Calling out plumbing pro's

[Mark420]

Ok I'm looking to find out how much flow my "mickey mouse" plumbing job is stealing.
The way I have now is with a 3/4" elbow sucking from the bottom going into a bulkhead fitting out of my sump then there is 3/4" barb nipple into a 3/4" vinyl hose and into the input of my return pump, then out of pump back to the tank. But in that run ther a 3 more 3/4" barbed nipple w/a 3/4"
ball valve and 2 3/4" elbows.

Well I know that w/ all the barbed nips,etc the flow rate is cut down alot

I figure that I can increase the flow by useing flex PVC to cut out the nipple fittings!?!? Also my pump in/out puts are 3/4" can I use 1" to get more flow? Should I not use the first elbow in the sump at the bulkhead?
Onemore thing

Will using a spraybar cut the flow down,if so how much.

 

[Mark420]

Thanks Mark O, I'll try your suggestions. Hey you live in Lowell, thats not too far away

What kind of tank setup do you have? Reef? FO?

 

[Anonymous]

420: try this link:

Head pressure

b

 

[MarkO1]

Mark, I'm not a plumber, but an engineer. But to help you with your question in order to increase the flow you need to reduce the friction and/or number of fittings. Also, another factor is the difference in "head" between the water elevation in your sump and tank. Reducing that by elevating your sump or water level in hte sump should increase the flow rate. By how much I do not know. Also, fittings can steal a lot of "head" especially if they are 90º elbows. Friction in the PVC tubing is dependant upon the velocity of the water running through it. So the larger the diameter, the lower the friction (it's exponential too). But keep in mind that you are pushing a larger volume "slug" through the PVC as well.
So, I'd try to reduce the # of fittings, maybe go to a larger PVC tubing, and raise your water level in the sump and measure your flows (instead of the water going back into the tank, send it to a 5 gal. container at the same elevation as your tank water) and see if it helped.
_________________
unemployment during the great depression

 

[MarkO1]

Reef tank... well will be over time. It's only been set up for 3 months now.http://www.geocities.com/zen_zig_zag/index1.html?1005354686030
How about yourself?
_________________
Television Forum