running 2 return pumps and a bean animal question

[dputt88]

so as of right now i have a varios 8 for my return pump. i have 4 return bulkheads, 2 on the left and two on the right. it seems like it in going to be a pain to plumb this and the pump will be kept all the way on the left side. so i thought maybe i could use 2 return pumps, maybe 2 varios 6 pumps.

one could be the left and the other could be the right.

i was thinking that this would be useful in the case of a pump failing, that way one pump is still running and gives me time to order a replacement. does this seem like a good idea?

If i run pumps high during the day but low at night how will that affect my bean animal drain?

 

[hijinks7]

The recent trend is running two return pumps. I do the same thing. One pump returns to the right side of the tank and another pump returns to the manifold and the left side of the tank.

As for reducing flow at night if you do that you will break the siphon on your main return since its getting less water and the gate valve is set for a higher flow. If you tune it for your night flow then your secondary will take the water. Either way you will have a noisey return. So if you can deal with that then you could do it but I'd just get controllable flow pumps and just lower the in display pumps and keep your return the same.

The idea with your emergency is if you hear noise it should tell you something is wrong. So changing the return flow you will ignore that noise.

 

[ca1ore]

The recent trend is running two return pumps.

Why is that, do you think (I have an opinion, just curious what others think)?

 

[hijinks7]

Why is that, do you think (I have an opinion, just curious what others think)?

Bad things happen when you aren't around.. If I have a single pump die at least I still have 50% of my return working to clean the water which is enough in most cases. I can then swap out the pump when I get back and not worry about a disaster. Your return will probably be loud since it won't siphon but things will still work.

Same concept in web applications.. why do I run multiple servers.. 99% of the time it isn't because i need 2 to handle the load its a safe guard in case one goes down.

 

[ca1ore]

Right, but the notion of redundancy is not new, it's been true forever. I'm more interested in why it's a RECENT trend to run dual, redundant pumps ..... if, in fact, it really even is?