Can there be too much flow?

[dannyny]

hey guys i have a 50 gallon breeder and the return pump i purchased is 1050gph. do you think if i used this without a ball valve it would be ok?

my drain is 1.5" so i dont think there would be a flooding issue and the 1050gph flow rate would be lessen after it has traveled up my return nozzle... the return height is 4'.

 

[reefnhard]

depends ,trial n error ...how u plan on plumbing this so it wont be a problem

 

[Paul B]

There can certainly be too much flow. In places like the Cayman Islands the current is almost too fast to SCUBA but it still is not as fast as the water coming out of a powerhead. Some corals also live in channels in between reefs where the water flows very fast but still not like a powerhead. If you aim the thing away from corals it should be fine. And not all corals like much flow.

 

[E.intheC]

Lower flow, as a rule, is generally better for your return. You want Aprx 4-5x turnover per hour. So after head loss you'd want at most 250-300 gph.

This will allow enough time for the equipment in your sump (skimmer, reactors, fuge, heaters, etc) to work properly. Additionally with that much flow you'll probably have micro bubbles.

Not to mention higher flow rate pumps are usually more watts to run than their lower gph brothers, and typically add more heat to the tank.
What's your head loss looking like?

 

[dannyny]

Lower flow, as a rule, is generally better for your return. You want Aprx 4-5x turnover per hour. So after head loss you'd want at most 250-300 gph.

This will allow enough time for the equipment in your sump (skimmer, reactors, fuge, heaters, etc) to work properly. Additionally with that much flow you'll probably have micro bubbles.

Not to mention higher flow rate pumps are usually more watts to run than their lower gph brothers, and typically add more heat to the tank.
What's your head loss looking like?

what does head loss mean?

from the pump to my return it is a total of 4'. with the loc line it would be about 5'

 

[dannyny]

 

[xxxAngeloxxx]

Are you using vinyle tubing or pvc pumping for your return?

 

[dannyny]

Are you using vinyle tubing or pvc pumping for your return?

vinyl tubing 3/4"

 

[xxxAngeloxxx]

Give me a call I'll explain better on the phone to much to type lol

 

[E.intheC]

what does head loss mean?

from the pump to my return it is a total of 4'. with the loc line it would be about 5'

To figure out head loss you have to count up the vertical rise from pump to display (which you said was 4 ft), and account for any elbows, loc-line, fittings, unions, ball/gate valves, etc. and subtract 100 gph for each of the above, roughly. Typically 90 degree elbows and fittings are considered "1 foot" of head loss.

However, there's great variation between pumps. Some handle head pressure better than others so you have to look up your pump to figure it out. Most will have a chart that will show you. For example, if you have 6 feet of head pressure and the pump will produce 300 gph at 6 ft of head, you're all set.

 

[dannyny]

Give me a call I'll explain better on the phone to much to type lol

thank you

 

[dannyny]

To figure out head loss you have to count up the vertical rise from pump to display (which you said was 4 ft), and account for any elbows, loc-line, fittings, unions, ball/gate valves, etc. and subtract 100 gph for each of the above, roughly. Typically 90 degree elbows and fittings are considered "1 foot" of head loss.

However, there's great variation between pumps. Some handle head pressure better than others so you have to look up your pump to figure it out. Most will have a chart that will show you. For example, if you have 6 feet of head pressure and the pump will produce 300 gph at 6 ft of head, you're all set.

thanks! im going to check to see if i can calculate my pump's flow.