Pump too big ?

[beefcake]

I have my pump all hooked up now but it seems that i'm only getting about half of the return water into the tank. I'm using a "T" on the return to control the flow of water to the tank. If I close the backup valve then all of the water goes in to the tank. Problem is that the pump will suck the sump dry and it will make a sucking noise. So I have to open the valve to allow some of the return water back into the sump to keep a nice equilibrium. Something seems wrong. Is my pump too large for this setup? Eco-System recommends 800-1000gph for this paticular sump. Im using a Mag-Drive 1200 which should give me about 1000gph at 4 feet. Thanks for any help.

 

[beefcake]

Im using the same setup Broomer posted earlier. Heres a pic of some of the pipe if that helps.

 

[grimm reef]

You need to add another gang/float valve....the one you have now will only control the return line to your sump which is why you cannot obtain equal balance on your flow, install another valve on the 1" pipe coming off of your mag drive doing that will alow you more control on your water flow.
I have the mag drive 2400 pushing my skimmer as well as flow to my tank and I have a gang valve on the line going to my skimmer and a gang vlave on the return line going to my tank

 

[beefcake]

I thought about that but if I did that and I close the valve partially on the return then it would cut off water flow back in to the tank. I want as much as possible going in to my tank. Right now its doing maybe 1/2 of the total GPH. The other half is going right back in to the sump via the backup line. Maybe I just need a bigger pipe in the overflow going back to the sump.

 

[grimm reef]

That's why you need to another vlave ...so that you can have the pump line WIDE open, while you restrict the flow on the valve going to the sump!!

 

[xxvietxjustinxx]

do u see where u have ur mag drive going to the T where it goes back into the tank for a saftey and one that goes back into the take normally? i think u should but a valve also at the line that goes bak into the tank, so when u have a emergency, u would close the other vavle to the tank and open the safety one? im just looking for one of ur misleads. tell me if im wrong beacuse i think i am a little bit

 

[broomer5]

Beefcake
The MagDrive 12 should deliver around 1100 gph at 4 feet head pressure.
EcoSystems is recommending 800 to 1000 gph.
If you completely shut off the diverter ball valve that supplements feedwater over to the inlet of the ExoSystem/Sump .... AND you are sucking air on the inlet of the Mag12
THEN
The pump is too big as you already guessed.
Otherwise - it would work as advertised.
It's not a question of more valves - it's a matter of sump's volume in the pump partition vs time.
The design of the system will not allow for use of this pump.
The Mag12 "pulls" more water from the sump's pump comparatment than the design of the system will allow to flow back to this compartment.
It's not a matter of display tank overflow either.
If it was - you'd be running water over the rim of the display tank.
The only thing that could be happening at the display tank end of the system - is that at power off - you have too much DROP in the tank level. This forces you to run the sump water level lower than recommended.
How are you dealing with tankwater siphoning back to the sump at power loss ?
Air holes drilled in return line ?
External overflow or drilled tank ?
You may want to correct this if it's a problem.
If it's not a problem then the way I see it, you really only have two choices.
Keep the Mag12 pump and divert water ( recirculate ) as you are doing now to maintain the balance and feed the intake of the pump.
Or
Drop down to a Mag9.5 and run the 800 gph as the low end range.
Putting more valves in will only compound the problem as I see it.

 

[foxthorn]

Broomer...
I've read other posts here where people have put a gate valve right near the pump output in order to reduce GPH of the pump.
Is that not possible in this case -- or is it dependent on the type of pump used?? Or am I just missing the point here???
Thanks!

 

[broomer5]

You can certainly throttle back on a centrifugal pump - but in doing so - the pump will not run as efficient and may get warmer than desired.
Lots of folks do indeed put a ball valve on the discharge of the return pump.
I think in Beefcake's application - using a tee and "diverting" excess flow back to the sump is better than "blocking" flow out of the pump. The diverter valve is already in place.
Personal preferences ~ as usual

 

[beefcake]

Broomer: I'm have an internal overflow and Oceanic was nice enough to predrill an anti-siphon hole for me. I must say that pump pushes an enormous amount of water. The water coming out of my backup line is like a garden hose on full blast. Not to mention what's going in the tank. I would say the water spilling over into my pump chamber is 1/2" deep. Does that seem excessive ? Maybe I can exchange this pump with the smaller 9.5 like you mentioned.