How much flow is TO MUCH?
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Topic: How much flow is TO MUCH?
Posted By: Skyetone
Subject: How much flow is TO MUCH?
Date Posted: September 09 2004 at 9:36pm
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I have an external pump that I got for free that has no GPH rating on it. I plug it in and it shoots a garden hose sized stream probably 2-3 feet. I was thinking of hooking it to my 120 with 2 outputs, But I am afraid it would blast everything out of the tank. I put an older powerhead in my SW 80 and it blasted stuff off the rock just about. I pulled it and went back to my 802 and it was all better. ------------- I will just give my warning that your system will flood, bulbs will burn out, and things will take continuous maintenance... get over it. Magna |
Replies:
Posted By: Jake
Date Posted: September 09 2004 at 9:46pm
| I had a similar problem with my external. I put a ball valve on the return line to regulate the flow. Got some free plumbing stuff if you want...Still owe you. |
Posted By: jfinch
Date Posted: September 09 2004 at 10:06pm
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I've never seen a tank with too much circulation. ------------- Jon https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC6y_EzjI_ljbIwf2n5uNzTw" rel="nofollow - What I've been doing... |
Posted By: reptoreef
Date Posted: September 09 2004 at 10:37pm
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You can always split the number of returns with y's and or t's from a plumbing supply. ------------- www.captivereefing.com |
Posted By: SSpargur
Date Posted: September 10 2004 at 7:02am
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You know that you have too much flow when the overflow can't handle it and it starts overflowing! I was over at Kam's house (awesome setup!) last night and he just recently had a problem with too much flow. Maybe he'll chime in. ------------- Sean Spargur West Valley, UT |
Posted By: Adam Blundell
Date Posted: September 10 2004 at 7:04am
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You can't have too much water flow. Adam ------------- Come to a meeting, they�re fun! |
Posted By: Skyetone
Date Posted: September 10 2004 at 4:17pm
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I didn't think of a ball valve on the return.... can you mount an external pump with plumbing on the outside of a glass sump? just run a big I-I over the top? ------------- I will just give my warning that your system will flood, bulbs will burn out, and things will take continuous maintenance... get over it. Magna |
Posted By: Will Spencer
Date Posted: September 10 2004 at 4:35pm
| Most people drill the glass tanks for the external sumps, but I have done the "U" tube up over the top. I only used this system as a temp., but I can't think of a reason it wouldn't work permanently. |
Posted By: Jake
Date Posted: September 10 2004 at 5:41pm
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That's what I'm doing. It works great for me. |
Posted By: Skyetone
Date Posted: September 11 2004 at 9:39am
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even if the power went out, you would still have access to the water that was left in the tube to start off the pump again. Would the air go through? I think it would work, Maybee I'll try it..... ------------- I will just give my warning that your system will flood, bulbs will burn out, and things will take continuous maintenance... get over it. Magna |
Posted By: Jared
Date Posted: September 11 2004 at 8:24pm
You can if it blows your corals right off the rock. Also, I had a lot of tissue blown off a green slimmer when I put it in a really high flow part of my tank. I didn't notice until the MHs went out and the side facing the current didn't fluoresce like usual under the actinics. It did much better when I moved it to an area of less flow. ------------- Jared Neilsen Lehi, Utah |
Adam Blundell wrote:Posted By: reptoreef
Date Posted: September 11 2004 at 9:54pm
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You can if it blows your corals right off the rock. Also, I had a lot of tissue blown off a green slimmer when I put it in a really high flow part of my tank. I didn't notice until the MHs went out and the side facing the current didn't fluoresce like usual under the actinics. It did much better when I moved it to an area of less flow. IMO, caused by too much "direct" flow... There are different types of adaptions/diffussers that still allow an intense flow without the flow being so intensified in a stream. ------------- www.captivereefing.com |
Posted By: Adam Blundell
Date Posted: September 12 2004 at 9:09am
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Repto- Right On! Exactly what I'm thinking. Adam ------------- Come to a meeting, they�re fun! |
Posted By: Skyetone
Date Posted: September 12 2004 at 9:51am
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my buddie suggested pointing it at different sides of the glass to amke a swirl affect in the tank. Well here is what I did.... I needed about 12" of 1/2 inch PVC bought 10 feet...
to the pump
ball valves in and out... that way I can emergency shut off all lower tank flow... Needed the out cuz it was overflowing the overflow.... How can I increase flow rating easy? Maybe thats a different thread...
now the flow on a single side is about 18 inches. I deceded not to run both outs cuz it slowed the flow too much. Plus I had a powerhead that froze up and was zapping me a little yesterday. I don't know how long it has been out cuz I haven't stuck my hand in the water for a while......
------------- I will just give my warning that your system will flood, bulbs will burn out, and things will take continuous maintenance... get over it. Magna |
over the top.
the fish seem ok though....
flow "stops" at my finger. Posted By: reptoreef
Date Posted: September 12 2004 at 10:13am
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Your pump looks like a fairly new Little Giant. BTW, every angle will decrease flow along with narrower plumbing... Remember to oil the pump every six months, or so. ------------- www.captivereefing.com |
Posted By: Skyetone
Date Posted: September 12 2004 at 5:33pm
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how do you oil it? I saw at MSM they had a simmilar pump at 800GPH ------------- I will just give my warning that your system will flood, bulbs will burn out, and things will take continuous maintenance... get over it. Magna |
Posted By: reptoreef
Date Posted: September 12 2004 at 7:06pm
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In the housing is a fan like those you see on an alternater... be sure to open the case about every six months, blow it out, get as much as the dust n grunge out and oil the barrings. ------------- www.captivereefing.com |
Posted By: jfinch
Date Posted: September 12 2004 at 7:18pm
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I've heard that the new LG pumps have sealed bearings requiring no lube. Skye, is it noisy... like a garbage disposal ------------- Jon https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC6y_EzjI_ljbIwf2n5uNzTw" rel="nofollow - What I've been doing... |
Posted By: Skyetone
Date Posted: September 13 2004 at 4:19pm
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no... runs kinda hot though.... ------------- I will just give my warning that your system will flood, bulbs will burn out, and things will take continuous maintenance... get over it. Magna |
Posted By: Shane H
Date Posted: September 13 2004 at 9:12pm
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Most of the new pumps are sealed and do not require any bearing maitenance. I'm adding a BlueLine as a return pump and am planning on having my 55 gal glass sump drilled. Skye - How will the pump prime itself following a power outage? Are you relying on whatever water remains in the tube from the sump? |
Posted By: ZephyrFish
Date Posted: September 13 2004 at 10:05pm
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I have been replacing the pumps at work the past couple of days with monstrous jacuzzi s15ks pumps the the flow is so high(about 80 gallons per minute) that all of the ball valves are at least 50% closed, just to the point that the over flows are draining as much as they can with out over flowing. While getting the pumps wired the breaker blew twice (a power outage of sorts) any how as long as your pump and all plumbing is lower than the outlet on your sump your pump will stay primed. ------------- Brady Kerns (Sandy UT.) |
I love those pumpsPosted By: Skyetone
Date Posted: September 14 2004 at 9:19pm
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the issues I see are the fact that the linelocks are below the waters surface and if the power goes out it will feedback untill the linelocks are out of the water.... sound familiar anyone? ------------- I will just give my warning that your system will flood, bulbs will burn out, and things will take continuous maintenance... get over it. Magna |