GPH question
- Thread starter robkna1
- Start date
D
diatom
Guest
Rob~
The GPH of the overflow must be higher then that of the return pump.
Otherwise it will pump more water into your tank then can flow down into your sump until your sump runds dry, frying your pump.
The GPH of the overflow must be higher then that of the return pump.
Otherwise it will pump more water into your tank then can flow down into your sump until your sump runds dry, frying your pump.
broomer5
Active Member
The overflow should always be rated for more flowrate than what your pump can produce at the given head pressure.
Most good pumps will offer a flow curve, or chart that lists it's flowrate output at various head pressure ( distance from the pump in the sump to the discharge at the spray bar in the tank )
Select a pump that is less than the rated flow of your overflow.
What Diatom said is very true. Additionally, allowing the pump to pump more into the tank than the overflow can handle will also overfill your tank. Dry sump bad. Wet floors bad.
HTH
Most good pumps will offer a flow curve, or chart that lists it's flowrate output at various head pressure ( distance from the pump in the sump to the discharge at the spray bar in the tank )
Select a pump that is less than the rated flow of your overflow.
What Diatom said is very true. Additionally, allowing the pump to pump more into the tank than the overflow can handle will also overfill your tank. Dry sump bad. Wet floors bad.
HTH
broomer5
Active Member
You don't compensate for gravity.
Every pump is different. Each will pump up a vertical rise differently as well.
Pumps are rated for GPH at no elevation or head pressure, and rated for how much water they can pump up against a vertical head pressure - or distance in feet above the pump.
In our sump/pump cases - head pressure it simply the the distance in vertical inches or feet times the specific gravity of the saltwater.
So if your S.G. = 1.025 and you have 4 feet of distance from the pump to where the return hose discharges into the tank ( vertical only ) then your actual head pressure is 49.20 inches of water column. No one in this hobby actually compensates for the saltwater being more dense than freshwater - and most manufacturers list their pumps head in feet of water ( fresh S.G. = 1.00 ).
No biggie really.
Knowing the head distance, the pump output curve with various head pressures and knowing the rated overflow flow capacity is the key.
Every pump is different. Each will pump up a vertical rise differently as well.
Pumps are rated for GPH at no elevation or head pressure, and rated for how much water they can pump up against a vertical head pressure - or distance in feet above the pump.
In our sump/pump cases - head pressure it simply the the distance in vertical inches or feet times the specific gravity of the saltwater.
So if your S.G. = 1.025 and you have 4 feet of distance from the pump to where the return hose discharges into the tank ( vertical only ) then your actual head pressure is 49.20 inches of water column. No one in this hobby actually compensates for the saltwater being more dense than freshwater - and most manufacturers list their pumps head in feet of water ( fresh S.G. = 1.00 ).
No biggie really.
Knowing the head distance, the pump output curve with various head pressures and knowing the rated overflow flow capacity is the key.
rhomer
Member
The best way is to add a ball valve just above the pump. This will give the most control over your system.
If the sump starts to run low, just close the ball valve slightly to raise the water in the sump. This is a good thing when your in a hurry and can't topoff your tank right away.
If the sump starts to run low, just close the ball valve slightly to raise the water in the sump. This is a good thing when your in a hurry and can't topoff your tank right away.