Increasing flow rate

[kjdeut]

Hey Everyone, I need some ideas/advice from all you creative DIY saltwater geniuses out there (how is that for sucking up?) J

Some of you may have seen my post earlier asking for ideas on why my SPS polyps are not extending like they should. Since posting I have double-checked my water, which is great, and did a closer inspection for the LRB and found none, so that leaves me with my water flow.

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My tank is an Oceanic 92 gal reef ready bow front corner that currently is only using the CSL T3 return pump for circulation. My sump, which is now more of a ref than a sump, is a 29 gal tall and located in another room. Right now the tank is very clean with the only equipment you see being the return line coming out to the overflow. My goal is to increase the flow, keep that “clean” look and hopefully not spend a bunch of money.

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My first thought is to put as big of a powerhead/submersible pump as I can in the overflow and run a line back out and into the tank. I’m, guessing I would want something that moves at least 500 gph and hoping there is enough room for a pump that size. With the T3 and another 500 gph of water movement my total would be up in the 1200 gph range. But that almost sounds to simple, am I missing something here? Would placing a pump in the overflow screw up the standpipe flow? My thinking is that at first it would push a bunch of water out of the overflow but the level in the overflow would eventually raise again once the extra flow out started going back in.

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Any ideas, suggestions, or feedback would be greatly appreciated.

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Ken

[geshields]

Ken,

On my old 58, I had the CL intake in the overflow like you suggested. I only had 1000GPH going through the overflow and that was too much. I had to re-route the overflow teeth and make them deeper to handle all that flow.

Greg

[Twins Guy]

hey ken-
my big concern would be if the overflow slits themselves (recognizing that the bulkheads and plumbing won't have the same burden) can keep up with the flow. i would anticipate that the water level in the tank would run maybe a 1/2" deeper-maybe more. might work though. if you can't find a submersible pump small enough-yet with enough umph (aquaclear 802)-you could talk to greg about setting up some sort of hang-on-the-back closed loop system that draws from the overflow area-or the tank itself if the overflow slits can't keep up.
tg

[Twins Guy]

talk of johnny on the spot greg-man you beat me to it!
tg

[David Grigor]

I have done what you are suggesting before using a MH 1200. Depending on how low the water fall is from the teeth to the normal water level in the overflow, the bubbles from the fall off, if the suction for the pump inside is too great will suck some bubbles down . I had this happen on a MJ inside an overflow, and another time it worked out just fine.....

The best way to do it without having any concern about bubbles is to drill another hole in the overflow for the intake of the pump so it is literally a closed loop using the overflow to hide the pump but does not put any tax on your overflow teeth. Of course depending on how low you make the hole in your overflow you may have to tear some of your rockwork down temporarily to drill it.

[vertical]

Buy a Tunze Stream and the deco rock. (I think someone here has a couple FS)

One of the best purchases I have made for my tank. (I dont use the rocks, but i dont mind the big PHs in the tank either)

[kjdeut]

I was just looking at their 6060 model. After I got home tonight I took a closer look at my overflow. Only way I could fit a pump in there would be to take out the standpipe. I was thinking I could hang the 6060 on the overflow in the back so it is pointed towards the bow front. So much for not spending a bunch of money.

Ken

[vertical]

Also alot of good reports on the Seio 820s

[mnreefgeek]

Here is an option.
http://www.melevsreef.com/closedloop.html