Return pump... stumped

Brooks Allman · Jul 4, 2018

I have a varios 8 on my reefer 350. Seems a bit overkill but I wanted to be prepared to add items in the future if necessary. The reccomended return from Red Sea for the 350 is 790gph.

I have 1.25” hard-plumbing from my varios with 2 45 degree turns and 2 90 degree turns then it is reduced to the return down from the 1.25” to 5/8” Which is what the return is standard on the 350.

I cannot seem to figure out the correct setting for head pressure.

The pump says 2800 @ 0’ on Mac I would assume.

My varios controller has 5 levels and I currently have it on 4.

Does anyone else have experience with this pump?

Specs:
3.5’ vertical
1’ horizontal
2 45 degree bends
2 90 degree bends
1 reducer from 1 1/4 - 5/8

Let me know, thanks!

Potatohead · Jul 4, 2018

The only way you will really know for sure is to put a bucket on the drain line going back into the sump, measure out an exact amount, and do the math. So for example if you get one gallon in seven seconds your flow rate is ~515 gph.

mcarroll · Jul 5, 2018

Brooks Allman said:
Specs:
3.5’ vertical
1’ horizontal
2 45 degree bends
2 90 degree bends
1 reducer from 1 1/4 - 5/8

Your pump will be able to deliver more than double that with the plumbing you have set up, or around 1900 GPH....the tiny outlets don't have a lot of impact at only 800 GPH.

Just Some Thoughts
The 4 or 6 Model could have made sense for your flow target, and the 2 would really have been adequate for the tank.

A Reefer 350 is listed as a 73 Gallon tank. 4-5x will do it, so for a tank that size around 400-500 GPH. That would have left you with almost $200 extra in your pocket vs the 8 for if/when you have future additions.

Another thought is that based on reliability and required features, an AC pump would also be a good choice. All it would take (eg) is a QuietOne 2200 or 3000 on the low end or a 5000 on the higher end of the flow rates mentioned. Those are about ~$50 and ~$100 respectively. (There are equivalent Sicce Syncra Pro models if you prefer that brand. Made in Italy vs China.)