How much flow are you running through your sump?

[George Lopez]

Hello all im wondering how much flow everyone is running to their sump and if you have a refugium or not. I'm trying to plan a 90 with a fuge so I'm looking for any and all input. My 44 runs 5x per hour but i have been told that's too low as well as just right for my fuge. I compensate for flow with a 750gph powerhead for the coral.

Thank you all

 

[Saltybubbles288]

My sump and fuge do around 50x and 35x respectively.

 

[madweazl]

No clue; I run a Waveline DC-6000 turned down to the third lowest setting on a 74g system.

 

[Flippers4pups]

I personally run 5x turnover through my system. Philosophy behind a slower turnover is longer dwell time at the skimmer, which allows for improved skimmer performance and allows detritus to settle out in the sump, where it can be removed easily.

In DT turnover by wave pumps at 20x to 30x, sometimes even higher are common depending on corals kept and if you keep a sand bed or not. (Keeping sand storms from happening)

 

[George Lopez]

My sump and fuge do around 50x and 35x respectively.

Is that 50x your dt or 50x your fuge?

I'm trying too size out a pump for my new 90

 

[madweazl]

I personally run 5x turnover through my system. Philosophy behind a slower turnover is longer dwell time at the skimmer, which allows for improved skimmer performance and allows detritus to settle out in the sump, where it can be removed easily.

In DT turnover by wave pumps at 20x to 30x, sometimes even higher are common depending on corals kept and if you keep a sand bed or not. (Keeping sand storms from happening)

I see this posted fairly often; does actually have any measurable difference in skimmer performance though?

 

[Saltybubbles288]

That's 50x the sump and 35x the fuge To a total of about 10-12x in the dt I run two 800 gph pumps the one in the fuge is dailed back a bit.

 

[Grey Guy]

IMHO Whatever you find suitable for your display circulating through the tank and back to the sump, should be adequate for the sump unless your sump is much bigger than your display.

 

[Flippers4pups]

I see this posted fairly often; does actually have any measurable difference in skimmer performance though?

Yes, but more so in settlement of detritus in the skimmer section of my sump. Just syphon it out and all is good.

 

[Flippers4pups]

Also consider the return pump electricity use. Running a return pump with enough flow to achieve 5x turnover uses less electricity. Wave pumps use small amounts as well.

This is old school reefing thinking before DC pumps became available widespread.

Electricity use issues are why closed loop systems fell out of favor years ago. Having wave pumps move the majority of water is more efficient.

 

[George Lopez]

That's 50x the sump and 35x the fuge To a total of about 10-12x in the dt I run two 800 gph pumps the one in the fuge is dailed back a bit.

So if i run 450 gph through the dt and have a 4 gallon fuge i should split my overflow to allow for about 150gph to go to the fuge and the rest to the rest of the sump? And powerheads like crazy to compensate for flow? I'm just trying to do the best i can for the tank.

 

[miPapareef]

I run my sump at 5x display. My skimmer seems to work really well at that point. But my fuge which is after my skimmer suffers and won't grow macro algae. It just barely keeps it alive.

I just saw the triton method is recommending 10x so if I did it again I would get a dc pump capable of 5 to 10x

 

[Rufus’ goofs]

So if i run 450 gph through the dt and have a 4 gallon fuge i should split my overflow to allow for about 150gph to go to the fuge and the rest to the rest of the sump? I'm just trying to do the best i can for the tank.

Want to run a manifold?

Here's an idea I've been playing with.

It keeps the flow through the refugium low, the skimmer section a fair bit higher, as wells as more outlets for reactors and what not.

Sorry for the crude drawing.
I couldn't find my actual design of it, so I sketched it real fast.

 

[George Lopez]

I run my sump at 5x display. My skimmer seems to work really well at that point. But my fuge which is after my skimmer suffers and won't grow macro algae. It just barely keeps it alive.

I just saw the triton method is recommending 10x so if I did it again I would get a dc pump capable of 5 to 10x

Its also recommending a fuge 10% your dt so 100 gallon Dt 10 gallon fuge

 

[George Lopez]

Want to run a manifold?

Here's an idea I've been playing with.

It keeps the flow through the refugium low, the skimmer section a fair bit higher, as wells as more outlets for reactors and what not.

Sorry for the crude drawing.
I couldn't find my actual design of it, so I sketched it real fast.

So you think after a full sump pass? I was thinking breaking my drain in two and diverting flow there. I am going to run a manafold to use my pump for a skimmer too.

 

[Rufus’ goofs]

So you think after a full sump pass?

I apologize, I'm not sure what you mean.

It's not in my drawing, but I planned on using a DC pump, and ball valves on all the manifold outlets to control flow more accurately.
My thought was that I could run most everything off of one powerful pump.

 

[George Lopez]

I apologize, I'm not sure what you mean.

It's not in my drawing, but I planned on using a DC pump, and ball valves on all the manifold outlets to control flow more accurately.
My thought was that I could run most everything off of one powerful pump.

Thats what im doing but i was thinking of draining a portion of my drain from my tank into my fuge and the rest at the skimmer your design drains into the skimmer gets filtered and then gets pumped into the fuge after already being cleaned

 

[Rufus’ goofs]

Correct, that is how I designed it, and I did consider that as well. I had considered having my open channel drain into the refugium, but I didn't much care for the way the plumbing would have looked.
I'm extremely picky when it comes to how I pipe things.

On top of that I was planning on only running my skimmer in opposition to the refugiums light cycle, because it's way oversized.

If I had an appropriate sized skimmer I would probably run my open channel to the refugium instead in order to better optimize the removal of nutrients.

I still very much like the idea of the fuge before the skimmer, but achieving optimal flow rates for the different types of systems can be a bit of a challenge.

 

[George Lopez]

Correct, that is how I designed it, and I did consider that as well. I had considered having my open channel drain into the refugium, but I didn't much care for the way the plumbing would have looked.
I'm extremely picky when it comes to how I pipe things.

On top of that I was planning on only running my skimmer in opposition to the refugiums light cycle, because it's way oversized.

If I had an appropriate sized skimmer I would probably run my open channel to the refugium instead in order to better optimize the removal of nutrients.

I still very much like the idea of the fuge before the skimmer, but achieving optimal flow rates for the different types of systems can be a bit of a challenge.

Ok ican see why your design then with the reversed timing good thinking

 

[Greybeard]

Triton system... A little more than 10x, straight path through fuge and sump.

New to me... I've always tried to keep fuge rates down, but Triton recommends 10x... So far so good, Calurpa Mexicana seems to love the flow.