Return Pump Speed

[SheldonC]

Hopefully someone can confirm or tell me I'm stupid - but I'm currently running my Red Sea ReefRun 5500 (530-1450gph) at 20% power. I have 5.1' of head pressure, so some basic math gets me at ~800gph. It's an 80 gallon tank, and since I want to run that 4-5x total tank volume, it really should be about 400gph.

Honestly, the pump is probably too powerful even at 1% for my tank, but it's a Red Sea Reefer and this is the return that Red Sea puts in the kit. Anyway, is my current power ok? I have a heck of a time keeping the water level consistent in the overflow, so I'm wondering if it's not actually running fast enough? I'm constantly adjusting the gate valve.

Thanks in advance for helping this rookie out with his first sump!

 

[shakacuz]

is this new or used equipment? reason i ask is if you bought the setup prebuilt, like directly from red sea or an LFS. then it being the standard return it came with you should be fine. if not, then you may have to downsize on the return? or plumb in a manifold to help add “head pressure” and essentially bottleneck the return to operate slower as desired?

i won’t even try to do the math. as i tend to over size the equipment i use to avoid having to upgrade later down the road

 

[mfinn]

Decades ago I was told that 1' of head pressure equals roughly 100 gph. Same with 90's.
So if you have a 1450 gph pump ( max) deduct 500 gph from that and you have roughly 950, at max speed.
Turn it down to 50% and you would have approx 425 gph.

I'm sure it's more to it than that with dc pumps vs ac pumps.
I'm sure someone who is in the know will jump soon.

And that's supposed to be with the same size return pipe as the pump outlet

 

[OctaviusBrine]

That will continue to be an issue for you as the diaphragm valves are terrible. Lots of post about these issues. I have replaced mine with a gate valve.

 

[SheldonC]

is this new or used equipment? reason i ask is if you bought the setup prebuilt, like directly from red sea or an LFS. then it being the standard return it came with you should be fine. if not, then you may have to downsize on the return? or plumb in a manifold to help add “head pressure” and essentially bottleneck the return to operate slower as desired?

i won’t even try to do the math. as i tend to over size the equipment i use to avoid having to upgrade later down the road

Directly from Red Sea, so all the plumbing came pre-assembled and however they think is "best".

 

[Quintin]

I have the RedSea 300 G2, which is also 80 gallon in total.
Running my ReefRun at 80% and no issues keeping the water at a constant level in the overflow. Just takes time and patience to dial it in.

 

[SheldonC]

That will continue to be an issue for you as the diaphragm valves are terrible. Lots of post about these issues. I have replaced mine with a gate valve.

I believe it. Had I not gotten such a good deal on this setup, I probably would've gone with a Waterbox for the gate valve alone. Guess if I get fed up enough I'll just have to buy a bigger tank

 

[SheldonC]

I have the RedSea 300 G2, which is also 80 gallon in total.
Running my ReefRun at 80% and no issues keeping the water at a constant level in the overflow. Just takes time and patience to dial it in.

Wow, 80%! The tank is very new, like weeks new, and still running in the dark as it cycles. I'm sure once I get biofilm and stuff it'll dial in. Sounds like I might want to up my speed a bit

 

[Quintin]

Wow, 80%! The tank is very new, like weeks new, and still running in the dark as it cycles. I'm sure once I get biofilm and stuff it'll dial in. Sounds like I might want to up my speed a bit

Here is what I’m running my setup at for pumps.

ReefRun is at 80%,
Skimmer at 70%
Have 2x Reefwave 25s each running at 80% in random mode.

 

[SheldonC]

Here is what I’m running my setup at for pumps.

ReefRun is at 80%,
Skimmer at 70%
Have 2x Reefwave 25s each running at 80% in random mode.

What kind of reef do you have? I plan to do a mixed reef and have the following:
ReefRun at 20%
No skimmer currently (No livestock)
2x ReefWave 25s running at 40% in random mode.

Makes me wonder if I'm a bit under powered

 

[Quintin]

What kind of reef do you have? I plan to do a mixed reef and have the following:
ReefRun at 20%
No skimmer currently (No livestock)
2x ReefWave 25s running at 40% in random mode.

Makes me wonder if I'm a bit under powered

Only have SPS, no LPS or softies.
Have live rock that came from TBS with loads of life and stuff on it.

If you place the pumps on either side of the tank, random flow will give you surface agitation as well as flow at random parts of the tank depending on where the waves meet.

Some pics, but this is a fairly new tank so frags are small but all happy.

Tank is chewing KH at a massive rate.