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

[banditpowdercoat]

Originally Posted by mr.wilson

I didn't address this point in my last post. Overflow boxes of any design skim only the thin crust of hydrophobic surfactants off of the surface. The brunt of the water is not from the surface and will contain all kinds of wonderful "dirt" for the various gizmos and gadgets.

I was allways told that it is only the very thin layer of the surface we want? The solid particulate waste acctually gets absorbed/eaten by corals, inverts etc.

[Zoaelite]

Originally Posted by banditpowdercoat

I was allways told that it is only the very thin layer of the surface we want? The solid particulate waste acctually gets absorbed/eaten by corals, inverts etc.

Or NP Biopellet bacteria for that matter . Thank you both of you, learned some new info today because of you!

[MikeInToronto]

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

[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?

[mr.wilson]

Mike: Use a perforated nylon intake strainer on a closed loop. I used to use a 1/2 HP (3600 GPH) pump on a canister filter for 25 gallon tanks of small neons and they could comfortably swim right up to the intake or return when I used a perforated nylon strainer. An anemone could live on one while it draws in 3600 GPH. http://www.industrialnetting.com/filtration_tubes.html

Bandit: Single pass skimmers will work for a FIFO system because most of them use Sicce or Laguna pumps that only move 500 GPH.

[MikeInToronto]

That's something to consider for next time. I don't trust CLs and prefer propeller pumps with the included mesh right now. But it's not like the flow through my sump is that great anyway, maybe 2-3x skimmer capacity.

[golf nut]

Originally Posted by MikeInToronto

That's something to consider for next time. I don't trust CLs and prefer propeller pumps with the included mesh right now. But it's not like the flow through my sump is that great anyway, maybe 2-3x skimmer capacity.

You didn't trust Bill Burnetts overflow system until you tried it and now realize it is the best thing since sliced bread, oh yea of little faith.