Flow through my sump?

[mixedreef89]

So i got thinking tonight how much flow should I run through my sump. Ive got a Dc-9000 running one notch from max and my drain on my 90 is almost wide open on a full siphon. Is this to much flow? in powerbeads I'm running 1x 1150 and 2x 850 korilla evolution

[SNAKEMANVET]

You have a lot more flow in your sump than I do.I have a mag 5 running 1/4 .I use two mp40s in the dt for flow.I barely can see my water lowing in the sump.

[mixedreef89]

I'm flowing over 900gph through my sump. that is a very safe guess lol

[DaveRaz]

By lowering the flow to around 450 gph on my setup the skimmer pulls more black muck out. But when I dialed the flow back the chaeto in the refugium didn't grow as fast as before when the flow was high. I solved that by placing a power head in the fuge. I have the ph on a timer and it runs 30 minutes every 3 hrs. I notice more pods in the dt, for whatever reason.

[mixedreef89]

so I should lower my flow through the sump?

[username in use]

Flow through the sump does not need to be any more then 3-5x the display volume. So on a 90g display, you can run it at 300-450gph. Then, if more flow is needed in the display, you augment it with powerheads.

[IanWR]

One consideration is noise. The more flow, the greater the chance of noise from water spilling over baffles, etc.. Another advantage to lowering your flow would be cost. Each step you ramp down means less power consumed by your pump. If you are ok with how your sump is working, and with the overall noise of your system, you don't need to change anything.

[SGT_York]

I can't image any logical basis why flow through a sump would affect skimmer output. Also I don't see any benefit to lowering flow through a sump. Running 1200 GPH through a 40G breeder sump has worked very nice for me.

An argument can be made for efficiency with electric usage, but not after you've bought and installed the equipment, ramping down a DC pump is helpful but not a significant cost savings.

One question though what has made you consider lowering your flow?

[username in use]

Also I don't see any benefit to lowering flow through a sump.

A few things.

1 - A slow flow through the sump allows detritus to settle out in there which is an easy spot to vacuum it out of instead of working around your rocks and sand in the DT

2 - Dwell time. The longer the water is in the skimmer chamber, the chaeto chamber, the carbon chamber etc the greater chance there is of all of it being processed.

3 - Noise and electrical consumption. I know you said you already have your pump, and that is fine. But it is cheaper to create flow in the tank with powerheads then through return pumps. Also, it gets harder to quiet your sump down as you increase the flow into the sump.

4 - You can also create BETTER in tank flow with powerheads then with return pumps.

[ca1ore]

The other consideration is that if the OP is running a siphon drain almost wide open, the viability of the backup is questionable.

[username in use]

OP is running a siphon drain almost wide open,

I just noticed that wording too.


OP, do you have a valve on your drain? Please say no.

[Pny]

2 - Dwell time. The longer the water is in the skimmer chamber, the chaeto chamber, the carbon chamber etc the greater chance there is of all of it being processed.

This is not true in a closed system such as an aquarium. If you double flow, dwell time will be half BUT the water will also pass twice during the same amount of time. Also, matching the flow with the skimmer, it will get new dirty water instead of processing the same water again and again.

[JMorris271]

The skimmer will process water at its' own speed. Not how rapidly or slowly the supply is moving through the chamber
Dirty water is dirty water. As long as the skimmer is producing bubbles,it is removing DOC. 8 t0 10 times per hour is amply circulation for a skimmer to do its job My 2 C

[mixedreef89]

Yes I do have a valve with an emergency drain. There is a screen on top of the main drain and a cover on top of the overflow so no way for snails or anything to get in.

[mixedreef89]

Also as a side not my system is almost dead silent. The only noise I hear is my skimmer and the occasional water going over my overflow. but standing 5 feet away from the tank you hear nothing. standing about 3 feet away you hear the skimmer faintly

[SGT_York]

Does the emergency work if you completely close off the siphon.

This is a must test for any siphon system.

With Detrius, I prefer to keep it suspended until it is removed and not let it collect in your sump/refugium or display.
With Chaeto, the slower the flow the less nutrients available for consumption in that specific area. High flow does not slow down chaeto growth.
In regards to the skimmer, flow around the skimmer has nothing to do with dwell time within the skimmer.

There is a significant benefit to high flow through a sump that is more material from the display makes it to the filters, high flow reduces buildup in the display increases surface skimming. A well designed sump can handle all the flow in the world without noise. Well at least a 50% turnover GPH/Sump capacity.

[Fogvalley]

I have dc6000 running full speed my drain is maybe choked maybe 1/3. With emergency. I have a decent flow through my sump. I wouldn't want much more personally.

[mixedreef89]

My main drain is a 1" bulk head expanded to 1.5". Yes the emergency can handle it I have tested. Worst case scenario which I have tested is if I had complete drain failure Roughly 3 gallons of water would be dumped onto my basement floor. I have a 45 with a screen on my pump that way if my drain gets clogged I do not suck the return dry and pump it all up to the DT. and if my pump fails the water level sits .5" away from the top of the 40B.

[mixedreef89]

I have dc6000 running full speed my drain is maybe choked maybe 1/3.

how long have you had your pump? I've heard running them at 100% greatly reduces the life.

[mixedreef89]

I run a filter sock as well. So that helps with catching crap. So I guess I'll revert back. Is my flow ok or should I back off a bit.

[Fogvalley]

Only a short time, I am wiling to test this out.

[SNAKEMANVET]

The main reason my flow is low in my sump is I use the middle section to raise my baby bangaiis.I figure I have about 250 to 300 gph through my sump.

[mixedreef89]

Just to try it out I adjusted everything and turned my pump back to the #3 spot which is half power. I also opened the flow to my fuge a little more just because I had the valve practically shut

[ca1ore]

There is a significant benefit to high flow through a sump that is more material from the display makes it to the filters, high flow reduces buildup in the display increases surface skimming. A well designed sump can handle all the flow in the world without noise. Well at least a 50% turnover GPH/Sump capacity.

Based on what - your own personal observations, anecdotes? My own is that there is not significant benefit to high flow through a sump. I think there are people who 'believe' high flow is beneficial and those that do not. Absent any real data one way or the other, I imagine we each decide which makes the most sense to us.

There is no downside, really, to high flow through the sump (other than running a bigger pump) I just happen to be of the opinion that it is unnecessary.