What pump to use for 25w UV ??

thatmanMIKEson

Reefing ain't easy$
View Badges
Joined
Jan 10, 2021
Messages
4,974
Reaction score
5,004
Location
florida
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Anyone with any thoughts ?
i would look into dc for the extra$....i have a dc skimmer and the adjust ability is key for me, same with my return i have the Syncra SDC 9.0 along with a gate valve, i still like the options of the dc motor. when i turn on and the water level is low i can fill slow with out touching the gate valve.
heat of the ac pumps , i use a sicce 1.5 in a 5 gallon bucket sometimes to make small salt mixes and it will stay at 80* without a heater for a few days
 
OP
OP
rockdiver

rockdiver

Well-Known Member
View Badges
Joined
Sep 20, 2020
Messages
920
Reaction score
525
Location
chicago
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
The Vectra M1 is a DC pump. I totally agree. I hooked it up in line with the return pump
Was going to go with a ac pump but just used the M1 that's 2000 gph and will adjust like you said.
Thanks !
 

DCR

Well-Known Member
View Badges
Joined
Jan 3, 2018
Messages
818
Reaction score
679
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
The percent output of a DC pump controller does not ratio with the zero head flow like you are assuming. It is just a percentage of pump speed. A 3/4" hose is not likely to deliver more than 300-400 gph with typical head pressures that aquarium pumps deliver. The friction losses really snowball as you try to go higher than that.
 
OP
OP
rockdiver

rockdiver

Well-Known Member
View Badges
Joined
Sep 20, 2020
Messages
920
Reaction score
525
Location
chicago
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
So with a 2000gph pump and what I described and at 50%
You think I'm getting 300 to 400 gph ?
 

DCR

Well-Known Member
View Badges
Joined
Jan 3, 2018
Messages
818
Reaction score
679
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
So with a 2000gph pump and what I described and at 50%
You think I'm getting 300 to 400 gph ?
Probably. Looking at the pictures the hose runs are pretty long. It does not matter how much stated zero head flow capacity your pump has, if you restrict it with undersized piping you are not going to get any more flow at the same head. I don't think you necessarily have a problem or need to change anything. You are probably getting 3-4 turnovers per hour and the UV flow is low enough to be very effective. I would not be chasing those high flow numbers Aqua UV states (which are really maximum flows). You would need to use the 2" connections in order to get that much flow. Those are really for large outdoor ponds. If you are satisfied with the amount of return flow going to the tank then all should be good.

Keep in mind that 600 gph is enough flow to fill a 5 gallon bucket in 30 seconds. Imagine that much water coming out of a 3/4" hose and how violent (high velocity) that would actually be.
 
OP
OP
rockdiver

rockdiver

Well-Known Member
View Badges
Joined
Sep 20, 2020
Messages
920
Reaction score
525
Location
chicago
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Well I don't know enough to argue this but I really can't believe your statements.
So everyone buying 1050 2000 or 2500 gph pumps are not even coming close to what they think the gph they are getting.
I will have to figure out a way to measure the flow. I dont have an Apex so I can't do that and don't know why they don't make more for us reefers.
 

JumboShrimp

5000 Club Member
View Badges
Joined
Aug 12, 2018
Messages
5,806
Reaction score
8,224
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
For a UV I would get a cheap variable Jaebo off of Amazon, and use it until it drops dead, which believe it or not, could be several years.
 

thatmanMIKEson

Reefing ain't easy$
View Badges
Joined
Jan 10, 2021
Messages
4,974
Reaction score
5,004
Location
florida
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Well I don't know enough to argue this but I really can't believe your statements.
So everyone buying 1050 2000 or 2500 gph pumps are not even coming close to what they think the gph they are getting.
I will have to figure out a way to measure the flow. I dont have an Apex so I can't do that and don't know why they don't make more for us reefers.
i agree but i did see something on amazon that measures garden hose flow in gallons i bet there is a cheap diy with it to measure flow in aquarium setting...idk i was just reading along and thinking
 
