Pumps

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Jeraljay

Aquarium Advice Regular
Joined
Dec 20, 2005
Messages
77
Location
camarillo ca
I need to get two pumps. My system will be a total of 100g and I plan to run a reef setup. With 4 feet of head what two pumps do you recommend that will provide me with 1500-2000 gph? BTW I am having my tank drill for intake and return lines, what size line should I run in and out?

Thanx
Jeff
 
If you get a mag pump you do not want anything over a mag12. They are noisy heat producers. I run Iwaki and dolphin pumps and a mag 5. I am very satisfied.
 
Do you plan on running 1500-2000 gph just through your sump or through your sump and a closed loop system? Do you plan on using a ph? Is it a sump/fuge combo or just a sump? Will you have an in-sump skimmer? What are your overflows rated at for gph?
 
I plan to run 1500-2000 through two sumps, one sump is going to have a refuge the other is going to have my skimmer and other equipment in it. The reason I am going to have two sumps is due to money and space, I can get two 25 g fish tanks for 20 bucks a piecs and convert them into two sumps, verse builing one to fit my needs and space constraints. I am goin to have4 return lines, two lines per pump. As far as the intake lines I need to figure out what size line I want to use to accomidate that flow. Since i am goin to have it drill I just need to figure out what size pipe to run . What are your guys thoughts on pipe size?
 
1” will give you roughly 600 gph and 1 1\2” 1200 gph. The two tank setup sounds fine but you may have issues using different sized overflows, I’d pick a size and stick with it for both overflows. As far as pumps go a Mag 7 or 9.5 would probably be your best bet. For returns 3\4 or 1” should be fine.
 
OK cool. I think I will run 1 1/2 over flows and 1 inch returns, then size down to 3/4 for each return nozzel(4). I figure it is better to have more overflow capcity then actual return, as long as I have plenty of ball valves to control it, which I plan to have
 
Sorry, I forgot to add that you should plumb the two tanks together or else you will always have to add water to one or the other even if both overflows are perfectly level. They will still give you slight variations in flow over time and by plumbing them together the water level will be the same in both.

As an added bonus you wouldn’t need two pumps either and could just get a mag 9.5 for your return and T it off to 4 returns.

The sizes look good, just make sure you use ball valves so you can control the flow easily.
 
Thanks, Yeah I already decided to go with a single sump/refuge. I bought a 40 g tank at petco on Sun. :) So you think one mag 9.5 will give me enough flow for my reef? note the pump is going to be 3-4 feet below the tank.
Jeff
 
It should, you don’t want too much flow through the sump/fuge and may have to supplement with a ph or two.
 
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