Best Location For Drilled Return & Drain Lines

[taneal1]

90 gal Discus tank with Sump

My plan is to use two half-size pumps to cover the possibility of pump failure. My question is, should I install two separate Return lines as I have seen on several tanks? My research indicates this would not provide better circulation, etc. If I choose to go with a single Return line would this require Check Valves (which tend to clog)?

Any pros and cons for these two configurations would be greatly appreciated.

Tom

[Iminit]

Me I use an overflow. Just not a fan of drilling tanks. That tank you’re looking to move about 600gph. Jebao sells dc pumps that will move 400-1000gph. You set it to how much water to move. Good pumps for good prices. I’ve got 3 running now. One for 4 years without a problem. Running 2 pumps is doubling you electric. How big is your wet/dry/sump? I don’t use check valves. The sump is designed with an overflow to stop draining before the sump fill up. A bottom or side drilled tank will need a check valve.

[taneal1]

Iminit, thanks for the response.

Me I use an overflow. Just not a fan of drilling tanks.

It doesn't bother me much to drill, so I'm planning to do that.

Running 2 pumps is doubling you electric.

Having Backups for all systems is necessary for me, so the cost of two smaller pumps and the lower electrical demands are not going to require double the expense of a single pump, according to specs. We'll see how it works out...

I don’t use check valves.

Don't need them, or don't like them?

[taneal1]

90 gal Discus tank with Sump

My plan is to use two half-size pumps to cover the possibility of pump failure. My research indicates this would not provide better circulation, etc. but with 2 pumps, should I install two separate Return lines as I have seen on several tanks?

[Iminit]

Apples and oranges . When using an overflow there is no need for a check valve. I’m using Jeboa dc pumps. Great durability. Running one now for 4 yrs without a problem. Yes I get the redundancy. What I use is a second filter on my bigger tanks. On odyssea 250 or 350 internal filter. For 2 pumps out of the sump you will either need an adapter to join the pumps into one return. Or 2 returns.

[taneal1]

For 2 pumps out of the sump you will either need an adapter to join the pumps into one return. Or 2 returns.

Thanks for the reply. I know you don't like the 2 pump idea , but... IF you had to choose between one return and two, are there any advantages to using two Returns rather than one?

[Iminit]

For me no. The only thing would be pumping water into 2 different areas of the tank. But you’d want them pushing the water in the same direction.

[Jzero]

If you are thinking of drilling your own tank, my advice is not too. Most if not all large tanks are tempered glass and will shatter if you drill them, ask me how I know this....
As for fixed outflows I have found that being able to move the outflow has its advantages. As your plants grow (I'm assuming it is a planted tank) I find that I redirect the outflow as well as the location of the outflow. I do this to control the motion of foliage of the plants.
No matter what you will need some sort of over flow box either inside the tank or out side. I have kept fish for longer than I an willing to admit and, in the last 40 years all my larger tanks have had sump filters. As for two pumps its a waste of effort. The only pumps I have had fail on me are ones that have not been submerged and have ran hot. Now two heaters that another story I would recommend using two heaters.
If you do go head with two pumps I would not feed the two outputs in to one outflow pipe. Murphy's first first law of pumps states two identical pumps will never have exactly the same flow rate. What this tells you is that the pump with the higher flow rate will cause the other pump to "work harder" just to over come the higher head pressure created by the first Pump. In the end both pumps will be working harder and the outflow of these two pumps will most likely be lower than running them in separate out flow pipes.

JZero