how many times a hour should the water go through the sump?

[banditpowdercoat]

Originally Posted by MikeInToronto

I'd like to know what the solution is to a system that cannot have intakes in any other location but the overflow.

Not understanding what you mean? The tank drains Are located in the overflow.

[MikeInToronto]

Originally Posted by banditpowdercoat

Not understanding what you mean? The tank drains Are located in the overflow.

Restated: What would be the solution to water flow needs if you cannot have open intakes in the aquarium? Let's assume the overflow can't be breached in order to reach those intakes.

[golf nut]

Originally Posted by MikeInToronto

Restated: What would be the solution to water flow needs if you cannot have open intakes in the aquarium? Let's assume the overflow can't be breached in order to reach those intakes.

One more time, what exactly do you mean?

[MikeInToronto]

I'll use an example. Let's say you have a tank full of sea anemones. We'll make them ritteri anemones because they like lots of water flow. In this tank you don't want a PH, closed loop, or anything with an intake. The OF is fine because it is easy to safeguard an overflow without losing efficiency. How do you get the flow up to, say, 10x flow without using PH or CL?

[golf nut]

Originally Posted by MikeInToronto

I'll use an example. Let's say you have a tank full of sea anemones. We'll make them ritteri anemones because they like lots of water flow. In this tank you don't want a PH, closed loop, or anything with an intake. The OF is fine because it is easy to safeguard an overflow without losing efficiency. How do you get the flow up to, say, 10x flow without using PH or CL?

Use a C/L with multiple inlets to reduce the velocity.the overflow box is still an intake. protect the C/L or powerheads the same way..

[MikeInToronto]

Originally Posted by Mr OM

Use a C/L with multiple inlets to reduce the velocity.

I'd assume you'd cover the intakes with sponges.

[golf nut]

Originally Posted by MikeInToronto

I'd assume you'd cover the intakes with sponges.

Why?

Providing the diameter of the intakes is large enough then the velocity would be very little, what size tank are you wanting to get 10x turnover in? if all you want to keep is Nems then build another box out of egg crate and shove the PH or C/L intake in there.

[banditpowdercoat]

That goes back to what I was saying about Every tank being different. If you do not want to use Powerheads, consider a closed loop. An intake is real easy to guard. Best thing is T the intake off a few times, then there is little suction at all the intake inlets, not just one. If you flow to much through a sump, regardless of skimmer, your going to introduce microbubbles. part of a sump's design is to be slow enough, add time/passages to let the microbbbles escape.

[banditpowdercoat]

No, don;t use sponges, Nitrate factories. Use Egg crate. If you have 1 1/2" CL intake, but you split it to T's. you now have 4 intakes, each one had a real low suction. an amemone won't get sucked in if you cover the opening with egg crate.

But were getting off the OP's topic here I think.

[Ryan]

Half the problem now seems to be everyone going big display tanks and small sumps. Back when sumps were 1st introduced they were always as big or bigger than the display. Now I am seeing 75 gallons with 20 gallon sumps, which is much too small.