- Location
- Old Bridge, NJ
How do you adjust the overflow with the return pump?
Is it just trial and error? or is there a technique?
Is it just trial and error? or is there a technique?
How To Adjust Overflow
- Thread starter barracauda
- Start date
- Location
- Bethpage,NY
Some pumps have a dial where you can dial it up or down or some use a ball valve to adjust the flow.To me slower is better.Others will chime in.
- Location
- East Stroudsburg, PA
I like the 10X turnover per hour. I bought a pump rated about 1 1/4 times that adding in head pressure for going back up to the display tank, and each 90 degree elbow you have to add 1 foot of head for as well. Then oversize your pump a bit and slow the flow with a ball valve. I used a double union with ball valve in it for my return and had the ball valve open about 65-70% of the way.
Good luck
Good luck
Last edited:
YUP...10xhr
IMO...Your pump should really be sized to match your return or should I say your return should be big enuf to handle GPH at the head/height ..of your return whatever it may be 3ft ..4ft. But you can throttle the return pump down with a valve (outlet side not intake side) or another way is a tee with a ball / gate valve going back to the sump which puts no backpressure on the pump.
IMO...Your pump should really be sized to match your return or should I say your return should be big enuf to handle GPH at the head/height ..of your return whatever it may be 3ft ..4ft. But you can throttle the return pump down with a valve (outlet side not intake side) or another way is a tee with a ball / gate valve going back to the sump which puts no backpressure on the pump.
Last edited:
- Location
- Flushing, NY
You don't adjust the overflow, in fact, there should be no restriction on it for draining back to the sump (unless using herbie overflow method, but that requires 2 drains)
You should instead be restricting it from the output of the return pump.
You should instead be restricting it from the output of the return pump.
- Location
- north jersey
i have about 6x the tank volume flow rate.
just make sure your overflow rate (either the drains or overflow box) is more than your pump output and you won't have a flood.
in my case...200 gal. tank. 2x 1" drains with 2" duroso pipes (about 600-700 gph each) with 2x mag 9.5 at 75% throttle minus the head pressure gives me about 6x turn over rate(1200gph). the turn over is for filtration process. the water movement inside the tank is handle by 4x mp40's.
just make sure your overflow rate (either the drains or overflow box) is more than your pump output and you won't have a flood.
in my case...200 gal. tank. 2x 1" drains with 2" duroso pipes (about 600-700 gph each) with 2x mag 9.5 at 75% throttle minus the head pressure gives me about 6x turn over rate(1200gph). the turn over is for filtration process. the water movement inside the tank is handle by 4x mp40's.
- Location
- north jersey
- Location
- Bronx/Westchester
Careful with the ball valve, it can affect the life of the pump.
I'm actually on the opposite, I like my return pump strong so it can supply lots more flow and basically serve as an additional powerhead.
- Location
- Bronx/Westchester
Yes, thank you for the specification, I didn't realize that. I just personally don't use ball valves on my returns because a friend had a ball valve on the output on his mag 7 return, and I guess it was waaaay over adjusted, and burned out and flooded his cabinet. Wouldn't want that happening to me or anyone else.
- Location
- East Stroudsburg, PA
I don't know how it would have flooded out a cabinet if the return pump burned out. Your return pump stops so does the overflow.
- Location
- Stamford ,CT
Put a check valve to prevent back flow lol
- Location
- Westchester
Backflow from return will cause a siphon until water level goes below the flow accelerator unless siphon breaks are drilled into it.
- Location
- East Stroudsburg, PA
Yeah and any reef ready tank has a syphon break predrilled into the return.
As Imbarrie stated just need a little maintenance throughout time is all.
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