Pump shopping help

[thbrewst]

I have a few questions about a set-up I am trying to pull together. Tank is a 175 bowfront. I would like to set it up so the sump, skimmer, etc is all contained in the cabinet. So on to my questions;

- How do I know what the overflow rate is on the tank? I've tried to look it up, but can't find that information anywhere.

- Based on the size of the tank (and the unknown number from above) is the tank too large for a return pump to be submersed in the sump? If not, any guidance on what flow rate pump I should be looking for?

- Lastly (for now ;> ) is there a generally accepted 'quietest pump' brand? I am trying to keep the set-up as quiet as possible.

As always, thanks for the assistance.

 

[crewdawg1981]

Not an expert by any means... but I'm putting together equipment for my 180 and here are some of the things I've run into:

- Overflows - Now I dont know about yours, but you could try and look up your manufacturer. Thats what I had to do (Marineland) and it came up at 600 GPH each (I have two). Yours is likely close to that.

- Obviously you're going to want a pump that can move enough water for you, but you dont HAVE to match your return to your overflows. If you find a pump that will do ~800 GPH and thats fine for you... do it. Besides that would make your overflows quieter anyways. I dont think you have to have an external at that point. Is the pump going to be right under the tank? Basement?

- As far as externals, I've only heard great things about Reeflo. Dolphin too.

 

[thbrewst]

Oh, and the bottom of the stand to the top of the overflow is ~60". If you assume some horizontal travel then I would assume the total distance from the pump back up would be no more than 80".

Oh #2, It is a dual overflow so would it make sense to just T the return or should have have a separate pump for each side. If the later, does that cause problems of trying to pull too much water out of the sump?

 

[thbrewst]

I think it is an Oceanic. I've tried to look it up but their website is worthless and I have not definitely found it anywhere else, although it seems that it is likely the same rate that you mentioned.

So if that is the case the it is going to 'take' 1200 gph from the tank, so I want to return between 1000 and 1200 from the pump, correct? Otherwise I would assume that it will create a mismatch in the overflow pull and the pump and the overflow will not keep up, leading to a lot of air noise from the overflow.

Sound right or am I missing something?

Crewdawg1981;553784 wrote: Not an expert by any means... but I'm putting together equipment for my 180 and here are some of the things I've run into:

- Overflows - Now I dont know about yours, but you could try and look up your manufacturer. Thats what I had to do (Marineland) and it came up at 600 GPH each (I have two). Yours is likely close to that.

- Obviously you're going to want a pump that can move enough water for you, but you dont HAVE to match your return to your overflows. If you find a pump that will do ~800 GPH and thats fine for you... do it. Besides that would make your overflows quieter anyways. I dont think you have to have an external at that point. Is the pump going to be right under the tank? Basement?

- As far as externals, I've only heard great things about Reeflo. Dolphin too.

 

[mockery]

For the most part a 1in drain will handle 600gph. So with your dual overflow you can handle 1200gph. You should look for a pump between 1100 and 1300gph. Because when pumping water vertical the pump has to fight gravity/head pressure. The manufacture should list a flow curve which shows the flow rates at different heights.

 

[crewdawg1981]

Your overflow is only going to drain whatever you are pumping up to it. In other words... if you're only pump 800 gallons up per hour... its only going to drain 800 gallons down per hour.

Where you run into issues is when you pump up more than the overflows can handle.

 

[thbrewst]

No issues. I have just never had a set-up of this magnitude and never really thought about a lot of this stuff. I want to make sure that I am maximizing the waterflow/filtration, while keeping the noise at a minimum.


Anyone have any opinions on quiet pumps I should be looking at? I've obviously read the manufacturer claims, but I always take those with a grain of salt.

 

[crewdawg1981]

Oh I was just saying that it would create the issues if you had a pump that pushed more water than your overflows could handle.

 

[markl]

thbrewst;553782 wrote: I have a few questions about a set-up I am trying to pull together. Tank is a 175 bowfront. I would like to set it up so the sump, skimmer, etc is all contained in the cabinet. So on to my questions;

- How do I know what the overflow rate is on the tank? I've tried to look it up, but can't find that information anywhere.

- Based on the size of the tank (and the unknown number from above) is the tank too large for a return pump to be submersed in the sump? If not, any guidance on what flow rate pump I should be looking for?

- Lastly (for now ;> ) is there a generally accepted 'quietest pump' brand? I am trying to keep the set-up as quiet as possible.



As always, thanks for the assistance.

I have a mag 12 that would work great

 

[kayakatl]

You can always go with a slightly larger pump and put a ball valve on the output, that way you can control your flow into the tank. Just because you overflows will handle 1200 gph does not mean you have to run it at 1200 gph. It will only drain as fast as you pump the water in. Just a thought.

 

[thbrewst]

So, any thoughts on quiet pump brands in the ~1200 gph range?

 

[mockery]

Internal mags are good. External: reeflo, panworld/blueline, dolphin are all good IMO.