New sump, pump speed question

[Nyrkorey]

Curre try have a 135 gallon sump I have built. I have a 15000GPH pump that has variable speed setting.. I have 2 1.5 inch pipes coming out of the tank into my sump... how do I know exactly what speed too set my return pump at or is this just a bunch of trial and error?

 

[ken31cay]

How big is the display tank? Check if your pump has a calibration setting, ex/ the Ecotech Vectra pumps have this. The calibration will walk you through setting a good pump speed for your setup.

Or else trial and error can also work, starting from a slow speed and work your way up.

 

[Nyrkorey]

How big is the display tank? Check if your pump has a calibration setting, ex/ the Ecotech Vectra pumps have this. The calibration will walk you through setting a good pump speed for your setup.

Or else trial and error can also work, starting from a slow speed and work your way up.

400 gallons is my main tank.. yeah ill start slow and slowly increase until it starts too drop

 

[ken31cay]

Is your pump actually 15,000gph?

Here's my 450gal setup as an example for you; in my 450gal (100gal sump) I use one Vectra L1 pump (3,100gph) that I set at ~65% (2,015gph). 4 drains, 2 returns - all 1". I have run the pump at full speed with no issues.

 

[Nyrkorey]

i have 2 brand new Jabeo DCP 15,000 still in the box and also now realize that will be way to strong. So I gotta break out my 3500. But I may sell both my 15,000 or keep one for parts, they are still on the boxes lol

 

[Midwater]

i have 2 brand new Jabeo DCP 15,000 still in the box and also now realize that will be way to strong. So I gotta break out my 3500. But I may sell both my 15,000 or keep one for parts, they are still on the boxes lol

No, keep them. That is 15,000 at 100%, and you can dial it down to 30% and you will get 4,500. Actually less than that, because that flow rate is at zero head, and you never get zero head. Jebao pumps lose head quickly.

So if you run the pump at the minimum, you will probably get a flow of about 3,000 anyway.

 

[Nyrkorey]

No, keep them. That is 15,000 at 100%, and you can dial it down to 30% and you will get 4,500. Actually less than that, because that flow rate is at zero head, and you never get zero head. Jebao pumps lose head quickly.

So if you run the pump at the minimum, you will probably get a flow of about 3,000 anyway.

Yeah that'd what i figured but for some reason at the lowest setting of 30% the tank somehow fills up fast then it can drain. I have 2 1.5 inch drains and one return. Even at 30% the tanks filling up too quick so ill try a lower pump and see

 

[ken31cay]

Yeah that'd what i figured but for some reason at the lowest setting of 30% the tank somehow fills up fast then it can drain. I have 2 1.5 inch drains and one return. Even at 30% the tanks filling up too quick so ill try a lower pump and see

Look and see if the bottleneck is the weirs at the top of the overflows, if the needed extra flow is not too much then you might be able to make these bigger. I made the weirs on one of my overflows longer by filing with a metal file. In my case I needed to do this since the one side was too short.

 

[Nyrkorey]

Look and see if the bottleneck is the weirs at the top of the overflows, if the needed extra flow is not too much then you might be able to make these bigger. I made the weirs on one of my overflows longer by filing with a metal file. In my case I needed to do this since the one side was too short.

I got it all too work! Alot work definitely but we'll worth it, this was my first sump ever and first ever one I custom made myself so not too shabby haha don't mind the big pvc sticking out lol still cleaning up

 

[Midwater]

Great looking sump. I like the bottle supporting the 90 degree of the return.

Post a picture of the main tank and overflow as well!