Too many elbows?!? not enough flow :(

[Keith P]

I just hooked up my used mag 9.5b pump in my sump. The water goes from the pump, to a tru-union ball valve, to a 5/8" barb adapter, to 5/8" ID vinyl hose to a 90 degree barb, to another 90 degree barb, to a 1/10HP chiller (with less than 1/2" inlet!), to 2 more 90 degree barbs, to a barb adapter, to a 1" bulk head, to 3/4" PVC, finally to 2 3/4" lock line outlets... Phew, that's a long trip for my return. I hoped this pump could feed 2 reactors and a UV also! This is the results w/o any of the accessories turned on, just the retun through the chiller:

Will a mag 12 fix the problem, or do I need to redesign my whole flow scheme? :chair1:

 

[Keith P]

I see two options.

1. Plum the chiller and return separately, on their own tees.

2. Get a bigger pump. Maybe a pressure pump? Mag 12 or even 18??

 

[masterswimmer]

Keith, each fitting adds approx. the equivalent of 1' of vertical head pressure. So if you add up the height from your Mag 9.5 to the tank and then add each fitting, you'll arrive at your APPROX. head pressure. The head pressure will reduce flow. Sometimes this loss of flow is dramatic with a non pressure rated pump, other times it is less obvious.

A Mag 9.5 is rated at 950 gph at zero ft of head pressure. It falls off quickly with any back pressure.

Russ

 

[Keith P]

So what do you suggest? Can I get 300gph through the chiller? I'm tempted to go right to a mag 18.

 

[NYreefNoob]

keith mine chiler is ran through the sump pump is more towards where drain is and outlet it more towards where return pump is, i have the same pump powering my reactors also, been using it this way for 2 yr's

 

[autoponicz]

it would be easier and cleaner to make a pvc manifold ..the manifold will feed your chiller/reactors/etc...
just inmagine you plumb the pump straight into the return loclines..but now you add the manifold into the return line with a pvc tee...and the manifold connects to the tee(the manifold will be inside the cabinet....look at my 30g build thread for some pics..

 

[Keith P]

I have a manifold. Right now all of the pumps flow is going through the chiller.

I ultimately want the whole system on a single pump. I think the chiller adds 6' of head and I have 4 elbows and a ball valve. So what, 11' of head? I bet it's even more due to the small dia hose (5/8" ID).

 

[MARCOANTONIOJR]

I have a mag 18 with a 3/4 manifold with 3 valves for a uv and two reactors and 1 just to drain the tank or add another item,in a 120 gallon , i was thinking about adding a 1/2 hp chiller, If i go with a chiller i would need another pump flow would be low, especially if the chiller requires alot of gph.

 

[MARCOANTONIOJR]

the way it looks if you ever wanna service the chiller or remove it u have to shut down the system.

 

[House of Laughter]

Keith - reducing the whole thing down to 5/8'ths is killing the flow.

Also, if you used a wye instead of the "T" off the return pump you would have reduced 3" in head pressure -

you can always call if you have questions.

Jim

 

[Keith P]

Ok. I'll replumb the tank tomorrow :hairy:

 

[MARCOANTONIOJR]

3 inch in head pressure or 3 feet?
i was gonna do that too but i ran outta room for that fitting so i had to use a tee.

 

[NYreefNoob]

keith only thing with running a mag 18 is the flow through the sump, that's the reason i just ran a separate pump for chiller,and reactors, allowing more reaction time for my skimmer, my return is 700gph if i went with a mag 12 or larger it would just pull the water through my sump alot faster, if ya was closer id say stop by and ill show you, guys also remember he has a 70g system not a 120 or larger that is taken a larger return pump and has a larger drain for flow as well

 

[Keith P]

my return is 700gph if i went with a mag 12 or larger it would just pull the water through my sump alot faster...guys also remember he has a 70g system not a 120 or larger that is taken a larger return pump and has a larger drain for flow as well

I wish I had those problems. This thing wide open seems to hardly push what looks like 100gph.

I'll replumb tomorrow and report back.

 

[reefman]

you probably is getting not much more than 100 gph. i would use a pressure rated pump with much higher gph instead.

 

[masterswimmer]

I've been running my system for almost 7 yrs with two Mag 9.5's. One is my return and one is only feeding my carbon reactor. I have a lot of head pressure on both pumps. I would do it differently if I redid the whole thing. I'd use one pressure rated external pump. I only have one 3/4" overflow.

swimmer

 

[jrobbins]

to reduce the flow through the sump you can have one part of the manifold feed right back into the return compartment of the sump. this will bypass all your baffles, etc and allow you to use a bigger pump and have gph to spare if you ever want to add additional stuff. i did this on a older setup of mine. i will check to see if i have any pics of it and pm them to you.