Extermal pump problem...Help!

  • We are currently upgrading MFK. thanks! -neo
A

Anderman

Polypterus
MFK Member
Jun 8, 2007
2,553
111
96
I have a gold hammerhead hybrid that can also be converted to a barracuda. My question is...Can you put the pump on the front of the sump with an 90 degree elbow if you use two holes coming out to the pump or could I get away with one? I read you are supposed to come straight off to the pump but I currently have a dart running my 450 for the last few years with a 90 degree elbow in the front of the sump with no current problems. The hammerhead is a bigger pump so would I have burnout problems or something if I use an elbow coming off the sump to the pump or just less flow? If I come straight off my sump on the end panel I would have to have the stand notched out to make room for the pump as the pump straight out with fittings and a shut off run out 24" and I only have 20" to play with inside the stand before I hit the square tubing of the stand.The stand is going to be 2" square tubing so I am wondering if it would be easy enough to get the builder to notch out a piece so the pump can fit. Would the stand have less strength if I notch out a 9" section of the bottom rail?
FYI I also have the pump on a 3/4" piece of plywood but that still doesn't get it high enough to clear the rail. Plus the higher the pump goes the harder to fit the plumbing underneath and also the higher the pump hole has to be cut on the sump and the more problematic it will be sucking air if the water level goes low.

Any ideas?

The dimensions of the tank will be 8' x 42" x 30" c/w a 6' x 22" x 22" sump.
 
I have a 90 elbow coming off of the bulkhead on both my Dart and Hammerhead for the same reason and it does not affect the performance in any way. I needed the pumps up front and it works out great. Good luck.


Sent from my iPad using MonsterAquariaNetwork app
 
I also did the same thing but I put it in with 2 inch pipe instead of 1 1 /2 inch. Never have had a problem.

Sent from my A500 using MonsterAquariaNetwork App
 
Blkpiranha said:
I have a gold hammerhead hybrid that can also be converted to a barracuda. My question is...Can you put the pump on the front of the sump with an 90 degree elbow if you use two holes coming out to the pump or could I get away with one? I read you are supposed to come straight off to the pump but I currently have a dart running my 450 for the last few years with a 90 degree elbow in the front of the sump with no current problems. The hammerhead is a bigger pump so would I have burnout problems or something if I use an elbow coming off the sump to the pump or just less flow? If I come straight off my sump on the end panel I would have to have the stand notched out to make room for the pump as the pump straight out with fittings and a shut off run out 24" and I only have 20" to play with inside the stand before I hit the square tubing of the stand.The stand is going to be 2" square tubing so I am wondering if it would be easy enough to get the builder to notch out a piece so the pump can fit. Would the stand have less strength if I notch out a 9" section of the bottom rail?
FYI I also have the pump on a 3/4" piece of plywood but that still doesn't get it high enough to clear the rail. Plus the higher the pump goes the harder to fit the plumbing underneath and also the higher the pump hole has to be cut on the sump and the more problematic it will be sucking air if the water level goes low.

Any ideas?

The dimensions of the tank will be 8' x 42" x 30" c/w a 6' x 22" x 22" sump.
Click to expand...

We use a Hammerhead for our mechanical filtration. It has performed flawlessly for over 6 1/2 years. We have lots of elbows in our plumbing, and the uptakes and returns are necked down to 1" PVC at the tank.

frah008.jpg

Our Hammerhead is drawing water from three uptakes from the top of the tank (4' high), and then returning the water back to the tank by first pushing the water through two spa filters.

We have three uptakes, including two "poop suckers" that go down to the floor and one more traditional uptake and one venturi return nozzle
pipes-4.jpg



When we got our Hammerhead pump, there were no Gold Hammerheads. It is a true workhorse. Your Gold Hammerhead should have a very easy time returning water from your sump to your main tank.
 
Totroc3 said:
I have a 90 elbow coming off of the bulkhead on both my Dart and Hammerhead for the same reason and it does not affect the performance in any way. I needed the pumps up front and it works out great. Good luck.


Sent from my iPad using MonsterAquariaNetwork app
Click to expand...

What size of sump is your hammerhead on? How long have you had it running on the sump with the elbow?
 
pacu mom said:
We use a Hammerhead for our mechanical filtration. It has performed flawlessly for over 6 1/2 years. We have lots of elbows in our plumbing, and the uptakes and returns are necked down to 1" PVC at the tank.

frah008.jpg

Our Hammerhead is drawing water from three uptakes from the top of the tank (4' high), and then returning the water back to the tank by first pushing the water through two spa filters.

We have three uptakes, including two "poop suckers" that go down to the floor and one more traditional uptake and one venturi return nozzle
pipes-4.jpg



When we got our Hammerhead pump, there were no Gold Hammerheads. It is a true workhorse. Your Gold Hammerhead should have a very easy time returning water from your sump to your main tank.
Click to expand...

THANKS FOR THE INFO!
This is my 450 gallon and you can see how the pump is plumbed. So I would be able to do the same thing with the hammerhead with no problems? The new tank is only 50 gallons bigger then the picture and the sump is about 3" wider then the one in the picture. But I would like to plumb it similar to the picture I am showing as I know it works good but I wasn't sure about the stronger hammerhead pump.

mini-IMG_0581.JPG
 
wildman6809 said:
I also did the same thing but I put it in with 2 inch pipe instead of 1 1 /2 inch. Never have had a problem.

Sent from my A500 using MonsterAquariaNetwork App
Click to expand...
So you went from 2" off the sump and just downsized to the hammerhead to 1 1/2"? As the hammerhead is 1 1/2" in and out.
 
All our pipes have valves at the tank and near the pump, so they can theoretically be necked down. We've never deliberately restricted the flow, but sometimes we close off a pipe at the pump to backwash the filter. Our fish love the strong current. Our current tank is only 300 gallons. The current might be too much for smaller fish, but ours love it.

You can get an idea of how strong the pump is (necked down to 1") in this old water change video where we are adding water to the tank.
[YT]7v2Vyr5NbNs[/YT]

You really don't have to worry about a few elbows in the plumbing :) :)
 
i think the reason why they say not to have a 90 on the intake of the pump is because as the water flows around the bend, turbulence is caused. when these turbulent waters enter the pump the water doesnt flow as efficiantly through the housing causing more turbulence and lowering your flow. for that to happen the 90 would need to be installed right before going into the pump. if a union ballvalve is installed before the pump, that should be long enough to restore the laminar flow through the pipe into the pump.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
MonsterFishKeepers.com
Top Bottom