Mag 9 on 45g too much?

Tabasco1 · Mar 26, 2011

So i have a Mag 9 from a previous set up that is in great shape and was planning on using it as the return for my new tank which is a 45g cube. I have a flow restrictor on the out side. Is this return too much? Will I ruin the pump or drastically shorten it's life if I restrict it too much? I am guessing that I will have to restrict it some or I will blow everything away at 20x turnover/hour.

There will be 4 ft of head with no angles in the return.

Thanks!

Jcr's Reef · Mar 26, 2011

I personally think its too much flow through your sump alone, so throttling it back on the output side of the pump would be my choice if I didn't have another pump to throw on it.

Tabasco1 · Mar 26, 2011

Do you think I should try to down trade locally to a mag 7 or comparable? I do have a control on the output so I can throttle it back. That is what I did on my 55 when I had it running. I am just concerned that on a 45 I would have to restrict it so much that I could be flirting with a malfunction at some point.

Jcr's Reef · Mar 26, 2011

I would honestly go with a mag5 if you want to stay with a magdrive pump. I rely on powerheads for flow in the main DT, then slow flow through the sump for better filtration.

Tabasco1 · Mar 26, 2011

My sump will be set up with a T split from the DT so the flow through the refugium is much slower than the flow through the skimmer section. I don't have to go with mag drive, I am just familiar with that pump.

Thanks for your feedback, sounds like I should probably consider a trade or just buy a new return pump and hold on to the mag 9 for an upgrade ;)

Reef Breeders · Mar 27, 2011

I ran a 1000 gph on a 45, just add another hob overflow.

Tabasco1 · Mar 27, 2011

The tank is reef ready and the overflow is about 14" across the back of the tank and then the tank is bottom drilled to drain.

Do you think that would handle it?

Reef Breeders · Mar 28, 2011

Does it have 2 1" drains?

patent · Mar 28, 2011

I'd drop down to the mag5 too. I'd think you could deal with the flow in the display by directing it, splitting it, etc., but the sump is another matter. You have that much flow in a small sump keeping splash down is a problem, keeping bubbles out of the return is harder, everything just becomes a bigger challenge. You can always add more powerheads to get more flow in the display.

Tabasco1 · Mar 28, 2011

Just one drain. Haven't measured but sure it is the standard. So if that is 1" then it is probably one inch.

Return is split to either side of the tank which is a cube so only 24" long.

Good point about the sump handling the flow.

I will probably down size my pump.

Thanks for the feedback!

Reef Breeders · Mar 28, 2011

A mag 9 would overflow the tank, supposedly a 1" drain with no pump can only handle 600 gph.

butts182 · Mar 28, 2011

i would go down to a mag 7 or mag 5 or similar unless you are going to run a very high flow tank with no sand - bare bottom

patent · Mar 28, 2011

anemonekeeper said:
A mag 9 would overflow the tank, supposedly a 1" drain with no pump can only handle 600 gph.

He was thinking about throttling the mag 9 down though too, and probably could have slowed it down enough to make due with the overflow restrictions.

JackoChang · Mar 28, 2011

I throttled down a mag 7 and the pump burned up. By burned up, the plastic casing melted under the o ring. Only throttled down very little.

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Chris03079 · Mar 28, 2011

I run a mag9 on my 20L granted its not even close to half the flow going to the 20gal. I have it ran into a manifold and run 2 BRS reactors; 1Bio pellets, and the other GFO. And it is still throttled back a little.

Bugg_zy · Mar 28, 2011

If you are not upgrading anytime soon a Mag 5 will be great. What I see on a regular basis is folks buying to large of a return and then have to valve it down. I am not made of money so I myself would want to buy a pump I would not have to do that to and pay less each month to run the pump.