Return pump size and overflow
I am moving my discus into a 4’x2’ 120 gallon from their 150 to give me more room in the living room. I want to set the tank up with a sump, mostly to add water volume. I just want to make sure my plan is solid before I start spending money.
75 gallon sump. The 120 isn’t drilled and I don’t know if it’s tempered or not so I’m planning on doing a eshopps HOB over flow. I was planning on the PF-1000 which does 1000 GPH (I’ve read it’s better to have more GPH on the overflow than the return)
I will do a spray bar on the return and I want to shoot for 5x water turnover (based on what I’ve read on discus forums) I was thinking of getting the Sicce Syncra, I’m unsure if I should go with the 3.5 (660 GPH) or the 4.0 (951 GPH) It’s going to be pushing water up roughly 5-6 feet and I know the pumps don’t flow as well when they have to push the water up high. If I’m reading their chart correctly the 4.0 will have 660 GPH at 5 feet.
I mostly need help with deciding which pump to go with. But if I’m over looking anything or misinterpreting anything please let me know. Any and all advice is appreciated!
Link to overflow https://www.bulkreefsupply.com/pf-10...w-eshopps.html
Link to return https://www.bulkreefsupply.com/sicce...p-951-gph.html
Re: Return pump size and overflow
Hello and welcome to the forums!
Is this your first time with a sump/overflow?
Re: Return pump size and overflow
I have 1 125-gallon discus tank not drilled and been running a Lifereef pre-filter system from Lifereef.com for the last four years, never a problem with losing the siphon. I highly recommend this overflow system. Also, I have eFlux Aquarium DC Flow Pump with Flow Control 1050 GPH. I am totally satisfied with the system.
Re: Return pump size and overflow
Overflows (whether HOB/drilled) are always rated at a maximum flow capacity (i.e. up to 1000GPH) and can always handle less.
I've only had experience with HOB overflows years ago and back then they always had trouble regaining siphon after a siphon break due to water change maintenance or power outage. It seems like the design has improved and there are several on the market with a proven track record of being resilient.
As far as pump is concerned - I personally prefer DC pumps over AC pumps because of their controllability. Like farebox above, I also have an Current USA eFlux DC pump. It has an external control knob that you can use to turn down flow when needed (or you can upsize and tune the flow afterwards). I will say though, I prefer the ability to have a "feed mode" where the pump shuts off during feeding for X period of time and then starts back up automatically. This makes it easier for me when feeding foods like flake/pellets/sticks and keeps it from being blown all over the place. If I had the chance to "do it over", I would go with something like this DC controllable pump: https://www.amazon.com/Jebao-Sine-Wa...dp/B01N48UDBY/. It has a 10 minute feed mode button and is DC (and dirt cheap!). Otherwise, I might take a look at some other DC controllable ones such as Sicce since Sicce makes great pumps too!
Re: Return pump size and overflow
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Shan_Evolved
Hello and welcome to the forums!
Is this your first time with a sump/overflow?
No, I have a salt water tank that’s drilled and running a sump. That was prebuilt though, I didn’t do anything except plug it in and add media
Re: Return pump size and overflow
Quote:
Originally Posted by
AquaticNerd
Overflows (whether HOB/drilled) are always rated at a
maximum flow capacity (i.e. up to 1000GPH) and can always handle less.
I've only had experience with HOB overflows years ago and back then they always had trouble regaining siphon after a siphon break due to water change maintenance or power outage. It seems like the design has improved and there are several on the market with a proven track record of being resilient.
As far as pump is concerned - I personally prefer DC pumps over AC pumps because of their controllability. Like farebox above, I also have an Current USA eFlux DC pump. It has an external control knob that you can use to turn down flow when needed (or you can upsize and tune the flow afterwards). I will say though, I prefer the ability to have a "feed mode" where the pump shuts off during feeding for X period of time and then starts back up automatically. This makes it easier for me when feeding foods like flake/pellets/sticks and keeps it from being blown all over the place. If I had the chance to "do it over", I would go with something like this DC controllable pump:
https://www.amazon.com/Jebao-Sine-Wa...dp/B01N48UDBY/. It has a 10 minute feed mode button and is DC (and dirt cheap!). Otherwise, I might take a look at some other DC controllable ones such as Sicce since Sicce makes great pumps too!
I did forget about the feeding mode, I will for sure go with a DC pump.
Do you know how far down a pump can be adjusted to? Say I get a 1500 GPH pump to make sure I had plenty of flow could I turn that all the way down to 600 if I needed? Or is that different for each pump
Re: Return pump size and overflow
Quote:
Originally Posted by
farebox
I have 1 125-gallon discus tank not drilled and been running a Lifereef pre-filter system from Lifereef.com for the last four years, never a problem with losing the siphon. I highly recommend this overflow system. Also, I have eFlux Aquarium DC Flow Pump with Flow Control 1050 GPH. I am totally satisfied with the system.
I will look into both of those, thank you!
Re: Return pump size and overflow
Quote:
Originally Posted by
farebox
I have 1 125-gallon discus tank not drilled and been running a Lifereef pre-filter system from Lifereef.com for the last four years, never a problem with losing the siphon. I highly recommend this overflow system. Also, I have eFlux Aquarium DC Flow Pump with Flow Control 1050 GPH. I am totally satisfied with the system.
Are you using the double or single overflow box?
Re: Return pump size and overflow
Don't get a tube type overflow .
Look into overflows designed like CPR that can have a Toms aqua lifter installed and NEVER lose syphon .
https://www.bulkreefsupply.com/searc...core&view=list
+1 with Jebao DC pumps ..
Re: Return pump size and overflow
If you get an overflow box, get the one from Lifereef.com, view this: http://www.lifereef.com/siphon.html No extra pump required to keep siphon period. I turn off my return pump three times daily for feeding, and just went thru a power outage for three days when the power was going out every 30 minutes and coming back on for 30 minutes here in San Antonio TX a few weeks ago my friend. No problem starting back up period!
Re: Return pump size and overflow
Quote:
Originally Posted by
PumpkinWeevil
I did forget about the feeding mode, I will for sure go with a DC pump.
Do you know how far down a pump can be adjusted to? Say I get a 1500 GPH pump to make sure I had plenty of flow could I turn that all the way down to 600 if I needed? Or is that different for each pump
Typically DC pumps either have a dial (potentiometer) or some form of Up/Down buttons like the Jebao does. I haven't used the Jebao one specifically, but usually the ones with buttons give you increments of power (5-100%, in 5% increments). Assuming this is the case, putting a 1500GPH pump at 40% power would give you 600GPH output. The Current USA eFlux that I have uses a dial, so it would be equivalent of dialing it back to about 50%-ish, since dials aren't the greatest when looking for accuracy.
