Picked up a RR tank with small drain tube..solutions?

[TRDfan]

A guy in staten island was giving away his 65g reef ready tank because his house was patially flooded. I ended up picking it up from him and cleaning it up. I noticed it has only 1inch drain tube with a 3/4inch return.

My question is that i have a mag9.5 pump and i was wondering if its going to be too strong for a 1inch drain tube to handle. I know i can place a ball valve on it, but would the pressure restriction wear out the pump sooner??

After 2hrs of cleaning/scrubing

 

[fort384]

Looks good! Your mag 9.5 will probably be able to push more than the drain can handle, but it won't hurt anything to restrict the outflow a bit. It is restricting inflow that can lead to cavitation and premature wear on a pump.

 

[mfdrookie516]

For some reason, most RR tanks use 1" drains. Makes no sense to me. I've read time and time again that restricting the outgoing flow from the pump does no harm, some people even argue it prolongs the pumps life and reduces power consumption.

 

[TRDfan]

It is restricting inflow that can lead to cavitation and premature wear on a pump.

I didnt know that

For some reason, most RR tanks use 1" drains. Makes no sense to me.

You think its undersized??

I've read time and time again that restricting the outgoing flow from the pump does no harm, some people even argue it prolongs the pumps life and reduces power consumption.

Im not an engineer or physicist but my thought process tells me that applying downward pressure to something that is coming up can cause wear and tear ....lol

on a side not some1 gave me the idea of converting the return tube into another drain tube and running the return to another part of the tank. Thoughts??

 

[mfdrookie516]

It would make logical sense to me that it would be hard on them too... but I didn't see any issues in restricting the flow on mine for the short time it was up, and I've seen people post that they've restricted the flow for years on their pumps.

I do think the 1" drain is undersized. I ran a 1.5" drain on my 40b and had I kept it, would have likely drilled another as well.

 

[fort384]

I have a single 1" drain on my 57, it does well. I have 2 mp10s to supplement flow in the tank.

 

[Readingexcalibur]

I have two, 1 inch drilled overflows and a single 3/4 inch return. I am using a rio3100 return that is majorly overpowered for the system. I have 4 feet of head pressure as well. I have my ball-valve dialed down to almost half restriction. My pump is good so far at 2 years of operation.

Not that it is relevant, however, my tank is only a seaclear 30g with a 20g sump.

 

[Flaxon-Waxon]

I'm going to give my input here and go back to the basic question here of how many gph's you are trying to put through the sump. I just had 2 1" holes and a 1/2" hole drilled into my 75. 1 of the 1" is only a backup in case the other gets clogged. I am only going to be pushing 300 gph through my sump with an Eheim Compact plus 2000. I am a believer in slow flow through a sump, so a 1" hole is more than enough for me... If you for some reason want 900 gph going through your sump, then it may not cut it. And a ball valve wont do any real damage to your pump, as they are designed around head pressure...

 

[TRDfan]

I have a single 1" drain on my 57, it does well. I have 2 mp10s to supplement flow in the tank.

Its not the circulation inside that worries me, its the return pump pressure vs the drain tube size that worries me.

I have my ball-valve dialed down to almost half restriction. My pump is good so far at 2 years of operation.

encouraging statement that makes me want to get a ball valve now

I'm going to give my input here and go back to the basic question here of how many gph's you are trying to put through the sump. I just had 2 1" holes and a 1/2" hole drilled into my 75. 1 of the 1" is only a backup in case the other gets clogged. I am only going to be pushing 300 gph through my sump with an Eheim Compact plus 2000. I am a believer in slow flow through a sump, so a 1" hole is more than enough for me... If you for some reason want 900 gph going through your sump, then it may not cut it. And a ball valve wont do any real damage to your pump, as they are designed around head pressure...

To answer ur question, i want the use of the full pressure of about 700gph (950 pump with a 4ft head) to use as part of the circulation inside the tank

And a ball valve wont do any real damage to your pump, as they are designed around head pressure...

Makes sence now that you state it like that. I guess a ball valve will be the same back pressure as having a taller head #

 

[Sniperhank]

I have 1' pipe on my tank and it works fine with a tuned down mag 5...im at work so i think it's a 5...

 

[TRDfan]

I have a mag 9.5 hank.

 

[Sniperhank]

I'm aware. I think just cutting it back with a ball valve will do it...though it'd be really cut back? I'm not aware of how it being drilled rather than hob overflow would effect things in terms of loss, but don't see where it'd be an issue.

 

[Flaxon-Waxon]

I'm aware. I think just cutting it back with a ball valve will do it...though it'd be really cut back? I'm not aware of how it being drilled rather than hob overflow would effect things in terms of loss, but don't see where it'd be an issue.

Aren't HOB overflows forced with a pump? The drilled holes are strictly gravity, so will only drain as much as the return pumps actually return, and as long as the diameter of the drains can handle the return gph.

 

[chrys rocha]

Centrifugal pumps can run with the exaust valve full closed...No harm because of that.
Actually it will run freely.Ask about that to anny ship engineer.

 

[Gregcoyote]

Yes...these pumps were all designed to see some "head pressure." Commercial pumps all have this marked on them. My main pump lifts the water from my basement to the upstairs reef, which puts a lot of restriction on the pump. It has been running 24/7 for the past 20 years with zero maintenance.