Best sump return pumps?

[UncommonSense]

If I do 950 GPH do I need an overflow that'll match 950?

If you’re actually observing 950GPH at the return nozzle after water lifting (well height) flow loss, and plumbing frictional flow loss, yes!

At this point, it’s worth asking how large the display tank is?

you should be shooting for maybe 7 display turnovers per hour at the high end, likely running less than that, and having that head room to accommodate for calcium and organic life encrusting plumbing over time!

 

[cdemoss01]

If you’re actually observing 950GPH at the return nozzle after water lifting (well height) flow loss, and plumbing frictional flow loss, yes!

At this point, it’s worth asking how large the display tank is?

you should be shooting for maybe 7 display turnovers per hour at the high end, likely running less than that, and having that head room to accommodate for calcium and organic life encrusting plumbing over time!

65 gallons.

 

[cdemoss01]

Its not the overflow. Its pipe restriction. a 3/4 pvc pipe can only pass so much water per hour. If you max that out you can flood. So your pump should match your drains flow and not the maximum. Schedule 40 PVC maximum flow is between 6-12 gpm. So the maximum a 3/4 drain can drain in one hour is 720 gallons. 2 3/4 1440 and so on.

What drain size should I do then?

 

[UncommonSense]

Schedule 40 PVC maximum flow is between 6-12 gpm.

All plumbing types and diameters have dramatically varying flow rates in all aspects:

In the above scenario, you’ve quoted full siphon drain flow rates for 3/4” schedule 40 PVC, these numbers are higher than a non-siphon drain…

As pipe inside dimeter increases, so does maximum flow rate in all regards!

here’s a pair of charts for comparison… neither are perfect, but they can get you in the ballpark!

Open drain:

Full siphon:

 

[UncommonSense]

65 gallons.

Okay, so you’re getting too much pump for this tank!

You probably have 3/4” drain(s)…

So, a pump which can flow ~450-600GPH (advertised) should be on the higher end of what’s needed for this system!

 

[cdemoss01]

Schedule 40 PVC maximum flow is between 6-12 gpm.

All plumbing types and diameters have dramatically varying flow rates in all aspects:

In the above scenario, you’ve quoted full siphon drain flow rates for 3/4” schedule 40 PVC, these numbers are higher than a non-siphon drain…

As pipe inside dimeter increases, so does maximum flow rate in all regards!

here’s a pair of charts for comparison… neither are perfect, but they can get you in the ballpark!

Open drain:

Full siphon:

How do I know the difference? I wanna do a siphon.

 

[WvAquatics]

All plumbing types and diameters have dramatically varying flow rates in all aspects:

In the above scenario, you’ve quoted full siphon drain flow rates for 3/4” schedule 40 PVC, these numbers are higher than a non-siphon drain…

As pipe inside dimeter increases, so does maximum flow rate in all regards!

here’s a pair of charts for comparison… neither are perfect, but they can get you in the ballpark!

Open drain:

Full siphon:

I agree with you here. But we were talking about drain lines. Drain lines are gravity fed with little pressure so it wont flow like the return pump line would. So for a drain you will basically be on the lower end. I push probably 900-1000gph through 3/4 on the return line. But draining gravity fed I would expect the lower numbers right?

This pump will be a good fit for a 65g IMO.

 

[larrysaltisfun]

You said “best” I think SICCE is amazing sdc 6.0 DC controllable on sale at bulk reef supply for 339. Yes it is expensive but reliability to me is critical..

 

[UncommonSense]

I agree with you here. But we were talking about drain lines. Drain lines are gravity fed with little pressure so it wont flow like the return pump line would. So for a drain you will basically be on the lower end. I push probably 900-1000gph through 3/4 on the return line. But draining gravity fed I would expect the lower numbers right?

This pump will be a good fit for a 65g IMO.

We are talking about drain lines! Though a drain which is moving air and water (open drain) will flow appreciably less than a drain at full siphon! This said, you can run into some complications if you are only using a single drain pipe, thus cannot safely run a full siphon drain)

And I concur, that’s the pump I have on my reef tank currently/have had on it for a decade!

 

[cdemoss01]

65 gallons.

Okay, so you’re getting too much pump for this tank!

