- Joined
- Jun 9, 2016
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- 469
So I got a VarioS 8 in my Red Sea Reefer 425. The pump is about a half inch from the front of the refugium. It has a 1.25" output that I have a reducer down to 1" right at the pump exit. I run 1" up the height of the sump minus 4" where there is a 45 to the top and side walls. There is a 90 turn there that goes towards the back of the sump and has a Neptune 1" flow sensor on it. From there it does a 90 into my manifold where it has three Ts in succession each T has a reducer bushing down to 1/2" then a Spears gate value that leads to my reactors. Right now I'm only using one reactor. From the end of the three Ts of the manifold, I then make a loop with 4 90s into the return pipe of the tank (3/4" I believe). So with one reactor going at 68 gph and the return flow is showing 498 gph, so that's 430 gph cycled through my tank... that just seems super low for a pump this powerful. I have it on the setting one from the max, and if I push it up to the max setting I'll get another 11-20 gph. Still not what I'm wanting flowing through my tank. I expected more from this pump.
Prior to the VarioS 8 I had a VarioS 6 and it was getting roughly the same numbers on max the 8 is getting now. I know the VarioS pumps aren't pressure rated, but I wasn't sure that was relevant in this case.
I'm off next week and I wanna get this up to proper levels that I expect. I've got fresh new plumbing parts coming to replace the plumbing and I could eliminate some 90s and one of the Ts in my design (I don't need three reactor ports.) However, I'm not sure that is the issue. Is it time to get a new pump, and what would that be?
Leopard L160? Abyss? Red Dragon 3? Am I crazy? Is it really all the plumbing?
Flow Numbers:
Manifold outside of tank:
Overall plumbing:
Return pump from front:
Return pump from top:
Prior to the VarioS 8 I had a VarioS 6 and it was getting roughly the same numbers on max the 8 is getting now. I know the VarioS pumps aren't pressure rated, but I wasn't sure that was relevant in this case.
I'm off next week and I wanna get this up to proper levels that I expect. I've got fresh new plumbing parts coming to replace the plumbing and I could eliminate some 90s and one of the Ts in my design (I don't need three reactor ports.) However, I'm not sure that is the issue. Is it time to get a new pump, and what would that be?
Leopard L160? Abyss? Red Dragon 3? Am I crazy? Is it really all the plumbing?
Flow Numbers:
Manifold outside of tank:
Overall plumbing:
Return pump from front:
Return pump from top: