Hi Tom,
I currently have the following pump setup for my 180 gal tank.
1. 1800 gph Mag drive with ball valve as the main sump pump.
2. 500 gph Mag drive with ball valve to drive my Mazzei 584.
3. Output of Mazzei is directed to intake of 1800 pump.
4. Output of 1800 pump is split to dual returns.
I also have several small in tank pumps to help with flow/current. A RIO 400 and a mini Hydor (240 gph) and a Hydor 1 (400 gph).
I would like to add an OC with builtin UV AND to plumb the Mazzei into one new larger pump and maybe eliminate one or two of the in-tank pumps.
Flow would be similar to your 180 Starfire as follows:
Sump pump to T. Then one split to ball valve and then to OC. Then the other split to another ball valve to Mazzei. This way I can control flow to both as desired......
Then I would combine OC and Mazzei output (maybe) back again to one and then split again to the dual returns, or I could run the OC to one return and the Mazzei to the other......
Questions.
1. Would a Mag drive 3600 gph pump be sufficient to drive all of this? I found one for < $175.
Flow at 5' is 2800 gph which is about the height of my tank and stand. The 1800 gph model is only 1125 gph at 6'. So I would make up the flow from all the smaller pumps.......
2. Would it be better to use a larger diameter fittings, elbows, T, etc than the 1" required by the 3600 pump? I need to plumb from one side of the cabinet to the other (about 2-3') to add the OC, as my c02 setup takes up one side of the cabinet, and the sump takes up the middle, so some plumbing will be required.
3. Shoud I instead just keep my current setup, but switch the 1800 gph for the new 3600 gph and add the OC to that line, and then use the 1800 gph to drive the Mazzei rather than the 500 gph? Then I have a use for the 1800.............Each has a control valve already, so can control the flow on both.
I will replumb to make it minimal, but there will be an elbow in there somewhere
I just want a pump big enough to avoid another upgrade if I ever add a second OC or something...
Any other thoughts or suggestions are welcome.
Thanks,
I currently have the following pump setup for my 180 gal tank.
1. 1800 gph Mag drive with ball valve as the main sump pump.
2. 500 gph Mag drive with ball valve to drive my Mazzei 584.
3. Output of Mazzei is directed to intake of 1800 pump.
4. Output of 1800 pump is split to dual returns.
I also have several small in tank pumps to help with flow/current. A RIO 400 and a mini Hydor (240 gph) and a Hydor 1 (400 gph).
I would like to add an OC with builtin UV AND to plumb the Mazzei into one new larger pump and maybe eliminate one or two of the in-tank pumps.
Flow would be similar to your 180 Starfire as follows:
Sump pump to T. Then one split to ball valve and then to OC. Then the other split to another ball valve to Mazzei. This way I can control flow to both as desired......
Then I would combine OC and Mazzei output (maybe) back again to one and then split again to the dual returns, or I could run the OC to one return and the Mazzei to the other......
Questions.
1. Would a Mag drive 3600 gph pump be sufficient to drive all of this? I found one for < $175.
Flow at 5' is 2800 gph which is about the height of my tank and stand. The 1800 gph model is only 1125 gph at 6'. So I would make up the flow from all the smaller pumps.......
2. Would it be better to use a larger diameter fittings, elbows, T, etc than the 1" required by the 3600 pump? I need to plumb from one side of the cabinet to the other (about 2-3') to add the OC, as my c02 setup takes up one side of the cabinet, and the sump takes up the middle, so some plumbing will be required.
3. Shoud I instead just keep my current setup, but switch the 1800 gph for the new 3600 gph and add the OC to that line, and then use the 1800 gph to drive the Mazzei rather than the 500 gph? Then I have a use for the 1800.............Each has a control valve already, so can control the flow on both.
I will replumb to make it minimal, but there will be an elbow in there somewhere
I just want a pump big enough to avoid another upgrade if I ever add a second OC or something...
Any other thoughts or suggestions are welcome.
Thanks,