at a loss, please help

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maxwell2002

Aquarium Advice Apprentice
Joined
Jun 19, 2011
Messages
43
Location
new york
i have a 20g sump for my 75g tank, i wanted a good turnover so i bought a return pump rated for 630gph! i also bought a Aqueon Proflex 110, 932 gph overflow! Now i'm no math major but why can i only open the ball valve on my return line barely halfway before the return starts to empty! Is this just bogus advertising on the overflow box? It has a one inch bulkhead and a 1 1/4" hose straight to the sump! Backing off the pump made it sound like a freight train, so i swapped it with an "el cheapo" i have just for water changes! any ideas or advice would be greatly appreciated.
 
You lose a lot of flow depending on how many u turns it takes, 90 degree turns, inches/feet it has to push the water, etc. Not shoddy advertising, but you are probably losing most of the flow because of the path the water has to take.
 
I have the same issue with my setup. 1532gph return pump, 1200gph overflow and i have the ball valve choked WAY back or the sump runs dry.
 
i realize that. Thats why i opted for hose instead of pvc! I just cant wrap my head around it!

thanks, rob
 
i'm wondering if the design of our sumps is effecting(slowing down) the water too much before it gets to the return???
 
Thats what I've been thinking. I have a refugium in the center compartment and dual 1 inch overflows coming in and still can't keep the water flowing enough for my return pump.
 
They way I get around that is by installing a pipe off the side of the return line with it's own ball valve. You then run the pump wide open and let some of the water go back into the sump from the second ball valve. Here is my awesome MS Paint explanation:

img_1410874_0_8612e3ebe6b9a7c1e495a0b9215872d2.jpg
 
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