Dual Return pumps - dual "swing check valves"?

[Greg P]

And imo Ehiem hobby pump is Ac, quiet, runs cool, and the most reliable pump there is. Not sure if it’s apex controllable

I'm glad you brought this up.
I ran an Eheim Universal 1262 on my setup for 8 years without issue and it's a nearly dead-silent pump with some padding. I had to replace an impellor shaft once due to a high calcium issue.
I set the pump on this stuff and it was quieter than the skimmer intake.
Absolutely the best pump vibration stuff I've ever invested in. Just cut a piece to the base size and you have enough for you and all your buddies.
Will float if you lift the pump and don't tie wrap it.

Aquamesh Green 2 - Coarse - Lifegard​

 

[theMeat]

I'm glad you brought this up.
I ran an Eheim Universal 1262 on my setup for 8 years without issue and it's a nearly dead-silent pump with some padding. I had to replace an impellor shaft once due to a high calcium issue.
I set the pump on this stuff and it was quieter than the skimmer intake.
Absolutely the best pump vibration stuff I've ever invested in. Just cut a piece to the base size and you have enough for you and all your buddies.
Will float if you lift the pump and don't tie wrap it.

Aquamesh Green 2 - Coarse - Lifegard​

Yup. Have a 1262 on my tank now that’s about 12 years old. I consider that one new since I also have a 1260 that at least 30 years old and still works fine.

 

[Greg P]

Yup. Have a 1262 on my tank now that’s about 12 years old. I consider that one new since I also have a 1260 that at least 30 years old and still works fine.

And yet I still have 2 for sale, but everyone thinks DC is the way to go ...

 

[RabidDragon]

Question. Is you concern to as what happens if one pump fails while your away? With those 2 pumps there should be enough head pressure to keep partial flow in you tank if 1 fails without check valves. Test it.

The concern was that if one pump failed the functional pump would just pump water back into the sump through the failed pump. The thought was that the check valves would stop this. I'm unclear as to how much water would do this vs going into the display tank.

 

[RabidDragon]

Thank you all for your responses, you've helped and given me some more ideas.

 

[Greg P]

I'm unclear as to how much water would do this vs going into the display tank.

That would depend on head pressure and where you have the 2 pumps tied into the 1 return line. Water will take the easiest route and it's over my head how to calculate what would happen.
If you're set on running 2 pumps on 1 line I think your dual check valve idea is best.

How you tie the 2 pumps into the line will affect flow so using a wye vs a tee will make a big difference.

 

[ingchr1]

I would try it out with no check valves and see what happens. Have them tie together at the top close to the return nozzle.

Not really applicable to a sump, but here is what I did in my AIO. I still get enough flow to the tank when one pump is off. How much is going back down through the other, I'm not really sure but don't think it's much.

With the back wall of the tank not being completely black, it's more of a smoke where you can see into the back chambers, I was not happy with how visible the white PVC on the returns was. So I changed it out to black Locline.

 

[theMeat]

If you’re dead set on two pumps into one line check valves is your only option. Put them right out of each pump with a union right above them so you can easily take them off for maintenance. If not completely cruded up they will close but not seal off water completely, which is certainly better than nothing

 

[92Miata]

If you're going to run two pumps, run two lines. You're just making this whole thing way more complicated and way less reliable by trying to share a pipe. Remember - this whole thing is going to behave differently when your lines are all crudded up than they are when you're testing and they're clean.

 

[RabidDragon]

If you're going to run two pumps, run two lines. You're just making this whole thing way more complicated and way less reliable by trying to share a pipe. Remember - this whole thing is going to behave differently when your lines are all crudded up than they are when you're testing and they're clean.

I don't have way of running two return lines into the display tank. The tank has 3 pre-drilled holes in the overflow from the manufacture (waterbox): 1 for the primary sump drain, 1 for the emergency overflow, 1 for the return which feeds the two jets in the tank. These are all >1" in diameter (excluding the jets)

 

[Dystopium]

Saw this and thought it might help to share my thoughts.

Redundant Pump plumbing

Reefers, I am hoping you can help me solve one of the questions that has eluded me for several days. I have searched high and low on R2R,YT, and multiple other areas to no avail. I am building a Innovative Marine 100 EXT mixed reef with dual Cor15 pumps. Each pump will drive a return. One will...

www.reef2reef.com

 

[RabidDragon]

Saw this and thought it might help to share my thoughts.

Redundant Pump plumbing

Reefers, I am hoping you can help me solve one of the questions that has eluded me for several days. I have searched high and low on R2R,YT, and multiple other areas to no avail. I am building a Innovative Marine 100 EXT mixed reef with dual Cor15 pumps. Each pump will drive a return. One will...

www.reef2reef.com

My schematic would be slightly different (only one return not two, no UV light and 2 acc) but in effect is the same. I spent part of this past weekend putting it together. Today I added my first 40 gallons of water to the system, RODI is slow.... Well see how it works

 

[FLSharkvictim]

I'm planning on installing 2 return pumps on my waterbox 220.6 for redundancy purposes. Neptune Cor15's (already purchased). The system was plumbed for 1 return line back to the tank feeding the two return jets in the display tank.

It will be a simple addition of adding a Y tee connector do this however I suspect it would be best practice to add a two "swing check valves" to prevent backflow on each return line from these pumps. In the event of a pump failure this would prevent the water from simply returning to the sump through the failed pump.

Thoughts? Thanks!

Care to share your two returns running and how you have your 2 pumps installed in your sump?
I am running two pumps for my new system, one will be running a new Cor 20 AND MY OTHER return will be running an EcoTech MARINE M2 IN MY SCA150.... Just trying to see some examples of how you are running the plumbing!!