How would you plumb a UV with two return pumps?

[madreefer11]

So I am thinking of using two return pumps. How would I plumb the UV? Or is it better to run off just return pump with a ball valve to adjust the flow?

 

[HB AL]

I have 2 return pumps, with the smaller one (less gph ) hooked up to the uv filter. Works good for me. Bonus is if one suddenly stops working the other one will keep the water circulating from sump to display tank. I have the uv pump plummed with a hose and discharges into the tank.

 

[madreefer11]

I have 2 return pumps, with the smaller one (less gph ) hooked up to the uv filter. Works good for me. Bonus is if one suddenly stops working the other one will keep the water circulating from sump to display tank. I have the uv pump plummed with a hose and discharges into the tank.

Could I run the second pump attached to the UV in the return chamber then the output of the UV back into the return chamber?

 

[AZMSGT]

I run two return pumps. They are both separate and return water to the tank. One pump feeds water through the UV and then a to a U shaped return pipe on the back of the tank. The other pump uses standard return system plumbing. Running it this way gets the most water through the UV without rerunning previously sterilized water.

this is the return pipe for the UV

Return Jet

The CPR Return jet offers a fast and convenient solution for plumbing return lines up and over the rim of the aquarium. This is a great option when drilling the glass for a bulkhead is not practical or possible. The U-shape of the return jet allows the assembly to simply hang right on the rim...

www.bulkreefsupply.com

 

[HB AL]

Could I run the second pump attached to the UV in the return chamber then the output of the UV back into the return chamber?

You could. But I run mine from the uv back to the display tank.

 

[BZOFIQ]

 

[tuesdayd]

Could I run the second pump attached to the UV in the return chamber then the output of the UV back into the return chamber?

From the tank back to the tank is probably the best, but not feasible for many. Maybe alter you plan a little bit and run a piece of silicone tubing from your UV pump's intake to the overflow section of your sump - water from the tank. Then have the output go to the return section where your return pump sends the sterilized water back to the tank.

Basically you're talking water right from the tank via the overflow section of the sump, bypassing the rest of the sump, and putting that water in the return section to go back in the tank.

 

[Drewbacca]

I have a few ideas and need to pull the trigger now. I've been reasearching & brainstorming this topic of dual return pumps for a while now, as my return has a pentair 40 watt plumbed in on my 90gal 120 total system. I REALLY wanted Dual Pumps for redundancy , But still through my single return which is the best practice for efficiently using UV Especially IF you're running it at higher rates for combatting algae, & bacteria such as dinos.
The 3 things that are a must for it to work are DC pumps that are big enough to run well under 100% each, check valves, And a Wye Manifold for combining them into one line. This type of wye runs them parallel right before they join and greatly reduces the chance of one pump giving resistance against the other and just pushing the water down that pipe which can happen if one pump has even slightly more pressure than the other
AND the head pressure is greater than the other pumps pressure. because it will take the path of least resistance and it will want to go down the weaker pumps pipe (especially if it's a big 3" w 44" tall UV like a 40 watt UV.
However, the high flow rate needed for algae AND the head pressure of the wye manifold (which makes it have to perform an immediate u turn) should be enough to prevent this.
And if it Does occur, you can visually tell by watching the check valve. As long as one pump at that speed can still return the water , in the case one of them fails. no matter how slow, just as long as it can turn it over until you can fix it by either replacing the one pump or in the meantime..(esp helpful if wifi controlled) you can get alerts that the pump has died and Also tell the other to temporarily run at 100%. And/Or also, even have a manual valve and plumbing that bypasses the UV util the pump is fixed/replaced.
As nice as this would be, it seems way easier to just have two lines, one for the main return with the uv and high flow rate and the other just enough to keep the system turning over if the main return line pump feeding the UV dies. Preferably 2 slightly larger pumps than the first setup option..where one can run the main return and the other identical is running the very slow backup line which is plumbed so valves can be turned divert it from the backup line to make it now run the uv/main line as it can just be turned up to do so.
Which is what I'll probably be doing.
Just aside note.. either way.. you always want check valves on any pumps that will be running the uv, so if that pump dies the water will remain in the UV and not allow it to run dry and lead to possible melting and potential fire.
Thoughts? Anything I missed, didnt think about, or got wrong?