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06-08-2005, 09:10 PM
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#1
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Little Fishy
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: north hollywood ,ca
Posts: 412
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can I run my return pump with the ball valve partially closed?
here is a pic:
it was the only way to stop microbubbles formed by cavitation of the return pump due to insufficient size of the return plumbing upstream of the pump (I think thats where the bubbles came from).
Will this put stress on the valve and cause it to fail eventually or can I run it permanantly like this?
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"the guy behind the guy behind the guy"
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06-08-2005, 09:13 PM
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#2
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Milkshake Man
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: SW Florida
Posts: 9,641
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You can run your return pump with the ball valve like that it wont hurt anything. Just dont close the one that sucks water to the pump then you will run into problems.
Tim |
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06-08-2005, 09:15 PM
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#3
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Jaguar Shark
Join Date: Jan 2002
Location: MA
Posts: 1,083
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Just curious, what kind of pump is that? Gen-X?
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06-08-2005, 09:36 PM
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#4
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Little Fishy
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: north hollywood ,ca
Posts: 412
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yes it's a genx pump; pumps 800gph I think...
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"the guy behind the guy behind the guy"
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06-08-2005, 09:42 PM
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#5
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Milkshake Man
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: SW Florida
Posts: 9,641
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How do you like that Gen-X?? Is it quiet or really loud?? I have a Little Giant and sometimes it likes to hum not all the times.
Tim
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06-08-2005, 09:49 PM
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#6
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Jaguar Shark
Join Date: Jan 2002
Location: MA
Posts: 1,083
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Thats also what I was wondering. I have a Gen-X hooked up to my skimmer and after 24hrs it started humming. Humming like a Jet engine. The noise is coming from the fan in the back. I may have to send it back to the manufacturer. I was hoping it would stop making the noise but its been a few days now and not getting better.
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06-08-2005, 10:19 PM
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#7
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BIG SMELLY MOD
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: Livingston Parish, Denham Springs, Louisiana
Posts: 16,922
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I think You will be better off in the long run to have a return from the pump to the tank and have one that will run back into the sump. That way You have no real back pressure on the pump. I always run My like that the excess water it returned to the sump.You will need to have a ball valve on that line also.
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Vince aka VINNIE
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06-08-2005, 10:51 PM
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#8
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Little Fishy
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: north hollywood ,ca
Posts: 412
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Vince, so you are saying run two pumps: one TO the sump from the tank, and one FROM the sump to the tank?
So the overflow is just used in case the sump to tank pumps too much - what happens if too much water gets in the sump?? I'm sorry I probably don't understand what your post.
About the GenX pump, yes it is loud... of course my overflow is louder; it sounds like a waterfall with a motor humming in the background. It is actually kind of soothing once you get used to it.
The only way I know how loud it is - is when I turn the pump off for maintenence on the tank and I think WOW it is REALLY QUIET in here!
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"the guy behind the guy behind the guy"
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06-08-2005, 10:56 PM
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#9
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BIG SMELLY MOD
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: Livingston Parish, Denham Springs, Louisiana
Posts: 16,922
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No one pump , I am saying that You have alot of back pressure on the pump and You can take care of that by diverting some of it back to the sump.
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Vince aka VINNIE
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06-08-2005, 10:58 PM
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#10
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BIG SMELLY MOD
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: Livingston Parish, Denham Springs, Louisiana
Posts: 16,922
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I may be missing something here on Your ? but I don't like to have a bunch of back pressure on a pump . I think it will over time give some touble to the pump not the ball valve.
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Vince aka VINNIE
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06-08-2005, 10:58 PM
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#11
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Moderator
Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: Montana
Posts: 5,481
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I'll draw up a quick diagram to show what Vince is saying...
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~Vince
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06-08-2005, 11:09 PM
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#12
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BIG SMELLY MOD
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: Livingston Parish, Denham Springs, Louisiana
Posts: 16,922
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Alright BigDaddy , If You take the pump output and put a tee in that line You can then put one ball valve in the line running to the tank and then a valve in the other line and run it back to the sump, Then You can fine tune The flows , That is how I do all mine.
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Vince aka VINNIE
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06-08-2005, 11:12 PM
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#13
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I've got the REEF rash!
Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: New Jersey
Posts: 25,814
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It's not good to have back pressure on the pump!
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06-08-2005, 11:19 PM
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#14
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BIG SMELLY MOD
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: Livingston Parish, Denham Springs, Louisiana
Posts: 16,922
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I don't think that much , I can be wrong on that but I won't do it . If the pump put out 1200 gal. hr. and then cut it back to 600 over time I think it will demage and overheat it.
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Vince aka VINNIE
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06-08-2005, 11:20 PM
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#15
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BIG SMELLY MOD
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: Livingston Parish, Denham Springs, Louisiana
Posts: 16,922
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That just my opinion.
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Vince aka VINNIE
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