You probably have 3/4” drain(s)…

So, a pump which can flow ~450-600GPH (advertised) should be on the higher end of what’s needed for this system!

Thanks for the GPH correction. I will work on getting a different pump nothing is bought yet. Should I do 500? I've been told to run 800GPH multiple times. Why would someone recommend that?

 

[cdemoss01]

You said “best” I think SICCE is amazing sdc 6.0 DC controllable on sale at bulk reef supply for 339. Yes it is expensive but reliability to me is critical..

I wanna do a Sicce. Made well and reliable.

 

[ShakeyGizzard]

I use one myself. I recommend the Jebao DCP 3500 DC controllable,

 

[ShakeyGizzard]

Thanks for the GPH correction. I will work on getting a different pump nothing is bought yet. Should I do 500? I've been told to run 800GPH multiple times. Why would someone recommend that?

5 times turn over is good, back in the day they recommended 10 times turn over

 

[WvAquatics]

So as Uncommon size was asking for the exact setup. I can throw many pumps at you but we would need to know what equipment you plan to use. So i should have stepped back and let him ask the questions. Like
1- How are you removing water from the tank? Overflow box? Will you run Bean animal or Herbie?
2- How big is your sump what size chamber is your return section?

Sicce syncra silent are perfect options for your use. Jebao makes solid pumps. I have ran a current usa on my aquariums since I started saltwater. If I could buy any pump It would be a nice Sicce SDC return pump. But that's just sticker shopping. To move water and not break the bank as a Youth I would go Jebao, vivosun, or sicce silent line.

 

[UncommonSense]

Thanks for the GPH correction. I will work on getting a different pump nothing is bought yet. Should I do 500? I've been told to run 800GPH multiple times. Why would someone recommend that?

800gph is as overshoot to reach around 600gph observed via 3/4” plumbing!

10x display turnovers per-hour is considered quite high, possibly even excessively so! (The wave maker(s) in the display do the lion’s share of the water mixing)

This is why I recommend a slightly smaller, more power efficient pump!

 

[cdemoss01]

5 times turn over is good, back in the day they recommended 10 times turn over

LFS reccomend that...

 

[cdemoss01]

800gph is as overshoot to reach around 600gph observed via 3/4” plumbing!

10x display turnovers per-hour is considered quite high, possibly even excessively so! (The wave maker(s) in the display do the lion’s share of the water mixing)

This is why I recommend a slightly smaller, more power efficient pump!

Thank you. I'll look into a smaller sicce pump. This'll help a lot with expenses.

 

[cdemoss01]

So as Uncommon size was asking for the exact setup. I can throw many pumps at you but we would need to know what equipment you plan to use. So i should have stepped back and let him ask the questions. Like
1- How are you removing water from the tank? Overflow box? Will you run Bean animal or Herbie?
2- How big is your sump what size chamber is your return section?

Sicce syncra silent are perfect options for your use. Jebao makes solid pumps. I have ran a current usa on my aquariums since I started saltwater. If I could buy any pump It would be a nice Sicce SDC return pump. But that's just sticker shopping. To move water and not break the bank as a Youth I would go Jebao, vivosun, or sicce silent line.

Basically I'll be using a Eshopps overflow it was the PF-800. Now I guess I'll do PF-600?. Sump will be 15-20 gallons. I haven't decided due to all the mixed advice I've gotten. I wanna do a syncra silent.

 

[WvAquatics]

Best advice i can say is sometimes ignore what's BEST! I have ran a saltwater aquarium for about 6 years. Just put my first controller on it. I have killed thousands of dollars in fish and corals. Just 2 weeks ago i was working on fixing my plumbing and bulkhead leaked and fried my Reefbreedrs power supply. 300$ mistake. I have exhausted RODI resin and topped off with tap water. If you have the budget to have the top of the linegear do it you wont be upset. If you have a budget then shop in that budget. Sicce Silent line is about as low as you can go on aquarium grade pumps. Vivosun and jebao make good water pumps and they last years.

This thing is a monster. Solid will run forever.

Will move about the same amount of water. Will run for years. Maybe not forever but YEARS. You can replace this pump 10 times to pay for the Sicce.

 

[Largeangels]

I'd also say the DCP-3500. That way you can set the flow you want and it also has the feed function that shuts it off for 10 minutes.