a Vertex.

I also need to ensure the low flow setting is low enough to accommodate feeding, which may mean using a smaller Jebao DC pump since I only have a total volume of about 110 gallons including my sump. Can anyone confirm the Jebao DC pumps can be set to a low volume feed mode via the Apex and how low they can go without stopping the pump?

 

[bcavalli]

I run a DCT 12000 and it has 10 power settings. The 12000 is a great size and you could run it at about 50 or 60% power. I'm not entirely sure about the other sizes. But, I suspect the controller is the same.

 

[saltwaterwannabe]

After review of the flow rates, pump head, and power settings, I have decided to go with the Jebao DCT 8000. This would allow me to run anywhere between 400 gph and 1250 gph, otherwise said from 3.6 to 11.4 times my total water volume with 1.5 meter headloss - assuming the speed setting table showing minimum setting at 31% is correct.

 

[saltwaterwannabe]

SaltWaterWannabe;1100553 wrote: After review of the flow rates, pump head, and power settings, I have decided to go with the Jebao DCT 8000. This would allow me to run anywhere between 400 gph and 1250 gph, otherwise said from 3.6 to 11.4 times my total water volume with 1.5 meter headloss - assuming the speed setting table showing minimum setting at 31% is correct.

My plan is to make up the difference in circulation with my two Koralia 1500 gph units, which should allow me to run at 17 (one Koralia) + 6 (return at 50%) or a total of 23 x my DT volume per hour...or higher if I let the two fan sequences overlap and increase my return to say 75%. I may replace my Koralias with RW-8's or similar later.

If any of this needs some re-assessment on my part, please let me know as I am open to recommendations. I plan to buy the pump tonight or no later than tomorrow night for timing reasons.