270g Filtration Wet/Dry Help

MZOLLMAN12

Exodon
MFK Member
Jan 25, 2010
46
6
23
Earl Park, IN
Unfortunately my tank is not drilled. So I am trying to figure what size over flows to purchase. What total GPH should I be trying to achieve?

I am going to home CA Cichlids. And also have an FX6 and FX5. I am thinking about possibly just using the FX5 for back up, undecided. More just looking to get the right size overflows with the correct size return pump or pumps.

Does it provide any bennifit to have 2 return pumps. One for each return?

Also I want to make a couple spray bars for the returns. Better to have them on the wet dry or the canisters?

So many questions, thanks in advance!

Michael
 

dr exum

Goliath Tigerfish
MFK Member
Sep 29, 2007
2,928
3,530
179
Northwest
Others may chime in looks to be very similar to a pro clear 400 model 1600gph . Petco .com sells them and overflow boxes...

I had one of those and a single pump on 200g long, worked well...

good luck!
 

twentyleagues

Bronze Tier VIP
MFK Member
Apr 5, 2017
6,674
9,876
463
Flint town!
Two pumps will give you a redundancy so if one fails the other is still working also more flow options. Just don't overwhelm your overflow rate or you will have serious issues. Ie flooding.
 
  • Like
Reactions: TheWolfman

duanes

MFK Moderators
Staff member
Moderator
MFK Member
Jun 7, 2007
20,938
26,161
2,910
Isla Taboga Panama via Milwaukee
When keeping medium to large Central American cichlids it is nessecary to have lots of flow, lots of filtration, and do lots of water changes to eliminate the undesirable water components filters don't have any effect on, like nitrate, and hormone production.
In an average community tank a turnover rate of 5 times per hour is usually recommended.
For most adult Central Americans, double that amount of flow would not be out of the ordinary, or too much.
For many years I used over flow boxes, and ran pumps between 1800 and 2400 GPH of tanks @ 150 gallons.
The OF box below used a 1.25" inner diameter U tube to handle the flow.

To even out return flow across the width of the tank, I often build manifolds to spread out return water, and not concentrated flow, and any one small area.
76E8C816-D482-401F-9188-041A6A9ABF98.jpeg
Most commercial filter and flow recommendations, are not adequate for large cichlids, so take any manufacturers recommended filter rate with a grain of salt(I usually double it).
 

MZOLLMAN12

Exodon
MFK Member
Jan 25, 2010
46
6
23
Earl Park, IN
So if I do 2 800gph over flows. Do u try and match the pumps to each over flow? Or what size oumps do you do?

Also I like your manifold, much what I am trying to accomplish with a spray bar.

I will most like hook up boy canisters and run the wet dry some the filtration is good.

I'm just stuck on the overlfow and pump sizes to make this work?
 

twentyleagues

Bronze Tier VIP
MFK Member
Apr 5, 2017
6,674
9,876
463
Flint town!
So 1600 gph total. I'd do 2 800 gph pumps or a 1200 and a 400. As long as your return isnt over 1600 you will be good. A little less wouldnt hurt either but after head loss you should be fine.
 

MZOLLMAN12

Exodon
MFK Member
Jan 25, 2010
46
6
23
Earl Park, IN
Haven't plumbed anything yet. Possibly 4-5' range. Wet dry will be in center under stand, tank is 7' long. I'm pretty sure I'm going to go with 2 800gph overflows, and I return pump with a manifold on one emd of the tank. Now the oy thing missing is the pump size on the GPH
 
  • Like
Reactions: dr exum
zoomed.com
hikariusa.com
aqaimports.com
Store