Return pump

Is a 350gph return and 300gph overflow enough flow for a 40 gallon?

 

That's a loaded question btw, so you're probably going to get several questions fired back, but for a generic response, 350 gallons pumped into your tank, will overflow a 300g overflow box. Now with the obvious out of the way, that all changes when you pump it up a pipe and add gravity to the equation. Just fyi......we need more info first. If you bought a quality return pump, it likely has a graph on the side. This will tell you the head loss in feet to GPH.

 

What is head loss?

 

What type of info do you need i have a supreme classic mag and i dont think is has a chart on it.

 

Head loss basically is gph lost as the pump pushes the water up the pipe. Most pumps will have a graph showing how many gph it is pumping, at different height. A pump may say its gph is 350 but it most likely is at 0 feet. and at 4 feet may only be pumping 275gph (estimate of course).

If we knew what kind of pump you have and knew the distance from the pump to the return output we could help more.

The general rule is return pump needs to be returning less gph to the tank than the overflow is capable of pulling out. This prevents overfilling.

 

A Supreme Mag 3, 350gph flows

•Nominal: 350 GPH
•Watts: 37
•GPH at 0': 480
•GPH at 1': 405
•GPH at 3': 335
•GPH at 5': 270
•GPH at 7': 170
•GPH at 10': -
•GPH at 15': -
•Shutoff: 10.5'
•Cord Length: 10'
•Dimensions (L x W x H) in inches: 5.0 x 3.8 x 4.2
•Amps/Watts: 0.6/35

http://www.dannermfg.com/Store/Products/Danner/PID-02513.aspx

 

Its 4 feet from the pump to the return.

 

So its probably flowing right at 300gph. That is the max your overflow can handle. I would wait on advise from others but personally I would use it and put a ball valve on the return line to regulate the flow down to below 300gph.

But wait to see if others chime in on this.

 

And they know this, but forgot to mention those graphs are for a stright pipe, which we rarely have to get it to the DT.

At very least it have to make a 90 at the DT, or even a 180 there. Then any bends to get there take away gph flow.

Short answer is Probably yes, you'll be OK with that set up.

Keep in mind, unless your having FO, or FOWLR (Fish Only, and Fish ONly with live rock), you're going to want more flow in the tank with the use of power heads, a close loop system (not common-but great), etc.

Ask away my friend

 

I also have a 500gph powerhead in the DT.