FOWLR Flow Rate?

[Mugg1977]

I am curently designing a 150 FOWLR. Any suggestions for "typical" overall flow rate?

Thanks.

 

[Scooterman]

Flow rate from the sump? How much GPH can yours handle? When I push my coast to coast with higher flow it works better but then I have to deal with high flow rates through the sump, so now i switched to a less gph return pump. I'd say with little information anywhere between 900gph & 1,200 gph typical sump return for a tank about that size.

 

[Mugg1977]

Scooterman -

Sorry for the lack of clarification!

I will be designing the overflow, bulkheads, etc to handle around 1000gph (6x or so) for the sump return.

What about additional flow? I am debating on setting up a closed loop, just to keep from using powerheads, but am not real sure what additional flow would be needed in a FOWLR. I know that I won't need nearly the total flow reqiured for an SPS, but I am thinking that an additional 1000gph or so in a closed loop would be good to eliminate dead spots.

Any thoughts?

Thanks.

 

[Scooterman]

YUP, That would sound fine, do a Dart for the CL, you can put 2" on the suction to the pump with a 2" union ball valve & 1 1/2" piping on the outlet, you will get great flow. If you can have it drilled even better.

 

[Mugg1977]

Thanks for the info! Great help!

I will be ordering the tank in about 3 weeks and plan on having 2 suctions and 4 returns in the CL.

Regarding the Dart, and pending head calculations, I should be able to mount it on the floor of the stand, beside the sump return pump, correct? Or would I need to mount it in-line behind the tank? Would I be able to purchase a Barracuda and valve downa little more? The Barracuda has a lower wattage at 1000gph, and thus I assume lower running costy, or am i looking at this backwards?

Also, would the Dart work, pending head calculations, for the sump return? Or would I need to get a pressure rated pump?

Sorry for so many questions and thanks for your help!

 

[Scooterman]

Now your mixing more details into this. The dart isn't designed to be a return pump, although people use it, this works the pump harder, also you would need a 2" from your sump for the suction. I had a Uno series on mine as a return which works great but in a room it was loud inside the stand & resonated even under closed cell foam padding, also If you restrict the Cuda, your giving one for another, you will gain heat & sounds, that probably is more than it is designed to be throttled back but I'd call them to see. I would use the Cuda on the closed loop though that would work out better than the dart on a larger tank, you will need to make sure you have a 1 1/2" suction on that pump & at least 4 outlets probably 3/4" or 1". On the sump return you don't need to flow through it that high rate, I swapped out my wahoo for an Eheim 1262 (900gph) lots quieter, no real heat & less power, I had to restrict the wahoo marlin too much, I have a 125g main with a 60g sump, 1 1/2" drain, I could crank it wide open barely but it was very loud because of the water surging, On your tank that may be fine, the Uno wahoo, I had the Tarpon & swapped impellers (35$).

 

[Mugg1977]

So I'll go with a Barracuda on the Cl, with at least 4 1" outlets, lilely 6-8.

On the sump return, I will look at a Tarpon, pending the head calcs.

On your CL, do you have any loc-line inside the returns, or just flow straight from the bulkheads?

Who makes a decent 2-way wavemaker, like the one I see in your pics?

Thanks again.

 

[Scooterman]

I crossed the names up, it is the Uno series.
Tarpon1440gph23' (9.1psi)1.6A/175W1.5" FNPT / 3/4" FNPTBaldor®
Wahoo1550gph32' (12.4psi)2.4A/265W1.5" FNPT / 3/4" FNPTBaldor®
Marlin2050gph37' (13.8psi)2.7A/310W