Overflow/drain/return/gph questions. Help needed

[MPevine11]

Recently bought a 40 breeder off another member. Has an overflow box with a 1 1/2 inch bulkhead and 1 1/2 plumbing for the drain. He wasn't sure how many gph it's good for, also came with a mag5 for the return. The pump seems very weak and I'd like to turn more water over if possible. Please see pictures and let me know what you think, I know it's probaly hard to tell over pictures but any help is great as I'm trying to set this up soon to replace my current tank that only has a hob filter.


Also the return is 1 inch

What seems to be weak return




Tank



Overflow box



Return plumbing

 

[MPevine11]

Oops forgot to add the drain plumbing

 

[JohnK]

The real limitation will probably be noise. Typically you can get a 1" vented drain to flow up to 600gph, but that'll be pretty loud.

That particular set up is a bit unique, it looks like 1.5" drain pipe feeding into a 1" at the bottom. I'll guess that was a creative compromise to get the most out of a 1" drain line, with minimal noise up top where the water usually does most of it's mixing and gurgling.

I'm stumped about why there is a section of pipe T'eed up from the drain pipe going into the sump? Also why is there a valve there? (or was this drain formerly split partially into a ref and partially directly into the sump or skimmer feed?

You should be able to run more than a mag 5, but it's hard to get any more specific given the unique design of the drain. Do you have a larger pump you can tinker with?

 

[MPevine11]

Not sure why it's t'd up like that, got the tank Sunday from a member and he doesn't know much about the system he ran it how it is, I don't have a larger pump to tinker with. Was looking To buy one after I got some answers on the gph I could get out of my drain.

I could run the drain a diffrent way I'm just not sure the best way to do it. How it is now it's quiet but doesn't seem like I'm getting much flow.

 

[JohnK]

Yup, that's to be expected. The slow flow through the big duroso allows the water to slide down the sides of the pipe insted of swirl around and mix in a big vortex. It might actually be pretty well designed as is - for that slow flow rate.

 

[MPevine11]

Wouldn't the skimmer and whole system work better with more flow? I wouldn't mind changing it all around to get more flow, if I had a better way to do it

 

[delta]

you have 5 feet of head in elbows on your return so atleast 9-10feet of head on a mag 5. really inefficient IMHO

You want your tank turn over to be around a few 4-5 times an hour tops. More in tank flow is better but turn over is totally different. If you run too much flow through your sump you ruin your skimmers performance. As well as not feeding the skimmer raw tank water(as close to the drain as possible) you also lose performance.

 

[ro_nicu]

cut that return where the black pipe ends and put a 1in nipple on it, put another 1in nipple on the pump and connect the 2 with 1 in hose, a gentle turn in the hose has much less backpressure than the 90* elbows. It might bring the flow to where you want it to be. If you're looking for another pump get a DC controllable pump so you can adjust flow on the fly. at 200-250 gph your return will be perfect, most of the flow in the tank is from powerheads.

 

[JohnK]

Wouldn't the skimmer and whole system work better with more flow? I wouldn't mind changing it all around to get more flow, if I had a better way to do it

Any given skimmer can only process so much water so more through the sump isn't necessarily beneficial.

I agree with Greg, you can get more out of that pump by going with simpler plumbing. Also upsizing beyond the outlet size on the pump should/can help the flow by decreasing friction loss.

 

[MPevine11]

Awesome I'll try the 1 inch tubeing. So I should stick with the mag 5 and see how it works out?

 

[delta]

Yes try it with the Mag 5 to see if you are happy with the changes

 

[ro_nicu]

what's the processing rate of your skimmer?
aim for a little over that. You can calculate the turnover rate by timing the return (fill a container while you time it).

 

[MPevine11]

This is the skimmer I'm planning on using (haven't bought it yet.)
Not sure the rate on it tho

http://www.bulkreefsupply.com/skimz-monzter-sm121-internal-protein-skimmer.html

 

[delta]

It is about 200gph. So with the head you already have on the Mag 5 it is just about right on with the Simmer you want to use and you are turning the tank over about 5 times an hour.

 

[MPevine11]

So I should keep it how it is for better skimmer preformance?

 

[delta]

the system was setup correctly for what you want to do with it. but if youwanted you could get more turn over rate. IMHO that wouldn;t hurt you more than it would help. Down the line when you replace the MAg 5 you could go for a more efficient pump and redo the plumbing.

Mags got their name when they were introduced back in the 90s when everything else was 3 times the price. They were a cheap alternative that was a solid pump. Today they are very inefficient in comparison to many other pumps on the market. But for you you already own it and it works. Funny thing is I still have my First Mag5 dated 94 on the back, and it still works. Just for mixing and moving water as it is 20years old and has seen many years of service

 

[MPevine11]

What would be a good alternative pump?

I don't need more gallon per hour per say, I'd just like the water to come out of the return with a bit more pressure. How it is not it just kind of falls out of the return

 

[delta]

add a smaller diameter section of lock line on the end of the return