sump pump question

[pussycat]

i dont know if my pump for my 75g tank and sump is strong enough. the only thing it says is:

7 utility model
115 volt
65 watts
1.5 amp

i think i have cyano growing on one of my LR and someone suggested that i didnt have enough aeration. could this be and do i have enough?

if not, what would be a good pump-specifics are always good for me. Thanks,

pussycat

[kreblak]

How many gallons per hour is your pump rated for? To avoid cyano buildup the minimum reccomended water turnover is 12X. In a 75 gallon tank, you are going to need 900 gph turnover. That is the minimum, mind you. Many people run 40X in their tanks. I personally run closer to 20X.

[pussycat]

i went back to lfs that sold me equipment. asked about a larger pump. said i could only go from a 7 to a 9 b/c the overflow couldnt handle the return any faster than that. so, i got the 9 which will give me 900gph, right?, and brought it home to give it a try. if this works, will this be enough?

thanks,

pussycat

[BrianH]

Are these mag drive pumps?

Also remember that unless your sump is at the same level as your tank you will lose pump capacity due to having to pump the water to a higher level(head loss). So chances are you will not be pumping 900gph.

Brian

[pussycat]

okey dokey. this is the correct assumption. should i get an even larger pump then?

p

[BrianH]

Try this link aquatictechnology (http://www.aquatictech.com/pumps.html) . They have one of the better prices on magdrive pumps and they also have a chart that gives you the actual pump output at various feet og head. Also remember that each 90 degree elbow in your return plumbing is also equal to about 1' of head. Just make sure you get a pump that won't be more powerful than your overflow can return to the sump.

Brian

[pussycat]

i exchanged my mag7 for a mag9. i also bought a 1200 and 800 powerhead. it seems like right now there are lots of tiny bubbles, but i did stir things up quite a bit installing them. i pointed both powerheads toward the front from the back corners. the return shoots toward the middle on the back glass. my pump with the mag9 does come from underneath the aquarium.

did i solve my problem?

i also noticed today that my caulerpa in the ecosystem looks gray and dead. the mud looks like its covered in diatoms. is it supposed to be this way? my protein skimmer was just delivered today. perhaps this will help. and i only have 2 peppermint shrimp and 3 damsels in place. is it time for more clean up crew? please see my thread on "fish list".

many thanks

[BrianH]

What problem are you trying to solve? The cyano algae is a part of your tanks' maturation process and will go away with time. You will most likely go through a few algae blooms until your tank has matured.
Do you have a light on your ecosystem? I'm not familiar with the system but it does sound like your calerpa died.

Brian

[pussycat]

when i discussed the cyano everyone said that it was due in part b/c lack of aeration in tank. suggested larger pump and powerheads. so thats what i did??

yes, the caulerpa has a light over top. ???

thanks

[BrianH]

While cyano will congregate in low flow areas, adding the powerheads may not solve your current problem. Since your tank is brand new, it is filled with nutrients that fules algae growth. You may see quite a few different algae outbreaks while your tank matures. This is why many people suggest waiting until your tank is at least 6 months old before adding fragile critters like anenomes. The best course to follow at this point is to do regluar(at least weekly) with RO/DI water, feed your fish sparingly(most fish do not need to be feed every day), and increase water movement(which you have already done). Just remember that chances are that it will take a few weeks to rid your tank of this outbreak and then you may experience another, with a different type of algae.
By the way, if you do not see any progress after diligently fighting the cyano after a few weeks, there are chemical cures.While I have used chems in the past, I try to correct the issues causing the problem first, if that doesn't work I move on the chems.

Brian