Quote:
Originally Posted by wildeone  Ok, I was on the fence of if I was going to move the system. I thought about selling it all off and starting over. The wife (who has little to do with my hobby) said she really wants to keep it, so I guess we will be moving it. So, I think I need to do a little mechanical planning to prepare the new system The first thing I need to know is which is better, a 180 gallon tank or a rubbermaid tub of comparable size a sump. I have a chance to purchase the 180 for $50.00.
Next, I need some help determining pump size etc. I know RC has a head loss calc, but I have a chance at a large pump (Sequence 4200 GPH), for $200.00 that is 16 months old. Stupid question but, I can back the flow down with a valve....right? Also can I use the RC overflow calc in reverse to estimate my flow to the sump? So I hav lets say 10" of linear overflow and a 1" pipe, so that comes to about 600 GPH right? So as long as I back the return to below 600GPH (adding in head loss, etc.)I am ok, right? |
I am glad to see you making progress ... as in making decisions. That's progress in my book.
For the
sump, is the 180 glass or acrylic? If it's acrylic - I say go for the tank. If it's glass - use the rubbermaid tub. Why? You're going to need a large hole in the tank to plumb in the return pump - probably a 2" hole. Acrylic is a snap to drill - glass, not so. I know there are people who fell comfortable drilling into glass, I'm not one of them. You could ask around as see if there's anyone in your area who will drill glass.
The reason i prefer a tank vs. the tub is that the tank is a nice rectangle. That makes it a bit easier to use eggcrate to create sections in your
sump for various
macro algae, the
skimmer, heaters, etc. And you can use pieces of glass or acrylic to create baffles to cut down on micro bubbles getting back into the tank.
The sequence pump sounds like a good deal, though I have reservations. if the pump has been properly maintained (cleaned every few months, plus any other maintenance the manufacturer recommends) all should be well. If the pump has run for 16 months with no maintenance ... this could lead to problems. Try and find out how the pump was taken care of. Are there any signs of rust? Does it make any abnormal noises? Bottom line - this is a good pump, and sounds like a good deal - if it has been taken care of.
As far as the overflow is concerned, I would plan on a minimum of 1" for the returns, assuming you have two overflows. Personally, I'd step up to 1 1/2" x 2.
Yes - most pumps can have their output restricted. However, many manufacturers recommend not cutting back the flow more than 50%, as this puts too much strain on the pump. And don't skimp on this valve - get a good one.
Hope this helps.
