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06-21-2006, 04:23 PM
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#1 (permalink)
| | Plankton
Join Date: Feb 2006
Posts: 1
Karma: 1
 |  Sump return pump
hey everone,
I have a quick question i have a 60 gallon tank that i am in the process of buildin a sump for. since there are no LFS were i live i drove down to petsmart to pick up a return pump. I got a Top Fin pump with 250 gph flow rate. I was wondering if it will be ok to use in a saltwater tank, because it says its for pond use.
thanks | 
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06-21-2006, 07:30 PM
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#2 (permalink)
| | Torch Coral
Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: St. Paul/Woodbury, Minnesota Age: 49
Posts: 1,181
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Take the pump back if you can. You will need alot more than a 250gph pump for a return pump. Check out pumps on line at www.marinedepot.com , www.petsolutions.com , www.thatfishplace.com and premiumaquatics.com to name a few online companies. Figure on a Mag 7 or Mag 9, Rio hyperflow 12 among others depending upon how many gph your tank will be dumping into your sump. These pumps I mentioned pump anywhere between 700gph to 900gph. How ever you must take into account the head pressure that the pump has to pump against. (each 1' of height = 1' head pressure and every 90 bend in your return line = 1' head pressure) As head pressure increases the gph drops off. That 250gph pump can probably pump 2-3 feet and probably at 100gph or less. Marine depot has charts for the Mag pumps showing the gph at various head pressures. _________ 75g reef with Nova Extreme 8 bulb HO T-5 lighting, refuge, Remora skimmer, DSB, Seio powerheads, Acro's, LPS corals, assorted zoo's & mushrooms, Yellow Tang, Maroon Clown, Blue Cleaner Goby , Cleaner, Fire and Sexy Shrimp, Coco Worm, T.Crocea Clam, Derasa Clam
120g FOWLR, 260w Orbit power compact lights, Remora Pro skimmer, 30g DIY Sump/Refuge, DSB,Seio Power heads, Powder Blue Tang, Purple Tang, Flag Fin Angel, False Eye Puffer, Copperbanded Butterfly and a Moorish Idol  | |
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06-22-2006, 05:47 AM
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#3 (permalink)
| | Skunk Shrimp
Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Kenosha, Wisconsin Age: 24
Posts: 260
Karma: 37
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I have a 1,300 GPH pump in my 75, I know it's not running that high. Even my 700 wasn't enough.
If you need a good price check out ViaAqua pumps, I got my 1,300 for about $45 on drsfostersmith.com
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75 G Display, 12 G Refuge, 12 G sump, 1/10 Chiller, Coralife Skimmer, 300 Watts MH 14,000 K, 356 Watts of Actinic PC Lighting, 120 Pounds of Substrate, 109 lbs of Rock.
Corals: Pumping Xenia, colt, Hammer, 4 misc mushroom groups.
Fish: 2 Ocellaris Clowns, Yellow Tang.
Inverts: turbo snails, astrea snails, tiger striped serpent star, sifting star, skunk cleaner shrimp, sally, red ball sponge, 50 or so hermit crabs | |
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06-22-2006, 06:30 AM
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#4 (permalink)
| | Sea Dragon
Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Kalispell, MT
Posts: 533
Karma: 47
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On this topic. How would I go about matching my return to my overflow? _________ Senior Noob Setting my 75 back up soon Main SW Tank:
55gal, 70LBS of Tonga/LFSDIY, 50lbs LS, 1x250watt MH(20k), AquaC Remora Skimmer Live stock: Velvet Damsel, (12)Blue legged crab, lawnmower blenny, (1)cleaner shrimp, Yellow Tang, Featherduster CoralsRandom Zoo's(like 10), more zoo's,red mushrooms and hairy mushrooms, Sinularia | |
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06-22-2006, 06:44 AM
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#5 (permalink)
| | Eyelash Blennie
Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Lakeland, Fl
Posts: 1,294
 
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The first thing you need to know is what your return (overflow box or otherwise) is rated for. Then find the pump you want to buy that should have a slightly higher gallons per hour (GPH) rating than the overflow. Figure out where you are going to place the pump and how high up it has to pump to put the water back in the aquarium.
For example: You buy a overflow rated for 600 GPH. Then you buy a mag7 pump that is rated for 700GPH. As you pump the water up 4 feet to the top of the aquarium and back in the flow rate goes down. If you look at the pump curve for a mag 7 that is pumping up 4 feet of head pressure. The flow rate for the mag7 is now at 480 GPH. So now you have 120gph to spare  or to put it another way your overflow is capable of returning all the water your pump can give it.
Jim
Look under the flow rate vs pumping height graph and you can see what I am talking about. http://www.marinedepot.com/aquarium_...me.asp?CartId=
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90 Gallon glass, 135#'s of rock and 2" sand. 2-250w 20k XM metal halides. 2-95 watt actinic VHO, 4 powerheads, Coralife skimmer. Maroon Gold Striped Clown, Blue Chromis, Kole Tang, Pygmy Angel, Serpent Star, Brittle Star,Gorgonians, Mushrooms, Yellow Polyps, Turbo Snails & Blue Legged Hermits. 20 gal sump with Caulerpa, Mag 7 return pump.
Last edited by Diver_1298; 06-22-2006 at 07:05 AM.
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