40B AI Prime HD and overflow question

[oba97]

I am setting up a 40 breeder and have a couple of questions.

 

1. I plan on installing the eshops internal overflow. I was thinking of the small (600 gob). Is there a reason I should install the medium (800 gph)? 

 

2. I currently have a AI Prime had on my 10 gallon. I was hoping I could add one more on the 40 and call it good. I mostly have LPS but I do have some monticap.

 

I have done a lot of looking around but find little info on my first question and conflicting info on my second. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

 

Jesse

[JBM]

It all depends on what return pump your planning on. However, 600 gph is quiet a bit of flow. And should be more then enough for a 40 breeder.

 

Remember your return pump shouldnt be calculated in your circulation figures.

 

Two AI will be fine on a 40 breeder. Monti's and other sps should be in the upper third of the tank anyway, especially when using high powered led's.

[Tigahboy]

Some people say 3-5x flow is all you need through the sump, while others say 5-10x flow, while other says the flow needs to match the gph of the skimmer pump to be most effective.

 

Whichever one you believe (I personally am trying to stay within 5-10x range), you would take that number and multiply it by the 40 gallons in the display to get you the amount of flow your overflow will need to handle (and a return pump that can deliver that same amount after factoring in all the head loss from plumbing, etc). 

 

I'm just going to use 10x flow as the magic number (since you would need probably less than that,) which would then require 400 gph through the overflow and return, so in theory either the small or the medium should be able to handle that based on the numbers you have described.   But if you wanted to be extra conservative (b/c sometimes things can get stuck in the overflow plumbing that restricts flow), you could go with the larger one.  I'm not sure how the eshopps internal overflow is set-up (i.e., how many holes, and what sizes), but there's a good overflow calculator over on Reefcentral that lets you figure out how big of a drain and the linear overflow distance you will need based on your flow needs.  And if there's a back-up drain in the eshopps overflow that could handle all of the flow on its own, then maybe that lessens your worries about going with the smaller size.

 

[Clown79]

2 primes will be fine on the tank unless it's full of high light corals like acros.

[oba97]

I have a maxi-jet 3000 pump that is rated for 775gph. I guess I need to figure out if after headpressure and bends it if will be too much for the 600gph overflow.

[05XRunner]

I have a 40b and the eshopps small overflow and it’s perfectly fine. I run a jebao dca 1500 pump and it’s turned down to probably only running about 200gph. I am in the camp of 3-5x turnover is fine in the sump. No need to rush water through it. 

[JBM]

On 3/6/2019 at 12:01 PM, oba97 said:

I have a maxi-jet 3000 pump that is rated for 775gph. I guess I need to figure out if after headpressure and bends it if will be too much for the 600gph overflow.

 

Heres an interesting article i found.

 

https://www.advancedaquarist.com/2008/8/review

 

Looks like at a mere 1.5' your down to 550gph, and at 4 feet (average pumping height for aquariums) your down to 400gph. Thats a adequate pump.

[oba97]

Thanks JBM! I plan on using a single 3/4" return line, I assume that is sufficient? 

[JBM]

2 hours ago, oba97 said:

Thanks JBM! I plan on using a single 3/4" return line, I assume that is sufficient? 

 

Thats pretty standard. When you design your return plumbing. Add a 1" manifold with atleast 3 gate valves for reactors and system expansion. Also, if you do find that your pump is to strong. That gives you the ability to have a recirculation loop. Meaning your return pump can put water back into the first chamber to be reprocessed.