Kessil

Overflow and Return Pump Sizing Calculator?

bondolo

bondolo

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I need to add a back siphon overflow for my 55G reef tank. I also need to choose return pumps and powerheads for both the 55G and my 30G frag tank.

I am currently using a back filter on the 55G but want to use a shared 10G sump with my 30G frag tank. The backfilter is a 500GPH unit rated for up to 110G tank. The 55G is not drilled and the stand it's on won't allow for a reasonable placement of a bulkhead so siphon overflow it shall be. The run from the sump to the 55G is going to be about 7 ft minimum and about 4ft of ascension. I expect that in addition to the return l am also going to need one or more powerheads. How large an overflow in GPH should I be looking and at roughly what flow rating for return pump? Current theory 600-900GPH overflow and an Eheim 1262 (900GPH@zero head pressure) return pump. No ideas on powerheads.

The 30G frag tank, which currently has nothing but cycling water in it at the moment, is divided into ~20 front and 10G rear sections. I have a refugium style under/over divider between the front and the back sections. The sump drain is located in the 10G section and is a bottom drilled 1" drain which I understand is 600GPH max. (It's currently fairly noisy but that's a problem for another thread. I've started to look at standpipes). The 30G tank currently has no filtration whatsoever other than a big bag of carbon+GFO in the sump and about 15 pounds of rubble rock. I will be adding a 200 micron filter sock to the inlet drain before putting anything into the 30G (). The return pump is a weak mag 2 pump which is according to what I've read is delivering about 250GPH@5ft head pressure though probably less than that. I believe I actually require about twice that and a power head for the 20G section. Current theory is an Eheim 1260 (635GPH@zero head pressure). No ideas on powerheads.

I don't currently have a protein skimmer. My longer term plan is to try using planted mangroves in the back 10G of the 30G tank for nutrient export. If the mangroves don't work I will stick with the back filter or move to a skimmer.
 
I have a siphon overflow that you can have.
I had it on my 85 gallon reef,
I think it's rated for 600gph.
I don't think the 1262 would overwhelm it.
 
bondolo said:
My longer term plan is to try using planted mangroves in the back 10G of the 30G tank for nutrient export. If the mangroves don't work I will stick with the back filter or move to a skimmer.
Click to expand...

I am curious about the emphasis you added on "planted"
Does that mean you are putting them in a mud substrate?
It will be interesting to see how that works out. Seems small though if skimmer-less.

Before I decided to go with a turf scrubber, a really outlandish idea I had was to have a big greenhouse outside,
with mud substrate and mangroves (and perhaps other plants), pumping water to/from tank.
Not just for filtration, but for the fun of having a pond as well.
 
The reading I've done seems to say that mangroves with bare roots in water won't do too much and will grow very slowly. If the roots are put in fine sand or mud then the roots will grow out differently and have many fine root hairs. One person claimed that coarser sand or fine gravel was also adequate. The root hairs work with commensal bacteria in the substrate to uptake much more nutrients. Bacteria extracts nutrients, plant gives carbohydrates. The trick of cooperating with bacteria to extract nutrients is how terrestrial trees in nutrient poor or rocky soil also commonly work so seems at least plausible to me that substrate planting might make a difference. Some nassarius snails and other substrate distrubers are also required to keep moving settled detritus material into the substrate. People who are into mudskippers seem to think that mangroves without mud or fine sand is foolishness. :)

My only sources regarding mangroves are "I read it on the Internet" so I'm not taking any of it as certain truth. It may work, it may not. Either way I am happy to tinker and find out. I am not dependent on it working. Perhaps I will just have pretty green plants. If the mangroves don't end up functioning productively for nutrient export I may try a couple of mudskippers in with the mangroves because they sound rather unusual.
 
Sounds like fun. Especially about having mudskippers.

It will be interesting to see if you can up the growth rate.
The brute force approach (tons of mangroves) is not really practical.

Good attitude for it - might work - might not - fun trying.
(Like me and a lot of "interesting" ideas)

Hope you start a specific build thread on that.
 
JAR ;

Thank you very much for the siphon overflow box. I picked up the bulkhead and pump for vacuum today. I'm still undecided about connecting to a barb and flexible tubing or going all PVC for the drain. Either way I should have it set up by next weekend. I will be sure to update my tank thread with a shot once I've switched over.

Thanks!
 
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