Setting up my 72g Please Help!

[mattleycrue]

Ok here goes

I picked up a 72 gal bowfront yesterday and spent all day today mixing saltwater and trying to get the plumbing right. I bought it used and it came with a 3 chamber sump, protein skimmer, and return pump.

Couple of questions:

the return pump is rated at 1500 gal/hr and seems to suck up way to much water causing a lot of air in the system. Is this to big a pump? sure seems like it. its like the overflow can't keep up with providing water.

also the overflow came with a little air pump called aqualifter i think and i thought i could disconnect it once the air had been sucked out of the overflow but whenever i try to disconnect it the overflow stops working.

I am confused and need to get this handeled quick like. at the moment i just have live rock in the tank and am only using a couple of pwerheads for circulation.


Any advice will be greatly appreciated. (especially if its quick)

 

[fijiwigi]

Look up your overflow online and see what it is rated at. 1500gal/hr seems a little much for a 72g. I have a 46g with a mag7 (700gph) and thats pushing it for sure. Although it could work as long as your overflow is rated to handle a 1500gal/hr pump.

 

[mattleycrue]

i found it. its a CPR CS 100 rated at 800 g/h. i guess that pretty much explains my problem. i'll go get an 800 g/h pump as soon as the lfs opens up. thanks for the pointer.

 

[cmor1701d]

Be sure to add the head height into your pump selection. You probably want one rated just under a 1000gph

 

[melosu58]

You dont have a ball valve or anything that is restricting the overflow. As CMOR said figure in head height and bends. I`m moving this to General Hardware and equipment discussion.

 

[austinsdad]

Mag 7 maybe?

 

[MsBeanCtr]

FWIW I have the same setup (72 gallon bowfront) and my pump is 900 gph.