I think with a high flow through your sump you will get a lot more micro bubbles in your display unless it is carefully designed. I 'd vote for medium flow through the sump.
High Flow From Your Return Pump - What do you think?
- Thread starter revhtree
- Start date
- Tagged users None
I have no skimmer on my main tank, and the sump is level and wide enough so that flow through the fuge is not high at all, while Iam pushing my overflow to the limit, a 1" drain on a 90 with about 700-800 gph of flow, it took weeks but I got it to run silent and consistant, and only have one k4 and a maxi 600 for my frag rack. On the other hand, my frag tanks which are on the same system, have only 200-300 gph each, but they have dosing pumps, a gfo and carbon reactor, and a skimmer along with a huge fuge, and low flow has definitely been benefitting the system.
Bouncingsoul39
Valuable Member
After trying both ways, definitely low flow on the return pump. I aim to get close to the output of the skimmer pump likes others have posted or only around 4-6x tank volume turnover per hour. I've found when setting up tank for clients and for myself, that a lower volume pump means less noise overall and this is important for a stand alone tank in the living room or bedroom. I can see getting away with higher flow through the return in an in-wall or remote plumbed system though. Also, based on energy consumption of higher gph rated pumps/external pumps, it seems more efficient to run a tunze or two for in tank flow.
Onedesign1
Active Member
I like low flow in the sump and powerheads in the tank. I have 2 drains with one feeding the skimmer end with medium flow. In the other end of my sump i have my fuge with real low flow drain. The skimmer end goes through bubble breaker baffles and the fuge flows through teeth in the baffle. Both feed the center section where i have my return pump and as much rock as I could fit around it. everything is very calm through the sump. The pump is a Mag 9.5 and feeds 2 returns on my 4x2x2 120g. But like several people have said what works for one may be different for another.
