Flow Rate

[Nalaundi]

k. here it goes.

Im guessing (honestly) that for my 20g display and my 10g sump =30g total. that would mean I would need a total flow rate (circulation) of 600gph.
how much of that will I need for my sump return water pump. there is 3ft head. are all pumps created equil in that say(hypotheticly) if at 0 head the gph flow rate would be 600gph max head at 6feet. does that mean for general purposes it there was a 3foot head (I know each pump has a min and max head) that the flow rate Im actually getting would be 300gph?

am I completely off my rocker on this... Im just.... well, pretty pooped after finaly with wonderful help getting the design for my actual sump. and I found a hardware store that I can buy the acrylic and have them cut it for me also.

for the plumbing i have that custom flow kit [URL="http/i124.photobucket.com/albums/p16/nal.../goniopa005.jpg"]http/i124.photobucket.com/albums/p16/nal.../goniopa005.jpg[/URL] - pics that is made for this type of thing so I already have the over the wall pieces for both the in and out pieces, I can adjust flow rate on both and it has a self primming... effect which is nice. just have to get the tubing (1/2" black vinal flixable tubing is what I will use.. and suction cup them to the glass in the sump.


I just found the Rio 1400 pump that says on the flow chart that it will do 290 at 3ft.. is this enough?

anyways any advice on the pump would be greatly appreciated!

thanks

 

[ox5477]

well whatever flow rate your looking for, make sure the pump has that flowrate at the head you need it. If you want 600gph then you need a pump that can deliver 600gph at 3ft of head... so it's likely to be a 1200 or more likely 1400gph pump at 0 head...

And it is a little more complicated than just dividing the gph in half if the distance is in half as you have to look at frictional losses in the pipe as well as flow regime your water is in (based on speed of flow and diameter of pipe) as well as the distance vertically it's traveling.... This is why when a pump gives you a head value table, it always says the height in a certain diameter tubing, because from that, the engineer has calucated the approx. flowrate at that vertical distance Way more info than anybody wants to know, but since it came, thought I'd share

 

[@ombomb]

Whatever happens, you do not want that level of turnover through the sump, 5x turnover for the sump is a pretty good rule of thumb.

 

[Nalaundi]

Whatever happens, you do not want that level of turnover through the sump, 5x turnover for the sump is a pretty good rule of thumb.

ah.. for the over all 30g Total with sump or the 20g display tank should I be calculating that turn over... so we are only talking like 100 to 150 turn over.

 

[andywg]

Calculate turnover based on the display tank. I always run a small 5x through the sump and discount that from any calculations for the total circulation (unless it is a really small system that only runs off a sump pump, but they are all FOWLR so flow is nowhere near as much an issue).

If you have a 20 gallon display and a 10 gallon sump, look for 100 GPH through the sump and whatever you desire from the display.

Also, avoiding having a large amount through the sump means less power wasted fighting gravity.

 

[Nalaundi]

sounds great. thanks!!