GPH?

[Myka]

Originally Posted by AchillesTangBeauty

We have a 270 Gallon Display Tank + 60 Gallon Refuge & 100 gallon sump.. We are currently running 3200GPH through the system using a Reeflo Dart... That works out to changing the water 8 times an hour... Is this too much? What's recommended?

-Mostly Softies.


Sent from my iPhone 5s using Tapatalk

8x per hour isn't quite accurate, nor is it as simple as you've laid out.

First, depending exactly which Dart model you have (the hybrid Snapper or an older model?) about 3700 gph at 0' head height. Head height is the vertical distance from the pump to the water surface or the highest point of plumbing - whichever is greater. Assuming about 5' head height, and minus about 50 gph for average plumbing, there is about 2800 gph coming out the return line. Of course I'm guessing here, and assuming a simple plumbing job.

Now, how is the refugium plumbed? Does the entire volume of the sump also flow through the refugium or is there a smaller volume going through the refugium or is the refugium fed by a different pump? The full volume of the refugium may not count towards the total volume.

Assuming the full volume of the refugium counts, you're closer to 6.5 times turnover through the sump which is what I consider "perfect".

Personally, I try to keep the flow through the sump between 5-7 times per hour.

[FishyFishy!]

IMO, if you're running a skimmer, its useless to have more GPH than your skimmer pumps can handle. Any more flow through the sumps is water that is getting by without being processed properly.

Also, slower flow through the fuge is always better. More contact with our little fuge buddies and the media/marco the better.

Here is some good reading from a member on here. Mr. Wilson in regards to a very nice 1350 gallon tank in canada.

http://petersfishtank.com/best-practices/#w.flowsump

[StirCrazy]

Originally Posted by Myka

Assuming about 5' head height, and minus about 50 gph for average plumbing, there is about 2800 gph coming out the return line. Of course I'm guessing here, and assuming a simple plumbing job.

Assuming the full volume of the refugium counts, you're closer to 6.5 times turnover through the sump which is what I consider "perfect".

probably a lot lower than that in reality, people over estimate there flow by quite a bit, not only the verticle hight adds head, the 50 gpr is not a good "rest of plummbing" figure. you can add 1 foot of head for every 90 degree elbow, add 1 foot of head for every 8 feet of pvc, this will also increase over time as you get crap built up inside your piping.

myself I like a 10x sump turnover rate and I design my sump to handle even more.

Steve

[reefermadness]

Im maybe 2x per hour if that. Its the electrically cheapest pump I can run from my basement sump to my display.