Dana
Well-Known Member
its best to have your drain pipe larger than your return pipe. for instance a 1' pipe may be able to do 1000gph on a return (hooked up to a pump) but may only be able to do about 700gph on a drain.
revised 10g sump plan and overflow
- Thread starter reeftankgirl13
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reeftankgirl13
Active Member
yeah so if my drain pipe is a 1/2" pvc then my return would have to be 1/4" pvc or I was thinking to use tubing. so 1/2" pvc would drain at lets say 250-300 gph? and the 1/4" tube would pump at like 50-70 gph with the pump I have now a foot below the dt? so I should go with a smaller drain then right?
reeftankgirl13
Active Member
So if my drain is going at 250 gph and my return is at 70gph isn't that bad lol. I need to slow my drain to match the return. So i should have a smaller drain. I decided to siphon and not use the pump for the HOB filter cuz if the return pump fails then I will have a disaster. But it doesn't change the initial problem I'm facing now lol.
Dana
Well-Known Member
Just because your drain CAN drain at 250gph doesn't mean it WILL. You need it to be ABLE to drain more than your return can do. You wouldn't want you return doing 70gph and your drain only able to do 50.
BeardedReefer
Community Member
Have you watched the youtube video yet? He demonstrates how you CANNOT match drain/return sizes.
Gravity drain will not drain as fast as a return pump unless you upsize it, this is why you CANNOT match them in Size.
What type of setup are you running where you will only have 1 foot from the bottom of your sump to the TOP of your DT????
Gravity drain will not drain as fast as a return pump unless you upsize it, this is why you CANNOT match them in Size.
What type of setup are you running where you will only have 1 foot from the bottom of your sump to the TOP of your DT????
reeftankgirl13
Active Member
Yes I watched the video and understand you can't match the pipe sizes but you have to have equal amount of water coming and going or you will have a mess. That doesn't mean equal size pipes. No no if I worded that wrong sorry but I ment a foot or maybe a foot and a half from bottom of sump to bottom of DT. Now writing that I realize it must be at least 2 or even two and a half ft including the tanks (20g and 10g). And that is with one right on top of the other. I will post a pic when the caulking Drys enough to stand the sump up. Just applied it so in about 20 mins.
BeardedReefer
Community Member
When determining head distance, its talking about how far that pump can pump. So distance in piping from the pump head to the exit of the nozzle is your distance, your probably looking 4-5 feet minimum in that setup, and the box for the pump you have says MAX head height 3 feet. Not trying to discourage you but seems this pump wont be compatable with what your trying to make work.
Betroc2
Active Member
OMG you guys have me so confused with this build. I think I'll just get a lot of snails, crabs and chim pure to take care of algae problem. LOL. I will leave all the DIY to you guys, LOL.
reeftankgirl13
Active Member
It was a lot of work and looking at other peoples work Dana had a lot of rich info on this subject. I just couldn't spend 200 on a sump/refugium and needed to start a new project. You can do anything you set your mind to
