varios and apex oscillation profile question

[dputt88]

if i ran 2 varios pumps on my apex to create an oscillation profile, does it have to be closed loop?
i want both of my pumps to be in the sump.

 

[ca1ore]

Doesn't have to be, no. If you were to use two return pumps, one ramping up as the other ramps down, you will not be able to keep the summed flow completely constant so the drain will need to be configured properly. Easy if you use a bean, a compromise if you use a herbie, and potentially problematic if a single durso. Also you have to adjust the ATO. How do I know this - I did something similar years ago.

 

[dputt88]

im using a bean animal. and now that you mention itwont it be rather difficult to tune the drain properly. I see it being difficult to make sure im geeting the same return discharge rate during different ratios because each line is going to be a different distance from pump to tank.

 

[ca1ore]

Yes, it's not going to possible to exactly ramp up one while ramping down the other so that the summed flow remains constant. It will affect the drain. My point about the bean is that if you play around with the pumps a bit so that the summed flow never falls, only rises, the main siphon will not be affected. Any excess water will be handled by the secondary/open channel. Not sure it'd be worth the trouble to me but YMMV.

If you try it, my suggestion would be to set the pump with the shorter return line to the max level you want, and then adjust the other to get the balance you want. And let us know how it goes ..... most important LOL

 

[dputt88]

what if i just created the oscillation profile and then tuned the primary drain down a little everytime I hear some noise. Eventually I will end up with the drain being tuned for the lowest setting and hopefully not more than the secondary can handle.

 

[bif24701]

I’m asking the same things. What do you want to accomplish? Closed loop flow without the closed loop? Is there a special reason because closed loop are frankly dead. They are very inefficient and one directional, unless of course you have a couple Sea swirls and in that case why ramp the pumps?

 

[ca1ore]

what if i just created the oscillation profile and then tuned the primary drain down a little everytime I hear some noise. Eventually I will end up with the drain being tuned for the lowest setting and hopefully not more than the secondary can handle.

Yes, that would be a perfectly acceptable way of doing it. Either way, you'd have to do some trial and error to get to the right balance. Secondary should be able to handle it fine.

 

[dputt88]

i just want the left and right side to oscilate, moving the turbulent area back and forth a couple times a day

 

[ca1ore]

I’m asking the same things. What do you want to accomplish? Closed loop flow without the closed loop? Is there a special reason because closed loop are frankly dead. They are very inefficient and one directional, unless of course you have a couple Sea swirls and in that case why ramp the pumps?

Closed loops may have fallen out of favor as better in tank powerheads emerged, but they are not dead. I know plenty of people that run them, including myself. Somewhat ironically, with the advent of more efficient, ramp able DC pumps I'd actually expect the closed loop to recover some of its prior popularity. My objection to things like sea swirls, and to some degree powerheads, are the big clunky boxes in or above the tank. A properly designed closed loop has no such issue.

 

[ca1ore]

i just want the left and right side to oscilate, moving the turbulent area back and forth a couple times a day

You could accomplish something similar, and more easily, with an ocean motions device. I've been using one for a while, and it works really well. I'm unsure of the commercial solubility of the company, but when I inquired with the owner a few months ago he answered. The key to the OM is to keep sand out of it.

 

[dputt88]

so if i have a bean animal oveflow and want my flow to ramp down at night how does that affect noise/ drain funtion?