Overflow Capacity & Return Pumps ???

[indyws6]

Greetings

I have posted some basic (newbie) questions but thought I would break them out to keep the threads more specific.
I have a new 90 Gal All-Glass Megaflow aquarium on order. This model has a single corner overflow rated at 600 GPH. I also have a ProClear 200 wet/dry filter on order for this tank.
* Is 600 GPH overflow sufficient for a 90 Gal tank that will be a "peaceful reef" setup? I have a CPR CS100 overflow (800 GPH) that I could add if needed. The ProClear filter has dual-inlets, which would make the addition of a second overflow relatively painless, but I want to keep the hang-ons to a minimum for appearance sake...
* What pumps would you recommend for the return? I would like to install 2 pumps so that a single failure wouldn't be catastrophic
* Any other advice/suggestions?
Thanks in advance...

 

[earlybird]

Mag Drive pumps get good reviews on here. Two pumps might not be necessary. If you calculate your back wash you should be okay if one pump stops or during a power outage.

 

[indyws6]

Thanks for the recommendation. The thought behind using 2 pumps was to have a way to keep the system running in the event of a hardware failure. I'm not in the "sticks", but it would be a 24-hour turn-around (at best) to get replacement equipment since there are no good supply stores locally. Given the tank size and overflow capacity, a single pump would easily accomodate the return requirements, but 2 would provide a buffer in the event of a failure - just trying to think ahead. (I also have a UPS that I intend to use for the "critical" components). Thanks again..

 

[cgrant]

you can do alot of different config's when it comes to sump return pumps.
I have a 210 and have a mag 24 on it for my sump return, worked out fine.
Then you can buy a couple of stream style pumps to get the water moving in the main tank, thats what i did and has worked out fine.
Or you can get all your flow from the return pump but i like to split it ~1/2 so the water isnt flowing in and out of the sump so fast.
Also depends on what you are trying to do...reef or fowlr?
Honestly for a fowlr you prob dont need the stream pumps, i didnt have them until i went reef.

 

[indyws6]

I intend to do a reef setup, although I haven't nailed-down the specifics just yet. I went out at lunch time and purchased (2) 400 GPH powerheads to place in the tank for flow. I will do some research on pumps for the return line before ordering (can't find anything local...). My lights and filter are scheduled to be delivered tomorrow and the tank, stand and canopy on Monday. I have a lot of work to do before I even think about putting water in the tank, but I'm looking forward to getting started. I will take a bunch of pictures of the effort, although my 90 Gal will pale in comparison to some of the killer setups I have seen on this site - and is smaller than some of the sumps . You have to start somewhere, right???
Thanks for the help...

 

[f14peter]

The actual pump capacity rating is dependent upon headloss where the return empties back into the tank. I have an AGA 90g with the 600GPH overflow and run a Mag7 (700GPH) that with the 4-foot (+change) head gives me just under 500GPH dumping back into the tank. You can determine what pumps provied what GPH at what heads by consulting the flowcharts . . . viewable on some sites selling pumps, the manufacturer's site, or the box/operating instructions of the pumps.
I can understand your desire to alleviate any problems with equipment failure, but odds are you'll have cause to use items like extra pumps, heaters, PHs, etc so I would rather have an extra laying around than complicate the plumbing solely for this reason (I have a 780GPH Rio churning up my LR storage container, if my Mag goes in the . . . er, tank, I could use that in a pinch). Extra/spare pumps are beau-coup useful in moving water around, such as from RO/DI bucket to saltmix bucket, from saltmix bucket into tank, stuff like that. That said, if you have another reason to have a more sophisticated plumbing arrangement (Splitting drain into skimmr sump and fuge, splitting returns into tank), then I'd say two pumps might be more useful.

 

[krazy302]

Originally Posted by indyws6
Greetings

I have posted some basic (newbie) questions but thought I would break them out to keep the threads more specific.
I have a new 90 Gal All-Glass Megaflow aquarium on order. This model has a single corner overflow rated at 600 GPH. I also have a ProClear 200 wet/dry filter on order for this tank.
* Is 600 GPH overflow sufficient for a 90 Gal tank that will be a "peaceful reef" setup? I have a CPR CS100 overflow (800 GPH) that I could add if needed. The ProClear filter has dual-inlets, which would make the addition of a second overflow relatively painless, but I want to keep the hang-ons to a minimum for appearance sake...
* What pumps would you recommend for the return? I would like to install 2 pumps so that a single failure wouldn't be catastrophic
* Any other advice/suggestions?
Thanks in advance...
Did you get the corner overflow or the one in the rear left side of the tank, cause I just bought a 90 AGA and I have the overflow in the back left not the corner and that is rated at 600gph but the corner overflow was rated at 400gph. I have a Mag9.5 on mine with a AGA model3 sump and I have to have it throttled back or I get alot of gurguling out of the over flow and sump..Here is a picture of the sump..

 

[indyws6]

f14peter / Krazy302,
Thanks for the info (and the photo!). Good point on complicating the plumbing solely for adding a "backup" pump. I think I will order 2 pumps, installing one in the sump and keeping the other for misc uses. That would leave me with a spare in the event of a failure. (And you're right, I'm sure I will accumulate additional pumps, PH's, etc., over time. It's ineveitable...).
I ordered the AGA 90 with the corner overflow. I read some posts that others had provided stating that the corner location was much better than the left-rear position. Unfortunately, I was not aware of the 400 gph rating.
(Rant: The LFS could not even coordinate the order properly, let alone give details on the overflow capacity. They eventually gave me the phone number for the distributor so I could call them and provide the part numbers for the stand, tank and canopy from the AGA website. They, in turn, called the LFS to confirm the order. It is supposed to be delivered on Monday - fingers crossed that I get what I really wanted. End Rant)
With additional flow/movement in the tank, do you think that 400 gph to the filter is sufficient? As mentioned, I have a CPR CS100 overflow (800 gph) that I could use in addition to the built-in overflow (the filter I am buying has dual inlets, so it would be easy to plumb...), but I would like to minimize the hang-ons and visible return lines.
Thanks again...