Did I Purchase the Wrong Return Pump?

[LiquidSpace]

I bought a Vectra M2 for an Innovative Marine 200 INT which is a 200 gallon system. I’m thinking I should have done up to the L2?

I started thinking about this because the system in planning will have at least three manifolds including a UV. This specific aquarium only has one return slot.

Should I bite the bullet, pay the restocking fee and buy the next size up?

 

[PharmrJohn]

OK. I'm gonna preface that I'm just spitballing here. But you would want something like 5x per gallon which is 1000 GPH. Used to be higher in the old days, but no longer. Depending on how high the pump has to get water to, adding in bends, or even worse, 90 degree angles, your GPH will go down. There are calculators online. Run those calculations and see if it'll give you the 1000GPH. I've also heard of tanks returning with 2x. The requirement would go down obviously. Personally, I'm gonna run 2x RTN Pumps in case one goes down. I like redundancy.

 

[dschuffert]

I think the M2 is big enough for a 200-gallon tank. It is rated to 2000 GPH. It all depends on how you want to setup your flow and accessories.

 

[fishface NJ]

I would have gone with a L2 on the 200 gallon system

 

[C_AWOL]

The thing with all dc pumps is that they're adjustable and if you plan on running anything other than a return off of one pump (such as a manifold and/or uv), bigger is better. If you buy a bigger pump and run it at a lower speed, it will generally last longer since it won't have to work as hard.

Not to mention depending on how you plumb your aquarium, you will lose out on a lot of flow due to various restrictions such as elbows/barbed fittings/eductors due to head pressure (which most affordable dc pumps are poor at handling, vectra despite being not as affordable is no exception)

 

[mfinn]

I can only relate what I have done on my tanks in the past and now.
I like to keep the return pump separate from other functions.
One constant is, you need the return pump running all the time.
I would, and have bought a separate pump for other functions.

 

[LiquidSpace]

I can only relate what I have done on my tanks in the past and now.
I like to keep the return pump separate from other functions.
One constant is, you need the return pump running all the time.
I would, and have bought a separate pump for other functions.

That’s kinda what I’m looking out now. This will be my first giant aquarium and I wanted to get fancy with the manifolds, but it looks like there really isn’t any reason to do that. I really only plan to run UV for disease and a turf scrubber. Maybe I do those separate and then run a single manifold for a carbon reactor.

Based upon a liberal estimate with 4 90 degree angles and three manifolds I’d be at 1,200 GPH.

 

[FinalPhaze987]

Did you buy it from a retailer that doesn't charge a restocking fee like saltwateraquarium.com or BRS?

 

[ShakeyGizzard]

OK. I'm gonna preface that I'm just spitballing here. But you would want something like 5x per gallon which is 1000 GPH. Used to be higher in the old days, but no longer. Depending on how high the pump has to get water to, adding in bends, or even worse, 90 degree angles, your GPH will go down. There are calculators online. Run those calculations and see if it'll give you the 1000GPH. I've also heard of tanks returning with 2x. The requirement would go down obviously. Personally, I'm gonna run 2x RTN Pumps in case one goes down. I like redundancy.

2 bends equal 1 90deg

 

[LiquidSpace]

Did you buy it from a retailer that doesn't charge a restocking fee like saltwateraquarium.com or BRS?

Yeah, but I already opened it so I’d still have to pay the restocking fee.

 

[FinalPhaze987]

Yeah, but I already opened it so I’d still have to pay the restocking fee.

The restocking fee is 10%? You'd get less selling the pump in the market place. Chalk it up as a $40 learning experience and use the credit to get the L2?

 

[C_AWOL]

If you can afford it financially, it might not hurt to consider using 2 returns on this system.
You can opt for something more affordable like a jebao as a secondary pump and use it to power the manifold as well.
I personally consider that to be money better spent than paying a 10% restocking fee + return shipping + money to upgrade to an L2.

 

[LiquidSpace]

If you can afford it financially, it might not hurt to consider using 2 returns on this system.
You can opt for something more affordable like a jebao as a secondary pump and use it to power the manifold as well.
I personally consider that to be money better spent than paying a 10% restocking fee + return shipping + money to upgrade to an L2.

I would if I could, but the system comes plumbed with only one return.

 

[fishface NJ]

I would if I could, but the system comes plumbed with only one return.

A very easy change

 

[Rabidsquirrel]

I'm running a L2 on my 210 at about 70%. Two returns and a take off for a UV light.