Something has been bugging me.......

[MI0706]

If you make all those big enough, you can achieve whatever flow you desire... Once again, I refer any and everyone to Physics 101 about this subject...

Okay, (walking out of Physics 101 class) so you're saying that head strength and down siphon length have noting to do with the equation? In example "A" Lets say I have 4 inches of glass above my water line, and I need to empty my siphon into a refugium 6 inches below the top of that glass. In example "B" lets say I have a bulkhead drilled into the side of the tank, and the water gravity feeds to 2 inches down to the refugium. In both examples I will use 3/4 tubing, and I have a 1,000GPH pump returning water to the tank from the refugium. The setup in the example "b" would have no trouble moving that volume of water with the water level getting near the top of the bulkhead. In example "a" I would have a wet floor as a 3/4" diameter siphon tube with a 2" drop could never pass 1,000GPH through it. There is a fluid dynamics calculation that would tell you the flow rate of a given siphon, but most hobbiests would find it easier to pop a bulkhead in the side and be done with it.

Daisy: Reread my post that you are quoting... IF YOU MAKE YOUR OVERFLOW BOXES, U-TUBE, AND GRAVITY FLOW TUBE TO THE SUMP BIG ENOUGH, YOU CAN ACHIEVE ANY FLOW RATE THAT YOU DESIRE!!! Yes, with what you are saying in "example A" that particular setup would not pass 1,000 gallons per hour... But what if in "example A" instead of a 3/4" siphon tube, you used lets say a 2" siphon tube!!! In other words, siphon flow is only restricted by the means of transportation (Physics 101 or if you prefer Fluid flow dynamics 101)!!!

I do agree that most hobbiests find it easier to install a bulkhead. My point about this whole thing is that you stated, "the siphon equalization method would not work for me because a SIMPLE SIPHON COULD NEVER match the GPH flow of my return pump" This is an incorrect statement...

 

[DaisyPolyp]

My apologies, sounds like a miscommunication. When I said "simple" siphon, I was refering to out-of-the-box types of hang-on systems. Most BakPaks you would buy would not come with a 2" diameter or equivalent siphon.

 

[Anonymous]

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