Sump questions

[chall802]

I will be starting a 55 reef tank soon and have a couple questions.

Is 800gph adequate water movement from the overflow box?

If I have 800gph going in do I need an 800gph return?

Ideas on a return pump?

I'm thinking of doing a clip on refugium in the sump anybody use these?

Should I use live rock in the sump or any other filter media for bacterial growth?

I know these are a few questions but I know this is the best place to ask them. Thanks for your feedback and any suggestions are greatly appreciated.

 

[Wags]

Your return depends on how much your overflow drains, the pipe diameter is what determines it, you can google to find an estimator. You can do a clip on refugium, really any live rock or place pods can reproduce is technically a refugium. If you have room I'd throw som live rock in! 800gph return would be fine, are you planning any other circulation pumps? I just used an adjustable pump from amazon that's 550 on my 50 gal. It runs wide open with 1in diameter pipe and it could probably handle a lot more. Hope that helps at all lol

 

[chall802]

I am reading that 10x tank volume per hour is what you shoot for? 55x10= 550gph. Would 800 be too much and provide microbubbles and not enough contact time with the skimmer?

 

[Wags]

I would stick with the general and know that whatever you buy it will most likely be less. Mine is rated 800 so it's probably more like 6-700. Also I have a bubble trap and haven't had any issues with bubbles I think you'd be completely fine with the 550

 

[Reefing Madness]

Read this:
How does a sump work? | Melev's Reef

 

[chall802]

Great article. I will be reading this many times until it is right.

 

[chall802]

I think I just had a lightbulb moment. The overflow box works as fast or as slow as the return pump can push water back in. I just dont want to go past the max that the box handle. If I have an overflow with a max of 800 gph and I put in a pump with 550 gph (head loss accounted) the overflow box will only let in about 550 gph. Is this about right?

 

[reefndude]

You can use a ball valve or get a dc pump to control pump output

 

[heathd.hd]

I think I just had a lightbulb moment. The overflow box works as fast or as slow as the return pump can push water back in. I just dont want to go past the max that the box handle. If I have an overflow with a max of 800 gph and I put in a pump with 550 gph (head loss accounted) the overflow box will only let in about 550 gph. Is this about right?

Now your cooking with peanut oil! Lol. Exactly how it works.