Actual Pump GPH?

[Charley75]

Too late for the bucket method.
I’m running Reef Octo Varios 8
1.5” plumbing (increases to 2” through my UV. At the very end, I use a 1.5 to .75 reducer “T” to split to 2) .75 locline nozzles. Along the way, there are 5) 90s and 2) 45s.
Total vertical is about 4’ and horizontal is 8-9. Trying to get an idea of what each setting ends up being on the pump.

 

[mcarroll]

Too late for the bucket method.

Why do you say this?

Without measuring and timing, I'm not sure what else you'll be able to do.

If you're interested in the overall GPH, measuring at your drain will be the easiest and probably the most accurate. Use something that's convenient to catch the water in....a 1 quart container works well, but decide based on your situation.

If you want to know the GPH of each outlet, then you need to use the catch cup of your choice on each one and run a calculation for each one, then sum them up.

Measure how long it takes to fill the 1 quart, convert that to gallons per hour and you've got a GPH measurement.

FYI, it looks like that pump should be hitting around 1900 GPH on your setup:

I'm wondering if you'll find 3/4" outlets more restrictive than you expected – please post back your results!

FYI, the distance and elbows don't matter much unless you're running narrow plumbing. You are not. Height is 99% of the load in most cases.

For example, even if we assume 10' of total length including fittings, that only makes head height +0.5 feet for 1.5" PVC. Even at 20' total length there would only be +1.1 feet of head height. Insignificant.

If you were stuck with 1" plumbing for some reason, then it would be a big factor....+4.5 feet of head for 10' of 1" PVC, for example....if that were the case, it would cut that prospective 1900 GPH about in half.

 

[UncommonSense]

I’m running Reef Octo Varios 8
1.5” plumbing (increases to 2” through my UV. At the very end, I use a 1.5 to .75 reducer “T” to split to 2) .75 locline nozzles. Along the way, there are 5) 90s and 2) 45s.

Are the return bulkheads 3/4”?

If larger than 3/4”, You’ll likely get noticeably more flow if you switch your reducing tee to 1.5-1”, then reduce tee again after each bulkhead, inside the tank, from 1”-3/4”… this provides you with four 3/4” outlets for loc line, and significantly reduces restriction at the 1.5”-3/4” tee!

 

[mcarroll]

Anyone have a better friction loss calculator than this one: https://www.plasticpipecalculator.com/PressureDropHeadLoss.aspx

This is nice enough (it's free, so I really appreciate that it's available!!), but I used to have one that allowed simple fitting selections like tee's, wye's and elbow, including # of outlets and outlet sizing. Went offline a few years ago....so let me know if there's another!

 

[fish_collector]

You need an Apex with flow meters.

 

[UncommonSense]

You need an Apex with flow meters.

Are you suggesting that OP spend $900 (before tax) dead minimum just to measure flow? That seems a bit… excessive.

 

[Charley75]

All bulkheads 1.5” ….even drilled out the inlets into the sump (TS Emerald 39) to accommodate the 2) 1.5” drains ( Herbie) . I’m only using the 2nd and 3rd settings on the pump. Trying to get 800-1000 gph since I’m running the return straight through my UV. No interest in dropping the $$ on Apex stuff for a flow meter. If I go up past 3 though, the drain section of my sump had a hard time and sounds like freakin Niagara Falls…lol. Really just curious and not trying to get extra flow out of the pump. If anything, it pumping more than I expected.

 

[UncommonSense]

Trying to get 800-1000 gph since I’m running the return straight through my UV.

You’re almost certainly already there; 3/4” sch.40 can accommodate in excess of 600gph!

 

[Charley75]

I’m sure I am getting at least that…was just curious if anyone has actually calculated or researched the flow of the pump at the various levels given plumbing parameters similar to mine. TY for all the input btw!!!

 

[fish_collector]

Are you suggesting that OP spend $900 (before tax) dead minimum just to measure flow? That seems a bit… excessive.

Yes I was suggesting an Apex with a flow meter.

We put a glass box full of hundreds of gallons of salt water in our living rooms and fill it with fish and corals collected halfway around the world, illuminate it with perhaps 1000 watts of light, use 10 pumps for water circulation, use plasma mass spectometry to analyze the water, yet using a flow meter is excessive??

 

[UncommonSense]

Yes I was suggesting an Apex with a flow meter.

We put a glass box full of hundreds of gallons of salt water in our living rooms and fill it with fish and corals collected halfway around the world, illuminate it with perhaps 1000 watts of light, use 10 pumps for water circulation, use plasma mass spectometry to analyze the water, yet using a flow meter is excessive??

Rainbird sells a $20 all plastic in-line flow meter that would handle this task, if one was too lazy to redirect drain plumbing to a 5gal bucket… a full controller for OP’s desired result is indeed excessive…

 

[fish_collector]

I just can't take this seriously enough to continue, you win.