Flow Help. Upgrading tank + adding sump

fishbox · Jun 6, 2017

I currently have a 20g sumpless/skimmerless fish only tank. I'm gonna move everything into a 33g and use the 20 as a sump. Probably gonna do some super ez corals like shrooms and other softies in this tank. I know I'm gonna have to up the flow in the display but don't know what to get. I currently have two koralia nano pump 240.

Also what would you recommend as a return pump?

bif24701 · Jun 6, 2017

fishbox said:
I currently have a 20g sumpless/skimmerless fish only tank. I'm gonna move everything into a 33g and use the 20 as a sump. Probably gonna do some super ez corals like shrooms and other softies in this tank. I know I'm gonna have to up the flow in the display but don't know what to get. I currently have two koralia nano pump 240.

Also what would you recommend as a return pump?

A pump with about 10x the display volume is a ok starting point. Not important to be exact and more isn't always better. Just needs to get the water from sump to display. So anything with about 250-350 gph. If your stand is really high and the pump has to force water really high then it's ok to get a bigger pump because the height will reduce flow.

jsker · Jun 6, 2017

I would suggest going with a DC return pump. DC pumps are very quite and most DC pumps can be controlled. Your pump is really going to be based off of how much water your return can handle.

For example, I went with a CPR CS90 overflow that is rated for 600 gallons per hour flow. I started with a waveliine DC-2500 pump that is rated for 660 gph with no head pressure. The waveline was under performing because I have 9ft of return line to pump through, which reduceds the flow of the pump (head pressure) I just switch out the pump for a Jeboa DCT-4000 which is more that I need at 1056 ghp. With the head pressure I have, the pump is set at 75 percent and the pump is very quite and I now have the perfect flow. Both pumps work great, but the Jeboa product are priced more affordable and for having the Jeboa running for two weeks work just as well.

bif24701 · Jun 6, 2017

jsker said:
I would suggest going with a DC return pump. DC pumps are very quite and most DC pumps can be controlled. Your pump is really going to be based off of how much water your return can handle.

For example, I went with a CPR CS90 overflow that is rated for 600 gallons per hour flow. I started with a waveliine DC-2500 pump that is rated for 660 gph with no head pressure. The waveline was under performing because I have 9ft of return line to pump through, which reduceds the flow of the pump (head pressure) I just switch out the pump for a Jeboa DCT-4000 which is more that I need at 1056 ghp. With the head pressure I have, the pump is set at 75 percent and the pump is very quite and I now have the perfect flow. Both pumps work great, but the Jeboa product are priced more affordable and for having the Jeboa running for two weeks work just as well.

Yes, X99.

I love my Reef Octopus Varios-6 pump. Great features, controllable, low power draw, powerful, well made/heavy construction, easy maintenance, and more.

Go with a DC pump.