Need some advice with return Flow please

[KevPool]

So the project I am working on has some crazy plumbing and I could sure use some feedback on this please.

the system consists of two display tanks both 60 gal, a 22 gal fuge and a 70 gal sump, the display tank we will call DT1 is upstairs in my living room 12' up to the top of the tank from the sump, and DT2 is in my sump room built into the wall of our den about 5' to the top of the tank from the sump. the first pump i was running was Iwaki that was pushing 1160 gph but that wasn't cutting it and DT1 was only getting around 60gph which kinda sucks, DT2 was roaring with about 700 gph when I shut down DT1 and just ran that tank and the fuge, keep in mind I don't want that much flow in my fuge I want it at about 50gph so it is gated off and turned way down, DT2 is also turned down to about 300-400 gph as well.

Yesterday I picked up a bigger pump to push more water to get from my sump I installed a Sicce Syncra ADV 9.0 that will push 2500 gph. Right now I have it tuned to give 180 gph to DT1 and about the same to DT2 with a trickle in the fuge 40ish gph.

my question is do you think a 3 tank exchange per hour will work and I adjust my flow in the tanks with power heads? or should I try and push more water to the display tanks?

I could drill another bulkhead into the sump and run two pumps externally if I need to, but I would rather not if the return flow will be sufficient.

any help, advice or constructive criticism is greatly appreciated.

thanks
Kev

pics of the project are on my builder thread if you wanted to take a look at my madness lol

 

[Crustaceon]

I think I’d run two return pumps, one for each display. You’ll never get the pressure up to T1 with a manifolded single pump setup. It’ll mostly go to T2 as it’s the path of least resistance. I mean you COULD run a gate valve to T2, but that requires some tuning and can cause some noise issues.

 

[KevPool]

yeah that was my thought 3 full tank returns per hour is kind of the min anyone would want and that's on clean pipes I'm trying to think what it would be like several months down the road if the flow drops even more there might be trouble.

 

[KevPool]

yeah I will see how the 9.0 runs with just DT1 on it and use the Iwaki for DT2 and the fuge it ran both of those with no problems whatsoever, there will be a 3rd pump added later but that will just be for the media reactors, calcium reactor, UV ect ect but for now I just want to balance the flow from the displays.

thanks for your feedback man

noise issues indeed it is loud AF in here lol I need to tweak up the room a bit more lol

 

[theMeat]

Not completely understand your set up. From what I think i understand you have one tank on above floor and 2 tanks on same floor with sump for all 3?
Would have one pump for above floor tank and have that fall to 2 other tanks on floor below, and then fall to sump where your single pump is.
Or have a separate pump fir each tank

 

[KevPool]

no it is manifolded off each tank has it's own drain line and supply line, the two displays will dump into socks with the first chamber of the sump that will have the skimmer and the fuge will dump into the middle of the sump but the fuge is kinda part of the sump system not really a problem with the flow there it is more for pods. if that makes sense

 

[theMeat]

Yeah, makes sense, I think. Would have one pump in sump going to highest tank. Have that highest tank drain into next highest tank. Have that second highest tank drain into sump, and have separate smaller pump for fuge. Or put a manifold for uv, reactors, whatever

 

[KevPool]

I really like that idea Meat thanks man. I would probably keep the drain from DT1 into DT2 at a 1" pipe and not reduce it any?

 

[theMeat]

Bigger is better is what she said. Think 3-5x tank volume per hour through sump is sweet spot. With a single drain from each tank design the bigger the pipe the quieter it will be

 

[KevPool]

By noon the cement should be dry, I'll fire it up and let ya know what my gph ends up at. This saved me a bunch of pipe too lol I wish I knew that a week ago bahahhahaaaa.
;Facepalm

 

[KevPool]

so I'm up to 240 gph, but my Durso drain is giving a ton of bubbles to DT2 I might swap things around for a Herbie not quite sure yet but everything is flowing nicely. now if I can sound proof things a bit more lol

thanks again Meat