I recently bought a used 120 from a member. It has 2 overflows and 2 returns. I figured I would just use 1 pump and T off the returns. Now I am thinking about having a smaller pump for each return. That way if one pump craps out I still have water movement. Does this make sense? Thanks.
Hmmmm advice needed on new build.
- Thread starter darren24
- Start date
I always prefer having a dedicated pump for each return like your thinking about doing. Especially from a service company point of view it is a no brainer. The redundancy in my opinion greatly out weights the little bit of extra heat output.
- Messages
- 662
- Reaction score
- 263
I would run one pump and save the other as spare. If your pump dies, I'm sure you will figure it out by the evening ect. And it won't effect the livestocks. Are these two pump same brand with same flow rate? I mean it don't make much diffrent but I'm guessing you might want to have simmilar flowrate. I have extermal pump split to two returns. So much easier to maintain and lots of room in the sump.
I'm running two external pumps on my system but only one is feeding my display. The other pump is feeding my second sump and external fuge. I'm also running T5 lights about 6" above the tank and so far my heaters are still running non stop. This way if my main pump feeding the display craps out I still have the other pump and their both rated the same with same size fittings. Your on the right track with running two pumps. Also you said you plan to run two "smaller" pumps so that means less heat from each pump, combine those and your more then likely putting out the same heat as one big pump. Then again I never really cared about heat since I also have a chiller on my system.
Sent from my Nokia Lumia 1020 using Tapatalk
Sent from my Nokia Lumia 1020 using Tapatalk
Will you have powerheads in the tank?
If so, there's your built-in redundancy in case of return pump failure.
If not you can do it just make sure that the combined flow of both pumps does not exceed about 1200 GPH. Each overflow can handle about 600 GPH, so if you go over that, you risk the tank overflowing when the sump runs dry.
Heat is a factor - 2 pumps = 2 times the heat.
Jenn
If so, there's your built-in redundancy in case of return pump failure.
If not you can do it just make sure that the combined flow of both pumps does not exceed about 1200 GPH. Each overflow can handle about 600 GPH, so if you go over that, you risk the tank overflowing when the sump runs dry.
Heat is a factor - 2 pumps = 2 times the heat.
Jenn
