Plumbing, A few new Questions

[mark]

when you determine the flow, here's a couple of links for pump selection

http://www.reefs.org/library/pumps has the flow curves and wattage


http://reefcentral.com/calc/hlc2.php determine loss with plumbing and pump

[GreenSpottedPuffer]

Originally Posted by mark

when you determine the flow, here's a couple of links for pump selection

http://www.reefs.org/library/pumps has the flow curves and wattage


http://reefcentral.com/calc/hlc2.php determine loss with plumbing and pump

Is there such thing as an "ideal" flow though? Reason I ask, is with this style overflow, its all determined by the return pump, not the overflow itself. So I want to get a pump at the flow I need. Then I match the overflow to the pump and have the exact flow through the sump Im looking for.

Have not been able to find any reference though on what flow through a sump or refugium is good.

[mark]

You running a refugium and sump in series so that somewhat makes it harder to determine as they are two separate vessels with two separate purposes.

If you were overflowing into a sump having only a heater and skimmer easy, I would say just match your skimmer rating.

For a refugium see 5-10x the size of tank used (Calfo/Fenner) and I'm sure someone will say go 20X since a refugium can split into different types. You doing cheato only, thinking about a refugium in it's truest sense (a place a refuge for injured fish or area of no predation), a tank on the side for more delicate species (seahorses) etc. You don't need the flow of a reef tank but you don't want to go stagnate either.

If you had space or mod your plumbing you could split flows. I have planned a separate ref sitting above and to the side of my 75g sump fed either by teeing off one of the drains or off the return pump (most likely) and it would overflow into the main sump.

Didn't get it done yet so currently I have a single sump/ref combined. Using a 75g that has a skimmer in one section, two types of algae each in their own separate sections, areas for LR, heater etc. which works also.

I could reread the thread but guess I'm trying to say what's your goal and go from there. Then again you could drop a pump like this into your final ref tank and probably not look back. Maybe start another thread with a poll to get an idea for combined sump/ref return pump? Another good reference is Canreef TOTM and read through the setups of some of those great tanks for ideas.

btw I do feel for you. I had started planning my tank before the basement was even dug of the house I'm in now. Every time I finally said no more, this is what I'm going with, I would stumble onto another option. And even now it's setup, I'm still playing.

[GreenSpottedPuffer]

Originally Posted by mark

You running a refugium and sump in series so that somewhat makes it harder to determine as they are two separate vessels with two separate purposes.

If you were overflowing into a sump having only a heater and skimmer easy, I would say just match your skimmer rating.

For a refugium see 5-10x the size of tank used (Calfo/Fenner) and I'm sure someone will say go 20X since a refugium can split into different types. You doing cheato only, thinking about a refugium in it's truest sense (a place a refuge for injured fish or area of no predation), a tank on the side for more delicate species (seahorses) etc. You don't need the flow of a reef tank but you don't want to go stagnate either.

If you had space or mod your plumbing you could split flows. I have planned a separate ref sitting above and to the side of my 75g sump fed either by teeing off one of the drains or off the return pump (most likely) and it would overflow into the main sump.

Didn't get it done yet so currently I have a single sump/ref combined. Using a 75g that has a skimmer in one section, two types of algae each in their own separate sections, areas for LR, heater etc. which works also.

I could reread the thread but guess I'm trying to say what's your goal and go from there. Then again you could drop a pump like this into your final ref tank and probably not look back. Maybe start another thread with a poll to get an idea for combined sump/ref return pump? Another good reference is Canreef TOTM and read through the setups of some of those great tanks for ideas.

btw I do feel for you. I had started planning my tank before the basement was even dug of the house I'm in now. Every time I finally said no more, this is what I'm going with, I would stumble onto another option. And even now it's setup, I'm still playing.

Mark, thanks for all your help! Its been great. And I know what you mean about stumbling into another option or realizing what you had wanted to do might not work so well.

Having said that, more changes I think

I will most likely now be using just one glass tank as a sump. I do not have room anymore for what I wanted to do. The Skimmer and Closed loop pump take up way more space than I thought. I am going to try to keep the closed loop pump on a "shelf" Im building under the stand to keep it off the ground and taking up more space but even then, space is becoming scarce!

As for the sump, its basically going to be a just refugium, in the sense that my skimmer will not be internal, nor will the return pump. I will post a new drawing soon to see if what Im now thinking will work.

[GreenSpottedPuffer]

This is another thing I guess I need to consider...My skimmer pump is a Mak4 at 1190 gph. Im considering a Mag18 for a return at 1125 gph at 6' head and I will likely loose a bit more flow due to elbows. Will this cause any problems? Is this what you meant by matching the flow to my skimmer?

Sorry...Im confused again.

[mark]

Originally Posted by GreenSpottedPuffer

This is another thing I guess I need to consider...My skimmer pump is a Mak4 at 1190 gph. Im considering a Mag18 for a return at 1125 gph at 6' head and I will likely loose a bit more flow due to elbows. Will this cause any problems? Is this what you meant by matching the flow to my skimmer?

Sorry...Im confused again.

Basically.

I have a ASM G3, ignoring the tank size it's rated for and the circulation pump rating (Sedra 5000 @500gph) it supposedly can process ~200gph (though I'm feeding mine with a MJ1200 I had around). If it was the only thing I had in my sump, technically running anymore water past it than 200gph is overkill. Now of course lots of other thing come into play and there are no rules, the idea is just to give a starting point.

Having said that, I'm probably pulling a 1000gph through my sump (it's also though a refugium), but I'm happy, tanks happy.

[GreenSpottedPuffer]

Ok, that makes sense then. I think I will go with a Mag18 then for sure. Its pretty close to the skimmer pump and will not be a ridiculous amount of flow running through my sump/refugium.

[GreenSpottedPuffer]

Got my lights today (At least what Im going to start out with). I ended up going with the 60" Sunlight Supply T5 2x80watt Retrofit kit. Im going to start with the two 80watt bulbs and see if it looks good enough for a FOWLR...The individual reflectors should distribute the light nicely I think, especially since its a relatively shallow tank. I am going to add another T5 retro kit for just actinics though to get a bit of a dusk dawn effect. May not need the full 60" though. Might just go 48" for those.

What would you guys recommend for moonlights? I need something that will look good on a 6 foot tank...