Pics of my new 190g plumbing!
- Thread starter King Jason
- Start date
For everyone that was looking for more information I've started to build my website for this tank. Here is the link: http://www.crownsoftware.net/Aquarium/
I just wanted to make sure those reading the thread seeing the spider fitting realize that it is not a good way to maximize your flow. Don't go run out and buy one just because they look cool. If you perform a head loss calculation on that setup you get some pretty dismal results. The water may seem like it is shooting out from the outputs as with the 1/2" plumbing you are still going to be running double the velocity that you would get if you were using 3/4" or larger outputs, however I calculate that you are going to under 2,000 gph for the output on your ampmaster (in the 1,800 gph range). Switching to the setup that I recommended on your previous thread would get you over 2,750 gph at much lower velocities. That is nearly a 50% increase in flow over the way you have it setup. It is fine the way you have it set up, just not maximizing the plumbing. Also using the larger main lines then splitting seems a little neater and less room for errors, leaks, etc. IMO.
Also the T valve on the intake to the ampmaster closed loop looks as if about 75% or more of the intake is going to come from the intake directly above the pump rather than an even split between the 2 intakes if that's what you wanted.
Not trying to be a jerk or anything but there are definetly ways to maximize your water flow. What you have setup should work, but if someone else is reading this thread thinking it is the ulitmate in plumbing setups I'm just trying to let them know there are better alternatives.
FWIW, Nathan
Also the T valve on the intake to the ampmaster closed loop looks as if about 75% or more of the intake is going to come from the intake directly above the pump rather than an even split between the 2 intakes if that's what you wanted.
Not trying to be a jerk or anything but there are definetly ways to maximize your water flow. What you have setup should work, but if someone else is reading this thread thinking it is the ulitmate in plumbing setups I'm just trying to let them know there are better alternatives.
FWIW, Nathan
Well said and I agree that my setup is certainly not the "ultimate setup." However I am pretty proud of my craftsmanship :wink: . I also welcome your comments and like to hear how I could have done things better (this will help on my next tank).
With that said lets look at the G.P.H I will get with these two pumps.
1. AmpMaster 2100 going through 2x 1" pipe. Lets say I have 10ft of head with elbows, and upward head. That leaves us with about 1500 gph.
2. AmpMaster 3000 going through the spider and few elbows. If your calculations are correct and I have 2000 gph then we are left with 2000 gph.
This totals 3500 gph on a 190g tank. This leaves the turnover of the tank to 18.42 times an hour. Even though I did loose flow and increase velocity using the spider I think my overall outcome is still fairly powerful. I knew I would loose a lot of the flow from the AmpMaster 3000 so instead of getting a smaller pump for my sump return I went with another pretty large pump and got the AmpMaster 2100.
With that said lets look at the G.P.H I will get with these two pumps.
1. AmpMaster 2100 going through 2x 1" pipe. Lets say I have 10ft of head with elbows, and upward head. That leaves us with about 1500 gph.
2. AmpMaster 3000 going through the spider and few elbows. If your calculations are correct and I have 2000 gph then we are left with 2000 gph.
This totals 3500 gph on a 190g tank. This leaves the turnover of the tank to 18.42 times an hour. Even though I did loose flow and increase velocity using the spider I think my overall outcome is still fairly powerful. I knew I would loose a lot of the flow from the AmpMaster 3000 so instead of getting a smaller pump for my sump return I went with another pretty large pump and got the AmpMaster 2100.
Jason,
Nice tank but looks like you are heading for some trouble. I have a similar set up and too bad i havent met you sooner. Using AMK for a return has been nothing but trouble for a me and a few of my close friends. Amk for a close loop will never be a real issue but as a return..? I had the thing leak, stall and not restart. Issues with the seals will come up. Regardless of Tom at Dolphin is trying to do. Pumps made in that fashion will have seal failures its just a matter of time. For a retun pump i would get a Blueline or iwaki. Somethign reliable. I still use my ampmaster and hope they keep on ticking untillmy next tank. Ohter than that nice tank. What do you plan to light the suker up with. If you see things up close email me, ill show you how much those pumps suk when used as a return.
Paul
Nice tank but looks like you are heading for some trouble. I have a similar set up and too bad i havent met you sooner. Using AMK for a return has been nothing but trouble for a me and a few of my close friends. Amk for a close loop will never be a real issue but as a return..? I had the thing leak, stall and not restart. Issues with the seals will come up. Regardless of Tom at Dolphin is trying to do. Pumps made in that fashion will have seal failures its just a matter of time. For a retun pump i would get a Blueline or iwaki. Somethign reliable. I still use my ampmaster and hope they keep on ticking untillmy next tank. Ohter than that nice tank. What do you plan to light the suker up with. If you see things up close email me, ill show you how much those pumps suk when used as a return.
Paul
Well I choose the AmpMaster pumps after reading TONS of posts and reviews of people on this board and reefcentral. I have heard of a few pumps with seal leaks but that is normal. A few pumps out of the thousands produced will leak. From what I have read, Dolphin is good about helping fix bad pumps or seal leaks. But I was not able to find one review where the people didn't like their AmpMaster. All posts I read (except the post above) were positive.
Actually I think the comment from Turtle was pretty positive. Having an AMK for a closed loop is a good thing, but having it as your main pump is a ticking bomb. About a month ago I decided to buy a pump for a closed loop, an AMK was in my mind, but after reading soo many bad comments about that pump I quit and went with a LG4md, I know it pulls less water but is 100% reliable and that is a determinant factor in my opinion.
I read that almost every AMK pump will leak and/or fail to restart.
Also, to minimize the water flow loss, I connected the outline from the LG to a T and each end has a 3/4" sea swirl. By doing this a minimal loss is achieved and I have a simpler design.
Jason, I don´t want you to take my comment in the wrong way, I really like your tank and your plumbing, but there are some things you might take into consideration when going on vacations and leaving your tank alone with those pumps and don´t come back with a flooded floor.
Great tank, hope everything goes great for you, that spider looks amazing and in general everything is a poem to the eye. Just keep in check the heat from MH´s in those PVC returns.
Congrats.
JMHO
Marco
I read that almost every AMK pump will leak and/or fail to restart.
Also, to minimize the water flow loss, I connected the outline from the LG to a T and each end has a 3/4" sea swirl. By doing this a minimal loss is achieved and I have a simpler design.
Jason, I don´t want you to take my comment in the wrong way, I really like your tank and your plumbing, but there are some things you might take into consideration when going on vacations and leaving your tank alone with those pumps and don´t come back with a flooded floor.
Great tank, hope everything goes great for you, that spider looks amazing and in general everything is a poem to the eye. Just keep in check the heat from MH´s in those PVC returns.
Congrats.
JMHO
Marco
Marco (and Jason for that matter), that is exactly the reason I won't consider anything for my new tank but an Iwaki. For the 6 years I've been doing this stuff, I've heard nothing but "That pump is a Tank"... Some sputtering here and there on American manuf. or the Japanese one's, but regardless, that pump has been unstoppable for nearly everyone who's used one. Many of those people, have had one model or another running continuously for 3-4 years, w/o even stopping the thing to clean it (24/7/365). I don't know of ANY other pump that can claim that kind of run-life. I even heard from one guy who's had one 8 years w/o ever unplugging it! 8 YEARS! Christ man, you can't beat that with a stick!
- Mac
- Mac
Mac, you´re right. And the comments I´ve heard about LG are as good as well. IME LG are a beast, nothing will stop ´em, not even pieces of eggcrate which went into the impeller 8O . LG transfer less heat to the water (a very big Bonus when you have 3 250 MH in your tank) and are very quiet.
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