One pump? Two pumps? I'm confused.

[Speckled Grouper]

I am slowly working on upgrading my 180g to a 250g.

The 180g is run on a Iwaki 70RLT, except for the skimmer, no problems, no algae, everything is perfect. It has two U tube overflows and one CPR.

The 250g is drilled and has one overflow in the back center. I was planning to use the same pump or get a Blueline HD70 or a Panworld 200PS. Now everybody is telling me that is not enough pump......And in addition to a pressure pump, I'll need a circulation pump like a Dart, Barracuda or Hammerhead.

Do I need a closed loop???? Can I not just buy a bigger pump like a Panworld 250PS and run everything? 2 Pumps? That is going to cost a fortune in electricity! BTW, everything will be under the stand, no basement or fishroom here.

Please let me know what you think.

[three90s&125sump]

I beleive that if what you are doing works for you keep it up. But I also think more is better. I don't know anything about those pumps but IMO you need to have roughly 5000 GPH or more 10000 GPH would be better in a tank that size. Also, IMO you should only run as much through your sump as your skimmer can process. BUT, like I said if what you are doing is working for you keep it up.

[tims]

Well before you strart writing th echecks for everythign,
what do you want in the tank?
i agree going up in pump size woudl be a good idea, what turn over do you have now?
what substrate are you going to have in the 250?

[Speckled Grouper]

Well, Tim, sorry for being a dummie here, but I don't know what turn over I have now How do you calculate this?

What I want in the tank? While I don't believe I am striving to be the "Acro Queen", I would like to be able to have what I want. Right now I have mostly LPS and softies.

I will have a sandbed, not necessarily DSB but maybe about 3 to 4", that's what I have now and it's working for me. I will not go BB.

The new tank has two bulkheads in the back wall, about 8" down from the top, then it has two holes drilled in the top rim (acrylic), that's it, not much, is it? But before we'll make it look like a block of swiss cheese, I really need to be sure on these things.

[three90s&125sump]

Turn over is total water running through your pumps divided by tank size.

[tims]

hehe.. never a dummie when ya ask..
flow rate or turnover... take the pump rate that it pushes - the head pressure/ loss /tank volume....
say pump is rate at 5050 gph - 50 for head loss gives you 500 gph it is pushing. and if you have a 50 gallon tank then 5000/50 = 100 gph turn over ( this just an example)
you will see a lot of people with a 10X turn over rate up to 20-30 x
BB realy needs a higher turn over.
but since you are running a sand bed , you dont have to go that high..
i do like the CLS on tanks, it is a great way to add flow to the tank, and whenyou have to do maint. on the tank and shut down the main pump you will always have flow in the tank.
the thing with a CLS ... you can get a sequence pump ( dart/bar/hammerhead) or any of the mags 9 /12 most likly the 12 and do a geat job, if it is too much you can also dial it down.
where will your over flow be? or will it be a direct flow out to the sump?

[Speckled Grouper]

Ok, so the Iwaki 70 I have now is 1500gph, the tank, fuge and sump is about 220, so do I have 6.8 x turn over? That's not very much, is it?

The overflow is the box in the middle of the back panel? It's got one bulkhead drilled in the bottom, going down to the sump.

Now if I get two pumps, let's say a PanWorld and a Sequence, the PanWorld would be plumbed into the sump, but where would it return?

The sequence would be the closed loop and could be either a manifold around the rim or several outlets in the back panel, did I get this right?

If I do the 2 pump set up, the PanWorld wouldn't have to be super strong because it only needs to take care of the sump and one return to the tank, correct?

Forgive my ignorance, the 180g I have now basically came Plug and Play, so I didn't have to do anything, just fill and plug in, so I never worried about all that stuff, realize now it was probably way underpowered.....

[Speckled Grouper]

Ok, after a sleepless night, I am a bit closer to making my decision.

I will either go with a) Ampmaster3000 for return and Sequence Dart for CL or b) with 2 Darts.

What do you guys think?

[tims]

sounds good either way.
what type of skinner will you be running with it? if your handy there are a few you can make that will save you a bit of money, but they will need it's own pump also.
oh dont forget to snap a few pictures of the before , during and after shots of the tank!

[Speckled Grouper]

I have a ASM G4 with a Sedra pump on the 180g, I will try and use that, just bought it and paid a pretty penny......

I'll be sure and take plenty pictures

[three90s&125sump]

Originally Posted by Speckled Grouper

I have a ASM G4 with a Sedra pump on the 180g, I will try and use that, just bought it and paid a pretty penny......

I'll be sure and take plenty pictures

Thats a good skimmer.