Intake/Outflow Manifold-type Plumbing

1. Is it easier for a pump to push or pull water?

Depends where the pump is located, most pumps are designed to push water against gravity.

2. Larger diameter to reduce resistance.

Increasing the diameter may be beneficial on the intake if its flowing with gravity but has the opposite affect on the output if the output is going against gravity. You need to calculate for the extra weight/volume of more water that the pump has to push against height is a big factor here also. A pump can only push as much water through the pipe as there is room. Smaller creates the same problem of head pressure on the pump, you need to find that sweet spot. I'm sure there are calculators out there for this.

3. Circular flow

Only my opinion here but flow is flow and as long as its not creating dead spots your good. lots of factors involved like scape design, rocks and ornaments etc. all of which have the potential to create dead spots.

4. multiple pumps to 1 pipe.

Depends on pumps, head pressure, piping size etc. But what you stated makes sense to me.

To much math for me.

Dan

Dman911 said:

1. Is it easier for a pump to push or pull water?<br />
<br />
Depends where the pump is located, most pumps are designed to push water against gravity.<br />
<br />
2. Larger diameter to reduce resistance.<br />
<br />
Increasing the diameter may be beneficial on the intake if its flowing with gravity but has the opposite affect on the output if the output is going against gravity. You need to calculate for the extra weight/volume of more water that the pump has to push against height is a big factor here also. A pump can only push as much water through the pipe as there is room. Smaller creates the same problem of head pressure on the pump, you need to find that sweet spot. I'm sure there are calculators out there for this.<br />
<br />
3. Circular flow<br />
<br />
Only my opinion here but flow is flow and as long as its not creating dead spots your good. lots of factors involved like scape design, rocks and ornaments etc. all of which have the potential to create dead spots.<br />
<br />
4. multiple pumps to 1 pipe.<br />
<br />
Depends on pumps, head pressure, piping size etc. But what you stated makes sense to me.<br />
<br />
To much math for me.<br />
<br />
Dan

Click to expand...

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1: As for the application, I was thinking about powerheads used with piping within the tank to move the water from end to end, either pulling or pushing, depending upon which was more efficient.<br />
<br />
2: In the same application described above, the water would be moving horizontally, so weight shouldn't be a factor. Incidentally, I had thought about using the principle you mentioned to help overcome the resistance of long piping on the intake side of the filter (below the aquarium) by using a 6" diameter PVC pipe placed vertically beside the aquarium, with reducers at the bottom to bring the size down to match the filter intake. I'm not sure how that would work, but I'm thinking that the column would have to be open or vented at the top (think extra-large overflow with syphons from the aquarium) to benefit from the atmospheric pressure/water's weight. But then, when I think about extending that "assumed principle" to eliminating the filter pump altogether, it becomes something of a perpetual motion machine, which, of course, is said to be "impossible". Hmmm. Needs some practical experimentation.<br />
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3: Flow direction: The 'scape I have in mind would lend itself to opposing flow directions​ on each long side.<br />
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4: Yeah, I think so, too.<br />
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Thanks for your thoughts. Maybe some of the engineering and math​ gurus will chime in with some facts, principles or equations.<br />
<br />
Olskule