Right now i have my aquarium setup with a sump with no media in the sump. Testing out all the pluming for leaks and make sure will not overflow the sump when power is out . Running a vectrar m2 which is way more powerful then i thought . Running it on power setting 2. My question is when i fill the sump with media will the flow be reduced and have to turn the pump up ? I want to calibrate the pump and wondering if do this with no media will it affect the max setting i calibrate the pump to. Maybe I'm overthinking it too much . Any input would be great !
flow in the sump
- Thread starter RiceRocket27
- Start date
It's all depend on how big the pipe that run the water from the tank to your sump, you have to trial and error to get it right.
I usually got bigger sump than recommendation for my current tank. I also custom made a backup overflow to prevent over fill my tank in case the pipe is clog for whatever reason, hope this help.
I usually got bigger sump than recommendation for my current tank. I also custom made a backup overflow to prevent over fill my tank in case the pipe is clog for whatever reason, hope this help.
One of the main reasons for calibrating max on the pump is to help minimize accidentally turning up the pump to a point that your drain cannot take on.
I use an L1 for CLC and claibrated to max but never use max. For return pump purposes I'd do the same in case I did want to turn up.
I don't know your needed turnover volume, but I expect it to be higher than level 2 on the M2. I wouldn't over think it and just calibrate to max until you have eveything in place and dialed in. Then if you are still concerned, you can always calibrate the max to be less.
When I first set up my current sump, I found that at times the mechanical media would slow flow to the pump chamber, just enough so that the the pump would begin to suck air. This would happen if I got lazy and didn't clean the mechanical media out, or if some leaf litter unexpectedly managed to work its way thru, and block flow..
Below how it was first configured.
mechanical media on the right, pump left.
As insurance that any future blockage would allow the pump to run dry, I added an Tee to send enough Water to the pump chamber before the mechanical media.
You can find a small flow hitting some sea shells directly into the pumps chamber, left of the mechanical media chamber, enough to keep the pump intake submerged even if I forget to clean the mechanical media enough.
I normally do not section off chambers in sumps, but this is how the system came (it was bought used)
The green hose in the first pic, is not part of the system, I just prefer to add water after a water change to the sump first, as opposed to the main tank.
I do not shut the filtration system down, during water changes.
Below how it was first configured.
mechanical media on the right, pump left.
As insurance that any future blockage would allow the pump to run dry, I added an Tee to send enough Water to the pump chamber before the mechanical media.
You can find a small flow hitting some sea shells directly into the pumps chamber, left of the mechanical media chamber, enough to keep the pump intake submerged even if I forget to clean the mechanical media enough.
I normally do not section off chambers in sumps, but this is how the system came (it was bought used)
The green hose in the first pic, is not part of the system, I just prefer to add water after a water change to the sump first, as opposed to the main tank.
I do not shut the filtration system down, during water changes.
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my aquarium is 120g / 40 gallon breeder sump / ghost overflow . Maybe i have the baffles setup wrong in the sump. Any more then 2 maybe 3 setting on the pump the water will be below the intake of the pump. that is main reason cant turn the pump up higher . I have room in the sump i can add more water with out overflow when power is out , maybe this would fix the problem ? It can be frustrating trying to get everything working properly . I'm a noob also when it comes to sumps . thanks
This is another reason I don't like baffles, they tend to restrict flow.
Because I keep riverine species I want a fairly strong flow so
put media in mesh bags to allow free flow thought the sump.
and a strong enough flow throughout a tank to bend plants, for most riverine cichlids this flow is childs play.
Because I keep riverine species I want a fairly strong flow so
put media in mesh bags to allow free flow thought the sump.
and a strong enough flow throughout a tank to bend plants, for most riverine cichlids this flow is childs play.
Make sure now that when your power is out the sump can accommodate the backflow.
More water in the sump allowed for the drain to catch up to the return AND I find the additional water creates head pressure on the pump flow.
Now you can just calibrate the M2 to max, I'd say.
If the pump is set to actually pump 100gpm it will actually pump 100gpm regardless of how the sump is configured. The only thing that is going to change the actual gpm is if you change the plumping between the sump and the tank. What is/is not in the sump makes no difference.
