Sump Flow Rate

[Gordon_46]

Okay well I have just got my tank up and running today. Just water at the moment. Now I got a new-jet 3000 pump from my LFS very cheap to use as a return pump from my sump. Now the problem is my display tank is 110L. I was going to run a 500lph flow rate through it. Thing is I havent measured it as the tank is now full and running, I don't really have any kind of clue what my flow rate is going through my sump. I am guessing that the pump is set on about 1200 - 1500LPH at the moment but it is pumping up 4 foot to the display tank.
I am worried that I do not have enough flow through the sump or it is too fast!!!!

1) Is there anyway I can work out roughly how much flow is running through my sump?

2) Or if not can you have a too fast flow rate? I am pretty sure it is not too slow as the return pipe is creating quite a bit of water movement in my tank.

Anyhelp will be much appreciated.
Thanks

 

[ox5477]

Take a container of known volume, and place the outlet of the pump into this. Masure how long it takes to get the known volume and then scale to ###lph

After your done, put the outlet back in the display and pour the water back into the sump

EDIT: just thought too....make sure the outlet is still at the height where it will be in the tank... if it's on the floor, as you know, the flow will be considerably more due to almost 0 head.

 

[Colin_T]

hey ox, you seem to be pretty bright. Why can't the person in your pic be just as bright

 

[ox5477]

because I like excercising the rights given to me by the US consitution to criticise my government if I feel it is not doing it's job. W just happens to be the figure head of the gov't so he gets his picture up there, but it's really a jest at the whole laughable 2 party system.....

 

[Colin_T]

LOL

 

[SkiFletch]

No place for that argument here gentleman. Please return this to it's regularly scheduled thread, further comments on that line will not be tolerated.

Ox is right for a way to empirically measure the flowrate. I'd provide an educated guess that it's somewhere between 1500-2000LPH (assuming the pump is 3000LPH). If you have flex lines, or a way to conveniently get to it, you can also use a container of known volume to measure the water flow at the drain line, as it will be identical to the return line during operation.

 

[Colin_T]

nothing to worry about SkiFletch. I just think it's funny that a smart person like ox uses a not so smart bush as his picture

 

[SkiFletch]

It's ok, I know you guys are joking around, just wanna make sure it doesn't get further tahn that

 

[ox5477]

its cool ski. didn't mean to high-jack the thread. first time someone had said something about w being my avatar so I figured I had to respond incase anybody else was wondering


good luck with the tank gordon. hope things are working out for ya