Tuning Return Pumps

[WillH]

How do you properly tune return pumps without a flow meter on the return lines? I would like to get as much turnover as I can from my return pumps, but I do not know of what methods work well for figuring this out. I have 2 Syncra Silent Pumps running individual returns back to my tank 3/4" lines, and the tank has 2 1" drains to the sump. I have my pumps on just about the lowest setting I can put them on.

 

[MaiReef]

First thing is to see how much you can get down your drain. I use a modified stockman with 1.25" Piping on a 1" drain and based on dialing that in, I could easily get a Syncra 2 on full. With 2 3/4" returns off a Syncra 4 I put a valve on the return that went from a 1" to the two 3/4" and I had had to valve control it very slightly. Getting your drain to maximize its flow silently takes a bit of tweaking.

 

[MaiReef]

Do one drain and pump at a time if possible and don't valve the drain if you have a Durso or Stockman drain.

 

[WillH]

Yes, it is a Durso drain pipe. Also I should mention I have syncra silent 5's ...

 

[MaiReef]

Yes, it is a Durso drain pipe. Also I should mention I have syncra silent 5's ...

With 2 1" Durso drains, there is no way to get two SICCE 5s down enough without a valve. Personally I would have 1 SICCE five go into the two 3/4" returns and you should be able to run it without a problem, though I would still put a valve before or two 3/4" valves on each of the returns. You could save the other SICCE 5 for backup

 

[WillH]

Yeah, that is interesting - they have been running for a year on my 210 without any issues. I have actually turned them up about 1/3 of the way for a day or two - but based on the math, even with it not looking like it was going to overflow my tank, I agree. I thought I was missing something on the head pressure side of things, since the one return runs across my tank up to the bulkhead.

 

[MaiReef]

The SICCE Syncra Alient 5.0 runs at 1321 GPH 105W and can go 12.6 Ft

1 - 1" DURSO is max at - 600 gallons per hour per bulkhead (2275 liters per hour).

They rarely can get to the full 600 gph.

The 5 is at 1070 GPH with 5 ft. of head pressure and stand to tank will easily push the 2 drains

That is about 5x flow for a 210 gallon and should be fine.

 

[WillH]

That makes sense, so I am probably pretty close. I have the silent series, so there is a 'valve' on the intake that limits the intake to limit the flow. Really thinking this through maybe I need to re-eval my thought here, even if I tune it and that valve fails on the front of one of my pumps I would probably start overflowing the tank.

 

[WillH]

Thank you for the help!

 

[MaiReef]

That makes sense, so I am probably pretty close. I have the silent series, so there is a 'valve' on the intake that limits the intake to limit the flow. Really thinking this through maybe I need to re-eval my thought here, even if I tune it and that valve fails on the front of one of my pumps I would probably start overflowing the tank.

I never used that... I meant an actual ball pipe valve with union so you can clean it. I didn't like how the one one the pump worked.

 

[vertigo01]

I was led to believe that the return flow should match the skimmer flow.
With the most important flow attributes being geared more towards wave makers, power heads and the like.

That said, I could have