over flow and pump size selection

[ellisz]

Hello,

I set my second tank up last night with a hang on overflow. The internal overflow I made from a Lee's small specimen box and the outer box came with my Amiracle wet/dry. The outer box has 2 chambers and I believe the drain hole is 1" with the bulkhead in place. It uses the accordion style hose for the drain.

Anyway, I built a durso stand pipe using 1" PVC and a 3/4 90 fitting. I had planned on using a MAG 5 but my supplier fell through so I had to use my back up pump, a RIO 2800SS. I believe it pumps about 650gph at 4'. I had to remove the durso pipe and just have the 1" pipe sticking up to keep the tank from overflowing. I figured I need to make the small hole in the cap bigger but I wanted to wait until I got a better pump.

Based on what I have, do you think a MAG 5 will be ok or is that too big? I would really like to pick up something today but most places here want $75 for the MAG 5! Any comments on a CAP 1800 or equivalent? I want something decent but it has to be quiet. The RIO 2800 that I have sounds like a freakin freight train!

BTW, this is for a 29 gal that will at the most be a FOWLR but will start out with just some small fish.

Any ideas?

 

[c-bass]

Are you talking about using the mag as a return or as the backup to keep the siphon going on the overflow? As a return, it should work, but if not, put a gate valve on the return side of the pump to control the flow. Mag pumps will be fine with some restriction. Or... you could place a "tee" fitting on the return side and redirect some of the water with a valve and return it to the sump. hopefully this is what you were asking and I'm not out to lunch!

 

[fishfreek]

Was there a particular reason you used a 3/4" 90* elbow? A 1" fitting would probably have done better or even cutting the 1" pvc stand at an angle would help quite the thing down with out sacraficing flow.

According to this chart. http://www.reefgeek.com/manufacturers/danner_flow_rate.html The mag 5 outputs only 310GPH at 4' head. According to this chart http://www.graystonecreations.com/riotable.htm The RIO2800SS outputs over twice that at 642GPH at 4' head. So you could expect approx 1/2 the flow out of the mag5 as out of the RIO your currently using. At 4' head the mag7 would be closer to the RIO as far as performance but it would still be less flow.

Given that its a 29 gal tank I would go with the mag5 or 7.

Have you looked at any of our sponsors for pricing on the Mag? Just trying to give you alternitive sources for your pump.

 

[ellisz]

The mag was indeed for the return pump. I am using a small tube and my mouth to start the siphon

I really don't want to match the performance of the RIO. We actually bought that pump for our 75 gal but for some reason it is SUPER loud. We replaced it with a Mag7 and just use the RIO as a back up.

I figured 300+ would be ok for this 29 gal ...

As for the elbow, I think that was all I could find at the time. I was not sure how loud it would be but for the money, I just decided to build the durso ahead of time. Right now all I here is the Rio pump :x

Last night was a bit of a learning experience just to get the tank to level out. The U tube and over flow is still a bit scary at this point. I know my siphon break works when shutting off the pump but the idea of the U tube losing suction is a bit daunting.

 

[fishfreek]

The U tube should not lose syphon unless one of the ends comes out of the water. The inside and outside parts of the overflow should be such that the U tube's ends are always submerged even if power goes out. If one of the ends does not end up submerged then the water will 'fall' out of the U tube and the syphon will not start back up. But aslong as the U tube stays full of water the syphon will start back up.

 

[ellisz]

Yeah, I know but still

I had a rough night. I drained the 29 to move it and while filling it back up my tube slipped out twice and I got my floor food and wet. Used up all of my "fish" towels :?