Flow issues

[Anonymous]

The cheapest way that might work best to your liking is doing the Y at the return with an eductor going left to right and a penductor going front to back. I don't know if the Velocity pump (560gph) is strong enough to get the full benefit (especially when split), but I would at least expect it to double the flow rate.

What is the difference between the eductor and penductor?

Many, such as this

are sold as penductor/eductors.

In which case I am still looking at spending $60 or so...

 

[Anonymous]

I used a long pipe with dozens of small holes drilled along the length of it till about 4" below the surface, so the velocity at any one point isn't too great. Still, I wouldn't put any LPS right next to the intake, but from the look of the pic you posted I'd think you could run it down right next to your overflow and it wouldn't be very noticeable nor would it be a likely to cause any trouble for any corals.

I don't like Mags as external pumps (I use a 24 submerged for my skimmer). Maybe Wazzel can tell you what his experiences are. If you have a reasonably powerful pump I'd just go ahead and use what you already have to save some money, but if you are going to buy a new pump I would look toward something like a panworld.

 

[Anonymous]

I have nothing on hand right now.

The reason I lean toward the closed loop idea too is to have some flow redunancy in the system.

Last year (at 5am before leaving for the Airport for a week in Denver) the return pump crapped out.

Needless to say I was very worried about getting on a plane w/o any flow in my tank.

But thanks to my mother (who was gracoius enough to drive over and sit at the house) and a LFS owner who spends too much time at the shop (as I left him a message @ 5am EST) the pump was replaced by the time I picked up my rental car in Denver!

 

[Anonymous]

Thats one of the reasons I like having a closed loop. Plus I can turn off my main pump if I am working in my sump and not feel like I am on a tight deadline to finish what I am doing to get my main pump up and running.

But on the other hand, the Vortechs are coming out with (already came out with?, I'm not sure) a battery back-up that will automatically run the pump for up to 30 hrs in the event of a power outage. Thats a big plus for me and I might looking into getting one later (in addition to the closed loops).

 

[Anonymous]

30 hrs!


That just reaks of $$$!!!

 

[Anonymous]

Maybe it was only 24 hours. I don't remember, it was still an impressive number. I can't find it available anywhere, so I guess it isn't out yet. I'm sure it won't be cheap.

 

[Anonymous]

Oh I found it!
PA has it for $150.

So that makes $500 for the pump and the back-up. Maybe I won't get one.

 

[Unarce]

What is the difference between the eductor and penductor?

Many, such as this

are sold as penductor/eductors.

In which case I am still looking at spending $60 or so...

Not much of a difference. The eductor is a little longer, which makes it slightly more effective.

 

[Anonymous]

Not much of a difference. The eductor is a little longer, which makes it slightly more effective.

Not being in the Sump makes it so much harder to respond to comments like these!

 

[Anonymous]

Is it worth getting a penductor on the output of the current system without the split?

 

[bleedingthought]

Why not just buy a bigger pump and add some wyes to your output? No penductor/enductors.

 

[Anonymous]

Should I worry about the velocity of the water entering the closed loop?

It will be screened, but could it be a danger for anything?

Mag pumps still the way to go?
Don't they have issuses with leaky housing?

Like Marcus I had dozens of little holes in the pipe from about 6 inches below the water to the bottom. I would not put any lps next to it. The mags works well for me it was a Mag18 on the CL. I also had a mag12 for the return and a mag18 for my beckett skimmer, all were run external for a few years. I never had a leak issue. I use external pumps now.

 

[Anonymous]

I am still behind the vortech. No heat issues whatsoever.


Go to this page and look for the vortech mpeg under "videos":

http://www.melevsreef.com/links.html

 

[Anonymous]

The cheapest way that might work best to your liking is doing the Y at the return with an eductor going left to right and a penductor going front to back. I don't know if the Velocity pump (560gph) is strong enough to get the full benefit (especially when split), but I would at least expect it to double the flow rate.

What is the difference between the eductor and penductor?

Many, such as this

are sold as penductor/eductors.

In which case I am still looking at spending $60 or so...

Nothing. A penductor is a trade name for a particular design of an eductor.

 

[Anonymous]

I am still behind the vortech. No heat issues whatsoever.


Go to this page and look for the vortech mpeg under "videos":

http://www.melevsreef.com/links.html

The thing that kills the vortech for me is that way it is mounted. To get max benifit it need to be on the sides and my favorite tank view is the long view from a side. Having a vortech in the middle would just mess it up for me. I really like the concept tho.

 

[Anonymous]

Why not just buy a bigger pump and add some wyes to your output? No penductor/enductors.

1)To avoid replumbing.
2)Looking for some redundancy to the system.
3)I am cheap - smaller pumps = less money

 

[Anonymous]

Vortech a bit of overkill for a 90G of mostly softy and LPS?

 

[Anonymous]

Well mine is on a 40 gallon

It's adjustable, you can get anywhere from 300 to 3000 gph from it with just a turn of a dial.

 

[Anonymous]

A DIAL!

That sounds like WAY too much work...

 

[Anonymous]

I am still behind the vortech. No heat issues whatsoever.


Go to this page and look for the vortech mpeg under "videos":

http://www.melevsreef.com/links.html

The thing that kills the vortech for me is that way it is mounted. To get max benifit it need to be on the sides and my favorite tank view is the long view from a side. Having a vortech in the middle would just mess it up for me. I really like the concept tho.

I agree with that. But I think that no matter what the choice is, there will need to be a compromise on either plumbing/pumps/cords in the tank or a partially blocked view.

The only other plus that the vortech has is that it has a wider flow than the usual laminar flow returns.