What size pump?

[saltwaterkid]

My 180g is on order and I was wondering what the general rule of thumb is when buying return pumps for tanks. What size pump should i use for the tank? What brands do people like? I currently am using a Quiet One on my 75g tank and I love it. Is there such thing as getting too big a return pump for your tank? I'd like to get as big a pump as possible to increase circulation in my tank without adding powerheads everywhere. What do you think?

 

[oceanblue]

I think the recommended rate is 10x the tank size. The impression I get is that everyone loves Iwaki pumps followed by mag and little giant. I've heard good things(and read) about Otto's. For submersible pumps it looks like Rio is still on top. I've seen some complaints here and elsewhere recently, but I've used them for years, and love em'. The only other thing I have to add is on your thought about using the return as the main water flow/circulation pump, one of the main reasons we use seperate power heads is to ensure varied currents in the tank. I have a couple power sweeps, and I have a couple more rio's with the 360deg. rotators and think I've got a nice jumble going. anyway, I'm jealous of the 180, have fun with it! Dave

 

[saltwaterkid]

Don't get me wrong. I still plan on putting at least 2 powerheads in their. I currently have 4 in my 75g and I hate the way they look but you can't really do anything about it. I might have to do some investigating on those powersweeps. I've seen them around but never really paid attention to them. Thanks for the info.

 

[broomer5]

I would say get as large a pump as your overflow is designed to handle, and 10 X the tank volume is a general rule of thumb.
Also, I've been thinking of trying something on a new tank I am considering.
Instead of just having the return line run up to a single or dual spray bar, I'm thinking of building a rigid tubing system out of PVC or some other material, that would run the full legth down the back corner of one side of tank, acoss the back bottom behind the live rock, and back up the other side back corner. This tubing structure would either have positioning jets or small holes drilled at various point to create many points of water circulation.
Run a tee off my return line and feed the top water surface spay bar and this tubing system. Would take a pretty good pump to do all this - huge pressure drops across this thing.
I've only thought about it and have not put anything on paper yet ..... may be a silly idea .... not sure yet.
I hate the look of powerheads in tanks, but this contraption may end up looking even worse LOL

 

[ironreef]

I don't like powerheads either they cost$$ when they wear and need to be cleaned. I have a 120g with a return pump 1200gph that goes to a 1" seaswirls =random current. I have an Iwaki30 =980?? I forget but it is in a closed loop to a spraybar on the bottom oft the tank aiming up towards the front, not to disturb my dsb but to add circulation on the bottom.18x per hour. I still have a maxijet1200 on a timer but I have plenty of current. I may get another seaswirl. I would get an anmp master 3000 and run 2 seaswirls on a 180. You can tee it off to a spraybar also. But you need to use mostly all 1 1/2" pipe. If not an option use Iwaki or gri

 

[saltwaterkid]

People have basically said get a Iwaki 70rlt or 100rlt. 70rlt is probably more in my budget and 1500gph seems to be pretty good i think. Any opinions?

 

[ironreef]

the amp master if you use 1 1/2 pipe = 3000@ 4' if you use a y 1"= 1800@4'. The pipe need to be 1 1/2" to the pump but can be reduced after but more 1 1/2 the better. It puts out more pressure/ water than the Iwaki100 uses less energy and is quieter. the 100 is loud. But it depends on what your application is. The iwaki is a good pump but for alot of flow alittle head pressure ampmaster is better

 

[q]

Boomer5 I like your idea. The concern of the preasure drops or the size of the pvc pipes to over come it would be of some concern. ( My brother explained the water flow speed in relation to irigation and it blew my mind )
But maybe you could make 2 spraybars and only run 1 more power head. If you solve the problem let me know.
Good luck
To hide the framing try burying the pvc and using jets to direct the water may work also, kind of like a home sprinkler system.
[ August 22, 2001: Message edited by: Plato ]

 

[bino_98]

Broomer.....I saw a reef tank at a lfs in houston where he had basically what you are talking about. the only difference was that his pvc pipe entered the tank in the back but exactly in the center. at the bottom it T'd off and ran the lenght of the tank behind the live rock. then on both sides of the main pipe he to more T's that went vertical about 3/4 of the way towards the top of the tank and on each end had another vertical 3/4 to the top. this way he had 1 long horizontal spray bar and 4 vertical spray bars. looked to be very effective. i've thought about doing it myself. he had holes drill along each of the pipes. i have no idea what kind of pump he used to pump all this water but it's a very interesting set up. he also used the electrical grade pvc pipe which is grey and not nearly as ugly in a tank as white. This is a rough sketch of what it looked like. let me know if you do anything like this and how it turns out. Brian
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[bino_98]

for some reason my sketch didn't not post how i had drawn it. well just picture the long line in the center and the shorter ones equal distance from each other. sorry about that. Brian

 

[johnnysalt]

I'm going to make a spray bar too and want to hide it. I want it to be black as it would blend in with the tank background better along the sides. Broomer5, and everyone else interested in this diy pvc idea...if you can't find grey or black pvc at your hardware store (which I can't!), call a lawn/irrigation store. I found one in town that has black plastic "tubing" (as narrow as a 1/2" in diameter) that you can drill holes in and connect easily to the pvc pipe. Every retailer I've talked to so far said that pvc pipe does not come in black, so I'm probably going to make it of this tubing.

 

[ironreef]

careful of the tubing you use. make sure its potable some contain chemicals to reduce alga growth=abs.