Connecting External Return Pump to Sump and Return Lines

[Saltyreef]

My eel has never gone down the return - pretty unlikely.

Black PVC Schedule 40 Fittings – Savko Plastic Pipe & Fittings

How is your return plumbed?
I have 3/4 locline nozzles so i can direct flow and the reduction is minimal.
I couldnt imagine hard plumbing the return nozzles inside the tank lol. My snails are even gonna have fun with these huge locline holes lol.

Current tank has the locline fan sweepers and i still have to dial back my pump to half speed.

 

[ca1ore]

How is your return plumbed?
I have 3/4 locline nozzles so i can direct flow and the reduction is minimal.
I couldnt imagine hard plumbing the return nozzles inside the tank lol. My snails are even gonna have fun with these huge locline holes lol.

Current tank has the locline fan sweepers and i still have to dial back my pump to half speed.

How do you know the reduction is minimal, have you measured it? Though, I suppose if you've your pump at only half capacity, any losses are largely irrelevant. My situation is much different.

I don't personally like grinding holes through the back panel because in order to respect safe edge distances, it ends up being too low and back siphon is a problem. So, either you end up needing to raise the output with a bunch of ugly PVC inside the tank or use poorly-performing check valves. I suppose one could oversize the sump, but that gets problematic with larger tanks.

With a bit of attention to aesthetics, one can use over the rim PVC .... that is what I have done. I have a very large tank with a basement sump room, so squeezing as much flow as possible out of my pump is a priority. When you are dealing with 14' of calculated head pressure avoiding any and all friction losses is important. I cannot speak to the challenges of snails since I don't keep any (they just end up as lunch for my wrasses or hermit housing), but I just don't see the point of using velocity nozzles. I shoot my main return directly down behind the rocks and use in-tank circulators for the majority of my flow needs. But, YMMV.

I do use the VCA nozzles on my closed loop, but even there I am unconvinced that they really offer any net benefit (and they're uuuuugly).

 

[Saltyreef]

How do you know the reduction is minimal, have you measured it? Though, I suppose if you've your pump at only half capacity, any losses are largely irrelevant. My situation is much different.

I don't personally like grinding holes through the back panel because in order to respect safe edge distances, it ends up being too low and back siphon is a problem. So, either you end up needing to raise the output with a bunch of ugly PVC inside the tank or use poorly-performing check valves. I suppose one could oversize the sump, but that gets problematic with larger tanks.

With a bit of attention to aesthetics, one can use over the rim PVC .... that is what I have done. I have a very large tank with a basement sump room, so squeezing as much flow as possible out of my pump is a priority. When you are dealing with 14' of calculated head pressure avoiding any and all friction losses is important. I cannot speak to the challenges of snails since I don't keep any (they just end up as lunch for my wrasses or hermit housing), but I just don't see the point of using velocity nozzles. I shoot my main return directly down behind the rocks and use in-tank circulators for the majority of my flow needs. But, YMMV.

I do use the VCA nozzles on my closed loop, but even there I am unconvinced that they really offer any net benefit (and they're uuuuugly).

I see how youre doing it. Thats pretty cool and yes those nozzles are ugly

for me, the fact that with them on or off they dont change the pump curve enough to warrant me turning it up, i say my mental LPH meter is in the ballpark.

90 the returns straight down would work in my bare bottom tank like that. But id be wary of doing it with my size tank and sand.

Again, flow loss from the short 3/4" locline stub is minimal and would not warrant a second thought in my brain

 

[Hugh Mann]

Found the model of the pump. 4-MDQX-SC. 1" NPT fittings, at a 6' head it's 1080 gp/h.

I'm thinking I will elbow off the sump, so it's just a straight shot up and over the tank rim, hang the loc line. Seems like that is probably the easiest and cheapest solution to this particular problem. Thanks everyone.

 

[Saltyreef]

Found the model of the pump. 4-MDQX-SC. 1" NPT fittings, at a 6' head it's 1080 gp/h.

I'm thinking I will elbow off the sump, so it's just a straight shot up and over the tank rim, hang the loc line. Seems like that is probably the easiest and cheapest solution to this particular problem. Thanks everyone.

If you want to do the locline, id suggest the fittings i posted on page 1 but maybe sch 80 to keep them dark.
Or else the premade U's , youll need to utilize a hose on a barb vs plumbing in a 1" pvc or 1" eshopps flex hose.