setting up a sump
 

hi i am setting up a sump on a 72 gallon bow front. i am fish only right now but would like to set it up properly for corals in the future. i have 1x400 g/h and 1x800 g/h power head, based on the amount of flow those two power heads are giving me how many g/h return should my pump give me. should i still stay around the 20x tank volume or can i go a little less.

Hey, welcome to Canreef.

For flow through your sump you'll see suggested just the skimmer gph rating to 3x, 5x, 10x etc, but personally don't think there's a magic number but don't need a huge amount. It's okay to rely on the return pump to give flow in the display, though to much, might start pulling back to the display micro bubbles from the drains and skimmer.

For fish only you don't need a large amount of overall flow but if planning corals might want to consider changing you power heads to high flow types.

For a idea of display turn over here's a interesting thread.

Ball valve
 

I have a 60 gallon FOWLER I am planning to put a sump on. I'm thinking of a mag 9.5 (950 gph (about 770gph after head loss)) and putting a ball valve on the return line to slow it down if I need to. That way if I upgrade to a bigger tank or decide to feed some kind of reactor off the return or whatever I have enough power to do so. You could do the same thing... go bigger and slow it down with a valve.

There is a 33 gal Oceanic sump on here for sale right now out of olds which would be perfect for that setup.

If you are setting up from scratch I would go with gate valves as I have ball valves on my setup and they are a PITA, it's really hard to get them set properly as they are so touchy.

Yeah, but they are more expensive, aren't they? $35 compared to $5 for a ball valve. I know I'm definitely on a tight budget (going to school) so I'd like to save money if I can... but I also don't want to cheap out on the vital equipment. Is it really worth the extra $30 or is it just tedious to get the ball valve set right?

Well I think my main problem is that I have two ball valves, one on the return and one coming from the overflow, so that could most of my problem, I adjust one a bit to keep the water level in the overflow right, then have to run back and adjust the other one, it's a back and forth process that seems to take forever to get right. If you just have one coming from the return a ball valve may be ok.

Elliot

Should be able to run your return un-restricted (unless a Herbie then the primary only valved) and the overflow will balance. That is assuming your overflow drain can handle you pump (1" bulkhead good for 600 gph, 1.5"-1300gph, 2"-2300gph).

thanks for your input guys and the warm welcome its nice to get onto a forum where information is shared instead of coveted, been on some in the past where if you havent been doing it for a while then then you are considered unworthy to get involved in the conversation. my power heads are koralia 1& 3 are they not considered a high flow type?if not than what would be a good make to look at. as of yet i am unfamiliar with a good portion of the available products.:frusty:

thanks for your input guys and the warm welcome its nice to get onto a forum where information is shared instead of coveted, been on some in the past where if you havent been doing it for a while then then you are considered unworthy to get involved in the conversation. my power heads are koralia 1& 3 are they not considered a high flow type?if not than what would be a good make to look at. as of yet i am unfamiliar with a good portion of the available products.:frusty: am looking at purchasing a supreme mag drive 1200 or an eheim universal 1262.