How much flow through a sump?
- Thread starter leepink23
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W1ngz
Failed Padawan
The slow one looks a bit slow to me, but flowrates are impossible to guess just looking at filter socks.
Depends on overall system volume. I think the current recommendation is somewhere around 3-5 times per hour system volume. You can more or less figure that out by the rating of your return pump and use the manufacturers head-height chart to know how much you're pushing back up into the tank.
Depends on overall system volume. I think the current recommendation is somewhere around 3-5 times per hour system volume. You can more or less figure that out by the rating of your return pump and use the manufacturers head-height chart to know how much you're pushing back up into the tank.
TheGreatWave
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I agree it doesn't matter much. (Although a faster flow would potentially skim more, a certain minimum is required to heat.)
IMO silence is the more important challenge to deal with.
That being said the second video looks like what I am used to seeing, but my experience is with smaller systems.
IMO silence is the more important challenge to deal with.
That being said the second video looks like what I am used to seeing, but my experience is with smaller systems.
mfinn
likes zoanthids
Generally in the neighborhood of 3x to 5x the tank volume through the sump.
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leepink23
2500 Club Member
The flow was terribly slow until I discovered my return nozzles were partially clogged, cleaned them and going to replace, but after cleaning I got video 1. The tank actually looked good even with the extremely slow flow. Out of curiosity why do you say it doesn’t make a difference?
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leepink23
2500 Club Member
Video 2 is much more silent when the kids are on and doors closed.
Lids not kids lol
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TheGreatWave
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I didn't have the sound on anyway as ultimately it's all in what you hear in real life. Incidentally the flow in and of itself usually isn't the primary culprit for noise, rather an encouragement.
sixty_reefer
5000 Club Member
Flow true sump is important but I can’t see the vid, some info on what’s down der could give you a better answer. For example if you keep siporax you want it slow but in other hand if you keep macros you would be looking at 10x the tank turn over for efficiency.
Ross Petersen
Well-Known Member
Hey there. Can you elaborate? What’s Siporax? Are you referring to macro algae? I’m a newbie here but sense you are indicating higher flow for a refugium and lower for a rock/ceramic based biological filtration in the sump?
sixty_reefer
5000 Club Member
Yes that’s correct my friend, probably not worth for me to elaborate on here as it would be a 10 pages kinda thing, but if you just starting is probably worth choosing what you thinking of keeping in your reef, fish wise and coral wise, see they’re needs and choose how you going to set up your thank from there. For example if you going to have a lps thank with a mandarin and some pipe fish then a macro algae refugium would be essential in the sump, on other hand if your goal is a sps with only a few designer structures I would probably go siporax route.
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leepink23
2500 Club Member
I run an algae scrubber and skimmer, I get plenty on the scrubber. I think I will go with video 2, ironically I can’t see it myself now. Thanks for the information.