OP
OP
rockdiver

rockdiver

Well-Known Member
View Badges
Joined
Sep 20, 2020
Messages
920
Reaction score
525
Location
chicago
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
For a UV I would get a cheap variable Jaebo off of Amazon, and use it until it drops dead, which believe it or not, could be several years.
I got an aqua 25w for about the cost of a cheap uv it was new. Really don't need one but was thinking of adding more fish and always like the clear water but really my tank is doing just fine and needed something to add haha
 

DCR

Well-Known Member
View Badges
Joined
Jan 3, 2018
Messages
818
Reaction score
679
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Well I don't know enough to argue this but I really can't believe your statements.
So everyone buying 1050 2000 or 2500 gph pumps are not even coming close to what they think the gph they are getting.
I will have to figure out a way to measure the flow. I dont have an Apex so I can't do that and don't know why they don't make more for us reefers.
The flow capacity of a pump depends on the backpressure (head) it is pushing against. Those published flow rates are at zero head. No elevation and no friction. Basically a powerhead. They are meaningless. With the proper sized pipe, you should normally look for the flow at 6-8 ft of head using the performance curves for a pump under a tank (4 ft of elevation and 2-4 feet of friction). Unfortunately Ecotech does not even provide performance curves anymore, but it is probably about 1000 gph for an M2. You can get 1000-1200 gph from an M2 if you match it with 1-1/2" pipe in a standard under the tank sump arrangement. But when you use 3/4" tubing with barbs, you are severely restricting the discharge of the pump and increasing the backpressure which reduces the flow. You would probably need well over a hundred feet of pump head to push that much water through several feet of 3/4" tubing. The pipe size is just as important as the size of the pump. I specify pumps and line sizes for a living as an engineer. My general recommendation would be to use 3/4" up to 300gph, 1" up to 600 gph. 1-1/4" up to 1000 gph, 1-1/2" up to 1500 gph and 2" up to about 3000 gph.
 
OP
OP
rockdiver

rockdiver

Well-Known Member
View Badges
Joined
Sep 20, 2020
Messages
920
Reaction score
525
Location
chicago
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
I totally believe you and maybe argue was the wrong word. With our tanks who uses 11/4,11/2, or 2 inch pvc. The stock fittings that come with all these pumps are usually 3/4 most tank plumbing the same I think. I do know alot and I myself was thinking of going up to 1 inch but that was going to be a project for next winter. The UV came with 3/4.
 

jeremybrowntattoos

Community Member
View Badges
Joined
Aug 17, 2021
Messages
28
Reaction score
6
Location
temecula
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
So I want to hook up my aqua uv. It says I should run it 1200 gph to 800 gph.
I assume the 800 is for sterilization and 1200 is for algae
Is this correct ?
I have a waterbox 110
If I use a separate pump what would you suggest ?
If I plum it in line I have a eflux and max is 1900 gph
Either way I don't have a flow monitor to tell me what is going thru the uv.
So what would you do ?
Was hoping to do it this weekend
Really wanted to just plum it looped thru the return pump but how does one know the flow thru it ?

Screenshot_20210409-191536_Drive.jpg
Depends on the size of your tank. I’m using the required 25w set up for my150 gallon and for parasites I run it at 400 gph. If I decide to use it for algae, I’d turn it up to between 800-1000
 

jeremybrowntattoos

Community Member
View Badges
Joined
Aug 17, 2021
Messages
28
Reaction score
6
Location
temecula
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Depends on the size of your tank. I’m using the required 25w set up for my150 gallon and for parasites I run it at 400 gph. If I decide to use it for algae, I’d turn it up to between 800-1000
I might add, I run it with a separate adjustable flow pump from my sump directly into the tank with an apex flow meter
 

Mastering the art of locking and unlocking water pathways: What type of valves do you have on your aquarium plumbing?

  • Ball valves.

    Votes: 57 49.6%
  • Gate valves.

    Votes: 63 54.8%
  • Check valves.

    Votes: 26 22.6%
  • None.

    Votes: 28 24.3%
  • Other.

    Votes: 9 7.8%
Back
Top