Return pump question

theres three on pump side and two on overflow side,
Overflow side:
1 - the 1" overflow pipe is inside of a 2" line inside of the tank so if the pump fails or the power goes out the water stops going over the 2" pipe and the flow to the sump will stop but will not loose syphon the 1" line goes 3/4 of the way into the 2" pipe that is capped off at the bottom,
2 - the overflow has a air gap 1" below the water line so if the pump fails the tank will only syphon 1" of water out of the tank,
pump side:

3 - the pump chamber only holds 1/2 gal of water so if the sysphon is broken on the overflow it will dry up the chamber and only put 1/2 gal into the tank, (this one is incase the second one happens and the power comes back on and there is no syphon on the overflow)
4 - there is a air hole drilled in the return pipe going back into the tank above the water line so if the power goes out it will not syphone the water back down into the sump and overflow it.
5 - there is a second return line with a pump with a float switch on it so if the water in the sump gets to high the second pump starts up and returns the water back into the main tank.
 
S

saxman

Guest
Quote:
Originally Posted by Gill again68 http:///forum/thread/381179/return-pump-question#post_3319593
If you use a ball valve to slow the flow from the pump then the pump will be under strain and will eventually fail. What I did was put a T before my ball valve and ran excess back to the pump return area. This allows the pump to run at full while also allowing the DT to get the flow I want. Works great for me. Maybe that will help?
I agree...here's a quick sketch:
 
I did put a tee and a valve in the line my overflow is 600gph and the pump is 600 gph at a 27' rise so I think that it will be ok I have a valve on the overflow line to so that I could make sure that they where both at the same gph.
Thank you guys for all your help, I think that i'm going to give my sump a couple of months to get broke in and then start adding some more coral.
I'm also still running my canster filter through the sump until the bacteria has time to grow in the sump do you think that two months will do it?
 

florida joe

Well-Known Member
I wish I did not have an after dinner drink but anyway you do not have to have your return and overflow gph equal if anything you want your return gph to be less then your overflow and is your canister filter before or after your sump
 
Quote:
Originally Posted by florida joe http:///forum/thread/381179/return-pump-question/20#post_3320812
I wish I did not have an after dinner drink but anyway you do not have to have your return and overflow gph equal if anything you want your return gph to be less then your overflow and is your canister filter before or after your sump
There's nothing wrong with a good after dinner drink.

It's in my sump well the tubes are anyway(but only until I get my sump broken in), if my return was less then my overflow wont it overflow my sump?
Sorry I'm new to the sumps and I've already had a fresh water tank flood my house a few years ago caused $10,000 in damages, so I'm alittle guy shy
 

bang guy

Moderator
Overflows are designed (by definition basically) to flow the exact amount of water that the return pump sends to the tank.
 
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