Home made pump return.

[ouling]

I got a mag 9.5 doing the return work on my tank. 3/4 male outlet

I want to know how do you make yours? I tried 3/4 flex hose split at bottom to give it more wiggle room, then route it to 2 3/4 PVC. But I'm seeing some micro bubbles in the tank because of the slip hose that fit into the thing isn't completely tight, and PVC glue isn't helping it. So should i just go with straight PVC all around?

How does yours work? If you didn't make yours and bought it fairly reasonable priced, please tell me what kind of product you use. Thanks.

I would like to have dual return with another small split going into my refugium and seagrass habitat.

 

[james s_]

I used pvc on my return pump(mag 9.5) in my 125 gal. I Dont have any microbubbles in my tank.I do have a bubble trap before my return section in my sump though.

 

[johnqx4]

I've always used straight pvc....I try and avoid 45 degree turns until I go over the back. BY then it is split with more returns so the turns shouldn't cause any additional head pressure.

I don't have any screens (or micro bubbles). Never have...

just my $.02 worth

johnny

 

[FutureInterest]

You have a 3/4 splitting into two 3/4. Your problem is not a matter of being a tighter fit as you seem to think. You're just getting simple cavitation. You need to keep the pressure as consistent as possible throughout the return line. As such, if you split the 3/4" into two 1/2" returns you won't have microbubbles from cavitation.

 

[mufret]

Is the 9.5 providing adequate flow in your current configeration? I ask because to get the full flow that the pump is rated for, Danner recommends you double the size of the pipe/tubing you are using. It will work fine using 3/4" plumbing but, since you are thinking of replumbing, if you stepped it up to 1" or better yet 1.5" you'd see a pretty big jump in the flow from the pump.

 

[xyzpdq0121]

I use vinyl tubing and a clamp forks fine for me. I would not use flex tube for that application. I can imagine the amount of bubbles you would be getting. and Jin is right split it into 2 1/2" outputs instead of 2 3/4" should stop most of the micro bubbles.

 

[ouling]

mufret;48432 wrote: Is the 9.5 providing adequate flow in your current configeration? I ask because to get the full flow that the pump is rated for, Danner recommends you double the size of the pipe/tubing you are using. It will work fine using 3/4" plumbing but, since you are thinking of replumbing, if you stepped it up to 1" or better yet 1.5" you'd see a pretty big jump in the flow from the pump.

Yea I'm going to throw away the crap I bought and go back to my 1'' straight. I'm run my fuge and seagrass through another pump.

I flow over 5000GPH in my fish tank. I just don't have alot of sump return because it would be unnecessary, the mag 9.5 feeds my TerminatorII and the fuge and seagrass, also sometimes carbon/Ferrous Oxide and floss filter.

Doing alot of pump return action cost alot of energy and not very efficient at proving flow in the tank. I use 3 Korlia 3s and a Tunze to move water at about 50-60W total.

Plan now is 1'' into 2 1/2s or maybe 2 3/4s depending on what i see at home depot tomorrow

 

[FutureInterest]

If you use a 1" you should split into two 3/4". That'll keep your pressure consistent.

 

[george]

ouling;48402 wrote: I want to know how do you make yours? I tried 3/4 flex hose split at bottom to give it more wiggle room

Do I read this right that your connection to the Mag is a flex hose that's split a little at the bottom and jammed onto the pump? Pipe to barb adapters will fix your problems with hoses sucking in air. I have a mag 5 return that immediately splits the 1/2" return to 2 1/2" with no problems. No air bubbles at all.

Lowes is probably the best source for the barb connectors. And in the 1/2" and 3/4" size, the lawn sprinkler system area also has a bunch of useful barb connectors.

 

[ouling]

nononono. I have it to a female 3/4 barb and slip in the mid into 2 3/4s. What the folks said above makes sense and i just thought about this, too much pressure on bottom and not enough on top, this makes micro bubbles come out.