return pump suggestions??

[christyf5]

Just looking at return pumps here.

So I'm going to be upgrading to a 180gal hopefully within the next 6 months (fingers crossed). I've got 2 3/4" sea swirls that I'd like to use on the return and they're rated for 850gph each. So ideally that would be 1700gph total. The return line will be nothing special, either PVC or that flex stuff. So it will come off the pump, then tee off to the two sea swirls. Likely about 8ft from pump to sea swirl.

I was looking at the sequence Dart but the outlet on those is 2" and I can't imagine having to go from 2" pipe down to 3/4". Then I was looking at Chin's Iwaki pump (70RLT) but at 8 feet it only gives about 1200gph. The tank will also have a wavebox, 2 tunze 6060s and a tunze 6045. I have never been able to figure out turnover rate as I always thought it was just about the return pump but people seem to include anything that moves water in their calculations. Does a larger tank need more flow through the sump?? Currently mine is so stuffed with equipment I often wonder if there is even any flow in there :razz:For the new tank, I'm hoping for about 50gal of water in some sort of sump tank haven't decided on what form that will take yet.

Frankly I don't really know what other pumps are out there. I've always used Mag drives as I have no room for external pumps and everyone sells them and various replacement parts.

Soo.....suggestions?

[JDigital]

what about a Reeflo Snapper? You could run it 1.5" -> 1" bulkheads.

[i have crabs]

ive always been to scared to run an external, to many chances of water ending up outside the tank i think, ive always used mag pumps with never one problem so far, and i just bought a red dragon 4.5 that ill be running as an internal also.
is thier any advantage to running a external over an internal return?

[FitoPharmer]

external pumps generally are more powerful. also they transfer much less heat for people with heat problems.

[Mrfish55]

I am running 2 Poseiden pumps for returns, approx 1000gph ea at 4' head(http://www.jlaquatics.com/product/wp-ps4/Poseidon+PS4+External+Water+Pump.html), dead quiet and I feel a little more comfortable having two return pumps in case of breakdown. They use 1" barb fittings making for quick set-up and you could easily reduce to fit your sea swirls. An alternative could be the Sequence Wahoo http://www.jlaquatics.com/product/wp-seq05/Sequence+ReeFlo+External+Water+Pump+-+Wahoo+UNO+%281550GPH%29.html it has 3/4" discharge and pushes 1500 gph
PS do you allready have your 180gal? I have my old tank 72x24x24 (11 months new) sitting in the carport I make for to be good deal for you! LMK

[mike31154]

ive always been to scared to run an external, to many chances of water ending up outside the tank i think, ive always used mag pumps with never one problem so far, and i just bought a red dragon 4.5 that ill be running as an internal also.
is thier any advantage to running a external over an internal return?

One more consideration with external vs. internal is that with external there's one less electrical cord in the water. External will make more noise though, water is a pretty good muffler.

To the OP, currently I don't have a sump but will have a basement sump when I set up a 90 in the future. I purchased a minimally used Pan World NH-150PS (external use only) from a fellow hobbyist on this forum. Larger models are available. It's a pressure rated pump and will do well up to 20 ft of head +. Max. head is 30 ft I think. I've read that they are comparable to Iwaki pumps but not as costly. Apparently one of the engineers for PanWorld used to work for Iwaki.

[christyf5]

ive always been to scared to run an external, to many chances of water ending up outside the tank i think, ive always used mag pumps with never one problem so far, and i just bought a red dragon 4.5 that ill be running as an internal also.
is thier any advantage to running a external over an internal return?

Same here, mag drives have been great for me so far. I like to have everything contained as well, keep all the water in one container and not on the floor :wink:

PS do you allready have your 180gal? I have my old tank 72x24x24 (11 months new) sitting in the carport I make for to be good deal for you! LMK

MrFish, I do have the 180 already,wish I'd known about yours though as I drove to Red Deer to get mine :razz:


what about a Reeflo Snapper? You could run it 1.5" -> 1" bulkheads.
I was originally looking at the snapper but by the time I put it through 8ft or so of pipe theres hardly any flow left :neutral:

[e46er]

I use a quiet one 4000 high head I highly sugguest NOT using. These pumps they are absolute garbage

[Tom R]

Hi Christy

In the past everyone thought that we needed to push our total flow through our sumps. This has changed drastically with the use of Tunze, Vortex and closed loops.

The Reef Ready tanks have only provided for a flow of about 1500G per hour.

I believe that the things t consider now on a reef return pump are: Output
Heat
Noise
Electrical consumption
Purchase price
Dependability
Maintenance
There may be more.

I am using an AMP Master 3600. It delivers about 3000G per hour. Which allows me to run both tanks and a number of other devices with still enough flow through the sump to maintain my skimming and heating requirements. The Amp Master is absolutely silent and has zero heat transfer. It is one of the lowest power consuming pumps on the market at approx 90 watts per hour. The majority of Sequence ReeFlo pumps are rated at 150 to 200 watts per hour. The Dolphin Amp Master pumps are a little harder to find now as the Sequence ReeFlo pumps have replaced them in the market place. I hope this helps and if you need more help then call.

Tom R

[whiteice669]

why not drill the back, make a closed loop and run the sea swirls off one pump, use a smaller pump for the return pump ?? just an idea, I made a closed loop in my 180 and it made the plumbing a lot easier and cleaner

[Jack]

Keep things simple.

Get another Mag 12.

You'll always have a backup running.

[PoonTang]

You could run dual submersables. That way you always have a backup.

[Delphinus]

How about a Red Dragon? Spoil yerself!