How to increase flow

Night Reefer

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I have a 180 gallon Marineland pre drilled tank. How do I get 10 times the flow which is equivalent to 1800 gallons per hour if my overflows are only able to handle 700 gallons per hour each for a total of 1400 gallons per hour?

Do other manufacturers have higher flow rates?
 

ajhudson15

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you would need bigger holes for bigger drains. Or you could add a hob overflow box. You just need to make sure your return can keep up.
 

Breadman03

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You’ll have to modify the drain system somehow. In my 150, I cut the factory overflow and plugged the holes, then drilled holes for a BeanAnimal drain which uses a full siphon that handles almost all of the flow, a Durso style drain that usually has a slow flow, and a dry emergency drain. The siphon can handle more flow than my pump can provide.

Another popular choice is a Herbie drain. It isn’t as failsafe, but is much easier to implement.
 

Chris Villalobos

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Your biggest problem will probably be getting a pump strong enough to actually return 1800 gph. I have a 1500 gph skimz DC pump but I can only get at most 250 gph through my return, now I'm having to run though 1/2"pvc mind you with one 90 degree turn and my tank is 35 Gallons which is around 7x. 1400 gph might be the best you can hope for.
 
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I am ususig the Jebao 12000 dc pump that is almost 3200gph with a 5 feet rise and fittings would put it around 2000gph.
 

Chris Villalobos

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I am ususig the Jebao 12000 dc pump that is almost 3200gph with a 5 feet rise and fittings would put it around 2000gph.

Well, cool. Is it causing your tank to overflow already? I'm just saying that we can do the math all day long but until we plumb the pump in we will never know. :)
 
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When calculating 10x do you include total volume or just the volume in the DT? If that is the case with 150 pounds of Coral and 160 pounds of sand My DT would be about 155 gallons. I just found out that my return from what I read can handle up to 750 per side. This makes at 1500. If I Remove the elbow facing down in my return and add a plastic screen mesh that sticks up and remove the top of it to prevent overflow in the event the sides get cloged would that increase the water flow to the sump?
 

Chris Villalobos

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Since your pump is adjustable you can plumb it in and see if it can really overpower your dual 750 gph outlets. If it can just turn it down until you modify your outlets. You may find, like I have, that many of these pumps will not move the water their manufacturers claim.
 

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