Let’s talk return pumps….

[Its only Money]

Return pumps: Do you see them as a way to turn over your tanks volume (BRS recommends 10 times your volume a hour) or partly to turn over your volume and rely on it for flow? Or rely on power heads/wave makers for flow?
I was sold a Tunze 1073.020 Rated at 50/630 gph at 78”head. I’m just not impressed with it performance in my 24x24x24.
Thoughts?…

 

[Hydrored]

No, not part of the flow at all. I actually prefer the flow through my sump pretty low. Main purpose is to get water to all of the equipment and back up again.

Power heads for in tank flow all the way

 

[Gtinnel]

It does add to tank flow but that is not it's purpose. Adding to flow is strictly coincidental IMO.

 

[workhz]

I have a tunze 1073.50 and I have it at 50% plus 2 tunze 6040 power heads in a 90. I kinda view it as more adding some flow up top around the overflow where I wouldn’t have a pump but doubt I’m getting more than 2-3x from it.

 

[blaxsun]

Solely tank volume, and anywhere in the range of 5-10x turnover is perfectly acceptable. How effective this is can really depend on a lot of additional factors, such as how much you’re also enhancing the flow in the display with wavemakers and how you’re handling the water in the sump, ie multiple filters, oversize skimmer, reactors, UV, etc.

 

[Pete_the_Puma]

Yeah the main purpose of the return pump is to get water to and from the sump, where usually all the heating and waste removal (protein skimmer, fuge, UV, carbon) takes place. The power heads is where you get your in tank flow from mostly. 5-10 tank turnover should be plenty.

 

[workhz]

Btw. That 1073.20 looks like its at 130 gph at 5M’ head height. Not sure what 50/630 at 78” is?

 

[WVNed]

I have a 240 gallon tank with 2 x 2000 GPH return pumps. But I have 4 wave makers with up to 7500GPH flow each.
You probably wouldn't want to turn your sump into a white water stream.

 

[KStatefan]

I think 10x volume is more then needed. I do not see the benefit of that much thru the sump. I prefer the 3-5x volume recommendations. You just need enough for your filtration and heat to work.

 

[SPR1968]

I honestly don’t think you need flow through your sump of 10x, it’s way to fast for most filtration systems.

My large tank as a sump flow of around 3 x from a single Abyzz a200, BUT, the tank itself has massive flow from 2 MP60s and 1 MP40 running near 100% in different wave patterns

 

[Its only Money]

Btw. That 1073.20 looks like its at 130 gph at 5M’ head height. Not sure what 50/630 at 78

Yep I looked at it again, nice catch. https://www.tunze.com/US/en/details/1073.020-recirculation-pump-silence.html
Still don’t think I’m getting the turn over desired however it’s close to the 5 to 10 times the tank volume. Seems like there should be a little more.

 

[workhz]

Yep I looked at it again, nice catch. https://www.tunze.com/US/en/details/1073.020-recirculation-pump-silence.html
Still don’t think I’m getting the turn over desired however it’s close to the 5 to 10 times the tank volume. Seems like there should be a little more.

It was 130gph at 60”. Who knows what it is at 78”. Even at 130gph, on a 24x24x24, isn’t that closer to 2x? You’re probably at 1x with that height and an elbow or 2.

 

[KStatefan]

It was 130gph at 60”. Who knows what it is at 78”. Even at 130gph, on a 24x24x24, isn’t that closer to 2x? You’re probably at 1x with that height and an elbow or 2.

It is zero at 78"

 

[parkwaytrash]

I say just to move water between the sump and display. Any flow/current in the display is just a bonus.

 

[minus9]

The whole 10x is based on Triton, you only need 3-5x max. For my 25g lagoon mangrove build I’m going with a coral box dc4000 (I’ll have a 10g mangrove flat attached as well). 0-10v control out of the box, with a ton of fitting options and $119, what’s not to love?
For my 90g I’m using a COR20 at 50% with two 3/4” returns that have RFG’s on them. They’re not a major part of the flow, but a little extra movement doesn’t hurt. Shoot for 3x with a little extra on tap in case you ever need it. K.I.S.S.

 

[MONTANTK]

I only see the return pump as a means of getting water through the sump. I’ll use the output to try and manipulate the flow in the tank from powerheads but I don’t rely on it for that