Don't know what is the problem ???

[Rio 300]

Dear Reefers,

I need help! A few weeks ago I just bought a 4 by 2 by 2.5 feet marine tank and a cabinet with a sump in it a dimension of about 3.5 feet long. The tank condition are on cycling process with lives rocks at the moment.

In my sump tank there are 3 compartment. The first compartment on the left are those with media. The 2nd compartment which the centre compartment of the sump also fill with media but the dimension are pretty small. The 3rd compartment which being the last one occupied by my skimmer and return pump.

The problem about my tank is that the water currents that flows out to the main tank from my return pump (model ATMAN AT-106 / 3000l/hr) to my teco chiller (model RA680) to the pvc pipe are totally weak. The water came out from the pvc pipe just like the situation when you are pressing the button of the water cooler which is not strong at all.

Appreciate your advice.

Thanks in advance.

Cheers

Rio 300.

[sslow]

There could be many contributing factors.

Listed are some of the things you may want to check:

1. Not sure what the head pressure of the return pump is but if it is too low, it may not have the "power" to pump the water up into your tank.

2. The number of bends in the return line could also cause the pressure loss.

3. More loss through the chiller.

BTW, I am not sure if a 3000l/hr pump is "powerful" enough for your tank. Well, I guess it depends on what you are keeping.

Just my 2cents while waiting for coffee to brew.

Have a nice day.

[Reefbum]

Agree with sslow.Get another pump or reduce the pressure loss.

[Rio 300]

I intend to keep fish and corals in my tank. Btw I placed my chiller just outside of the cabinet. Want to play safe due to the heat of my chiller. The hose I'm using are from eheim size 16/22 mm. Do you think I should change to stronger pump? Maybe to 5000l/hr.

Btw the water flows out from my pvc pipe that fix at the main tank the size is 20mm diameter.

Pls advice.

[weileong]

Teco chiller has a flow restrictor built in to reduce the flow.

[Clownfish]

Teco chiller has a flow restrictor built in to reduce the flow.

agreed with bro weileong...

tink u shld buy another pump n use it separately on ur teco

u shld hav a pump that onli specialises in bring water back to ur main tank... otherwise, u wont hav enuff water turnover rate

btw, forgot to mention... atman loses its head power quite alot... so if ur tank is quite high... tink betta buy a reliable pump for ur return

[Rio 300]

Thanks to all brothers/sisters...for all the valuable advice. Appreciate so much.

Brother WeiLeong...Since Teco chiller has a flow restrictor built in to reduce the flow as u said any advice how to make this thing works?

What kind of return pump and at what flow rate should I look for?

[Rocks]

What kind of return pump and at what flow rate should I look for?

Just to share....

My 3x2x2 setup is such that the return pump out-flow has a T-spilt, one to the chiller then to main tank, the other directly to the main tank. Both out-flows has valve to control the flow rate.

Previously i am using a Weipro 7000MH (5000 l/hr) finds that the turn-over rate is not idea for my mostly LPS tank, then i upgraded it to Rio32HF (8000 l/hr) to improve the turn-over rate. Better now.

CHEERS!