Pump Size NEED HELP!

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FuriousFish

FuriousFish

Polypterus
MFK Member
Jan 8, 2012
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America
Hello, My Dad and I have a 250 gallon tank with a 55 gallon sump,
What Size Pump Do We Need For The Water To Flow Back Into The Tank?
​(we are using 2" PVC Pipe!)
 
Anyone?
 
How Many GPH?
 
Can Someone PLEASE Help?
 
There is not a specific rule. Some people say a turn over rate of 5 times the gals of the tank per hour, some say 3. It really depends on what your overflows can handle and what kind of fish you keep. I use a 1200gph pump on a 150 gal tank with a 50 gal sump, but the fish are riverine cichlids, and come from a higher current environment.
 
I have a 180 with a 55 gallon sump. I use an Eshopps 1200 overflow box with a pond pump that does 1640 GPH. The height the pump pumps the water slows down the GPH to around 1000 GPH which is about 5 and a half turn over rate. The pump is completely dependent on your overflow box. If the overflow box is to big you have no problems and that is what is should be however, if the pump is pumping more GPH then the overflow box can handle the tank will overflow.
 
The tank ill be setting up will have 2 in drains and a pump at over 2k gph. This is what was recommended to me for a lot of flow. I recently saw something on youtube by arurjoey (or something like that) that referenced the bulkhead sizes and the pump needed to return the water. My recommendation is if in doubt...go a little larger. You can always adjust the flow to a lower rate if need be, but if it doesnt pump faster than you drain, then you would have to buy another one...or adjust your plumbing for a slower rate out. Goodluck..i havent set mine up yet so this is my theory in addition to someone elses experience:) so i trust it;)

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tazjack said:
The tank ill be setting up will have 2 in drains and a pump at over 2k gph. This is what was recommended to me for a lot of flow. I recently saw something on youtube by arurjoey (or something like that) that referenced the bulkhead sizes and the pump needed to return the water. My recommendation is if in doubt...go a little larger. You can always adjust the flow to a lower rate if need be, but if it doesnt pump faster than you drain, then you would have to buy another one...or adjust your plumbing for a slower rate out. Goodluck..i havent set mine up yet so this is my theory in addition to someone elses experience:) so i trust it;)

Sent from my DROID RAZR using MonsterAquariaNetwork App
Click to expand...
If your overflows drain more than your pump can put out you don't have to adjust anything. It won't cause any problems, you just won't be using them to their full potential
 
ElectricBlueSeanBurch said:
If your overflows drain more than your pump can put out you don't have to adjust anything. It won't cause any problems, you just won't be using them to their full potential
Click to expand...

Absolutely correct. The opposite can/will cause major issues though.

Sent from my phone because I'm just that cool...
 
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