Massive sub pumps or cut into return line for skimmer?

Hustler · #1 11-12-2011, 11:58 AM

I didnt know where to put this so I figured i would try here...
my skimmer is oversized and came with an inline 3800gph pump, running that with my return pump on my 100 gallon sump was just insane..... the water would empty in about 10 secons and i couldnt add enough to make it work logically with 2" of water gushing over my baffles....
So ive pulled one inline pump out and tried running the skimmer off of one overflow direct but it just isnt enough power to do anything significant...
So either i add 2 submersible pumps inside my sup for the skimmer and keep my high flow return just for the display and my reactors Or i cut 2 T's in my return lines and ball valve them to my skimmer aswell?

Any ideas or opinions would be Much appreciated

mark · #2 11-12-2011, 01:27 PM

if the skimmer was designed for that pump, might need that amount of flow to work correctly. Also water in equals water out, so running it isn't going to drain your tank, it just pulls the volume of the skimmer itself.

Hustler · #3 11-12-2011, 01:54 PM

I get the total volume water in/out... It was just too much for the small space as far as flow....
have to space it out better or find another way.
From what ive read you dont want alot of flow in your sump? so may water flowing an inch over my baffles is probably still not ideal....
I would really like to try and run it all off my return pump as its oversized as well and i can spare the flow I just dont want to burn it out.
Also if i go with sub pumps I probably wont get the amount of preassure i need for it anyways.... This will be the 4th time ive modified what i started for plumbing a week ago lol

Myka · #4 11-12-2011, 01:56 PM

What Mark said. You need to keep that pump on the skimmer. For future reference, pumps should never have any elbows on the intake line and the intake line should be as short as possible to reduce any flow restriction. I see the water is going into the skimmer from the furthest left compartment in the sump, where is the water going back to? Returning it to the second chamber (as far to the left in the chamber as you can) would be ideal in your particular sump. You should then add at least two more baffles between the second sump and the return pump. With that amount of flow in the sump you will need multiple baffles to filter out the microbubbles from the skimmer. The last baffle before the return pump should be off the bottom, not touching the bottom. So if you use 3 baffles your baffles would be off the bottom, on the bottom, off the bottom. I would suggest 1.5" between baffles and 1.5" off the bottom....I think, what's the width of your sump?

Hustler · #5 11-12-2011, 02:27 PM

there are no elbows on the system other that what is supplied on the twisted attachments, the elbows are all on the drain side. Ill see if i can post a video of the flow perhaps to try and better explain... its not the baffles that will slow it down in this case its the 9000+GPH trying to run through them lol its just too much in my sump....
guys in the states are running this skimmer with dual mag 18s no problem and the guy who built it for me said on friday it could run on a number of diffrent pumps this one was way overkill and i thought i could make it work... i was wrong...
Im trying to come up with a diffrent solution now as the inline pumps are not an option unless i buy a 230 gallon for a sump...
my sump width is 16 3/4 inches

Hustler · #6 11-12-2011, 02:30 PM

if i tap into the return lines with dual T's one on each and swap my 3800 for the 5800 i should have more than enough flow for both as the 3800 is currently rushing the water an inch over the baffles anyways.... I just dont want the added T's to burn the pump out. I have flex line going to the skimmer so it will be a straight shot other than the T itself...

StirCrazy · #7 11-12-2011, 02:37 PM

first of all that is an insain sized pump for a skimmer that isn't a recirulating skimmer. do you have some more info on the skimmer? it might be possible to turn it into a recirc style then just have a nice 300 gal per hour feed it.

going of your overflow mostlikely won't help as you would probably need a 2" or bigger overflow to handle it.

as for elbows on the intake.. thats all fine as long as it is all sized properly.

Steve

Hustler · #8 11-12-2011, 02:41 PM

http://www.bashsea.com/index.php/pro...wisted-skimmer

Im all for making sure i get it the flow it needs.... but i have to tame my sump flow down already and i am trying to find a 2 bird with 1 stone scenario

Myka · #9 11-12-2011, 02:38 PM

Oh I see now...sorry, didn't look close enough the first time. The line with the ball valve is the return from the pump to the sump. So where's the skimmer pump and the intake then? Is that pump the pump that is manufacturer suggested to use?

The baffles aren't to slow the water down. The baffles are simply to filter out the microbubbles. If microbubbles get to the return pump the pump will chop them up even more and send them up to the display which is ugly and irritates corals.

Steve, it's a Beckett skimmer IIRC, that's why such a big pump.

StirCrazy · #10 11-12-2011, 02:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Myka

The baffles aren't to slow the water down. The baffles are simply to filter out the microbubbles. .

Myka, they do that by slowing the water down and smoothing out the flow, so the bubbles have time to rise to the top and pop. the exact purpose of baffles are either to controle water hight, or to slow down the movement of water enough to reduce turbulance and make it easier for bubble to leave the water stream.

Steve