Closed Loop Pump Size

[Beckmola24]

I received my Oceansmotions and Sequence pump shipment last week and the pump is just huge. This is my first pump and I didn't realize the size of these things. The Barracuda is the same dimensions as the pumps that are running our 35,000 gallon pool.... :eek2: Anyways do y'all think this pump is just too much for my 90 gallon tank??? I am thinking that I might be better off getting the Dart to run the Oceansmotions instead of the monster Barracuda but I'd like as many opinions as I can get here... I really don't know.... I want strong flow, but don't want to blast everything around my tank :lol: I can't find the exact GPH for the Barracuda... Half the places I've looked say the Barracuda is between 1200-3600 GPH and the other half say up to 4500 GPH. The Dart is anywhere from 600-3200 GPH and up other places say it goes up to 3800.... My husband thought I was nuts when he saw the pump size. He was worried that the fish are going to have a really hard time staying away from the intakes. What are y'alls opinions???

 

[cronicreef]

I think you will be ok in my opinion. The trick is to get the current so it's not directed at corals 100% of the time. If your not shooting corals point blank with 3600gal an hour you should be ok. The ocean motion should do a great job of that. But you still don't want to have your outlets pointing strait at your corals.

I wouldn't say your not over killing flow in your 90gal but it is alot of water movement. But if you do it right than it will be worth it.

 

[J McCauley]

Which OceansMotions did you purchase?

 

[Beckmola24]

I have the 4 way, but the 4 are being split into 8 outlets.

 

[Beckmola24]

Any other opinions??

 

[Scooterman]

http://www.marinedepot.com/md_viewItem.asp?idproduct=LL1321

That is why I decided to get the Dart for my 100g tank. You can split the outlets again with the Y adapter, thus giving you even more outlets. Maybe test out this pump & see just how it does before returning it, maybe call your supplier & see it that would be ok.

 

[dnjan]

What is/are your intake(s)? Seems like your husband's worry is the water velocity at the intake. What diameter, and what type of screen are you planning to use?

 

[Scooterman]

Nikki just used something on her intakes, you may want to PM her. I think it was egg crate box but better ask her.

 

[Beckmola24]

I will have 2 2" intakes on the tank...

 

[NaH2O]

I have regular strainers on the intakes (mine are 1-1/2"): Strainers

I had an eggcrate box placed over the strainers inorder to keep the anemone from taking a dive into the closed loop intake again. It really wasn't anything fancy. Just a box made out of eggcrate, with a section removed to fit over the strainers. With the intakes divided into 2 - there is less of a pull. My rabbitfish swims right over them (practically on top of them) and isn't effected at all by the draw. She will even pull off algae that has become stuck onto the strainers. (I have an ampmaster 3000).

I don't think the pump is too large - especially when divided up....the only thing I would be concerned with is a potential sand storm. If I remember correctly, you are going to have a substrate? Can you also refresh my memory....what types of corals are you going to keep?

 

[NaH2O]

A couple of more questions.

Becky - I'm curious to why you have 2" intakes? What size plumbing goes into the pump?

 

[Beckmola24]

Mike said to use the 2" intakes in case I upgrade my pump... I really don't have to have intakes that large. What would be a better size?? The size for the hole saw is something like 3.5" and that seems like a huge chunk to cut out of my tank I will be keeping SPS only. I'm planning on putting ball valves on each of the 4 pvc pipes going up to the tank, so I can turn it down if any areas are getting blasted too much. The outlets will be about 6" up from the bottom of the tank to try and avoid sandstorms. I'm only going with a 1" or 2" bed for asthetics. I'm pretty sure the pump is 1.5 in and 1.5 out.... Would I be better to go with two 1.5 inch intakes??? Also, are there any type of strainers out there that are like a screen??? If so, would I be better off with what Nikki has or something else??? Just curious Thanks for the help!

 

[dnjan]

The bigger the intake, the less the velocity at the intake is. So less chance of that piece of nori that came loose blocking the intake, etc.

 

[Scooterman]

That is a big pump, also a big hole lol
I just made a 2" CL for my 100g tank, glass so I had to go over the top with the inlets but yea a little intimidating, wokrs better than I thought....