plumbing question

[seltzerd]

Okay, I am sure this info is out there, but I cant seem to find it.
I just bought a 90 gal Allglass reef ready tank (

replacing my 42 gal)
It has this "Megaflow" system. They say overflow (single) is 600 gph, which seems right. for return pump they recommend a 2400 gph pump at 0 feet (and assume you will have a 4 foot head) Is this seem right? And what pump is 2400 gph? Also, could I run my return with this pump through a 'Y' so I can have two return nozzels to help with flow? Of course I will also have powerheads. I will have fish, live rock, and corals. I am going to use the Durso for my drain to sump.
I currently have a 20 gallon sump I will use for my new tank. I have a overflow system now which use a 3/4 inch flex hose (so I assume is closer to 300 gph) and figure I will need a new pump (I currently have a catalina 2200)
Any help would be greatly appreciated
Thanks!!

 

[mr_x]

hi. i don't think a 2400gph pump is good for a 600 gph overflow. i would choose a mag7 (700gph)or mag9.5(950). btw- a mag24 is 2400gph.
are you going to be using an external, or internal pump for return?

 

[snakeblitz33]

Go with a Mag Drive 12 on a 90 gallon tank. Use a ball valve and a check valve on your PVC work.
A Mag Drive 12 gives you a lot more flow for your 90 gallon tank, and I had one on my 90 when it was up and running. It did just fine, without any problems.

 

[jefnmichele]

to get the flow you need bigger flex hose. If you Y the line, you still only have the amount of flow of the single line before the Y.
Pipe Sizing Chart
Maximum Flow Rates
Pipe Size--PVC Schedule 40 PVC--Class 200

[hr]
Polyethylene tubing
3/4 inch

[hr]
8 GPM

[hr]
10 GPM

[hr]
8 GPM
1 inch

[hr]
13 GPM

[hr]
16 GPM

[hr]
13 GPM
1 1/4 inch

[hr]
23 GPM

[hr]
26 GPM

[hr]
23 GPM
for 3/4 inch line 8 gpm x 60 minutes equals 480 gph. This is based on around 5 ft per second, so with head pressure it can only go down from here if pumping, if its a return then thats all you get.
After that there is only pressure. Also, be careful with check valves, they fail quite often in saltwater. IMO there is always a better way to prevent water loss. If you do use a check valve, make certain that it is good quality.
BTW, I tapped threads in the top of my durso, and added a 1/4 inch valve. It allows me to adjust the amount of air getting into the durso and fine tune my water level.

 

[seltzerd]

My overflow hole is drilled at 1.5 inches, so I got a 1.5 inch bulkhead and will increase my overflow tubing to handle the full 600 gph. And will use 1.5 inch PVC (or flex)
My return line bulkhead was actually drilled (pre-drilled holes on tank) slightly smaller. I was wondering if I Y the return if I needed a larger pump. I guess I thought pushing water up and then out through 2 separate nozzles would need more power. Is it common for the predrilled holes to be a different size?
I was looking at both internal and external pumps. Do you recommend one over the other?
Thanks again

 

[jefnmichele]

look up closed loop systems if your not familer with them. Might explain the different size holes. Anywhere you go down to one line, like before a Y, decreases your flow to that single line.
I would use an external pump for a closed loop, then a couple internal powerheads to move water to the dead spots.

 

[indyws6]

Greetings

I have a similar 90G AGA tank (might be the same - some have corner overflows like mine and some have overflows on the back wall, offset from the center). I have seen information that says the overflow handles 600 GPH, but I have also seen documentation list the capacity at 450 GPH. Based on my experience, 600 GPH seems more accurate.
I use a Mag 9.5 for my return pump and run it wide-open. This pump works perfectly and does not require any throttling (no valve to limit the output) to match the overflow capacity, which is plumbed with 1" PVC to the sump. Naturally, I have some losses in my return plumbing due to distance and configuration, but they are not excessive. I suspect that a Mag 12 or similar pump would need to be "throttled" to keep pace with the overflow. Some pumps react favorably to being throttled (reduced energy consumption) and some don't (increased pressures reduce the life of the pump).
The holes in the bottom of the tank are drilled at different sizes for installation of the AGA Megaflow plumbing kit. While you can certainly make your own, I felt that the price was reasonable considering that I got all of the necessary parts in one kit, that fit exactly, and it is easy to adjust the height of the water column with the slip-fit of the standpipe. Another nice feature is that the return line has a short "Y" section of Loc-Line that you can use to divert the flow as needed.
I would rather not have the amount of flow needed for an SPS tank (my goal) to be pushed through my sump, so I supplement the return from my sump with in-tank powerheads (950 GPH from sump / 2150 GPH from in-tank powerheads). Long story short, the Mag 9.5 seems to be the perfect return pump for the AGA 90G tank - at least the way that I have my system plumbed (your mileage may vary).
On a related note...
I just purchased a Reeflo Snapper pump and will use it to replace the Mag 9.5 return pump AND the CA2200 pump used to feed my skimmer. I will be able to use one external pump in place of two submersibles, lower the electricity requirement by 1/3 and have the ability to feed a calcium reactor without lowering the volume of water through the sump. I have also been told by many that I can expect the Snapper to be quieter than the Mag and CA combo (fingers crossed...)

Here's a picture of my current plumbing setup - I hope some of this is helpful to you... Good Luck