Got some real objective data on my setup for comparison. 5 gallon bucket test, reruns all within a second of each other.
First run, 1800 mag drive ran as a sump pump through my dirty sand filter and out the top of my tank.
Second run, 20-30 gallon backflush which put the pressure in my filter right in the middle of where it usually runs. Gained 83 gph
Third run, inlet hose disconnected from sand filter(flow minus the head loss from the filter and return to top of tank). Gained an additional 172 gph.
Fourth run, same as above but after I cleaned the pump/impeller for the first time ever. Gained an additional 238 gph.
As you can see in this flow chart the slope for the 1800 is almost perfectly liner, which means the differences in gph equal the same head loss/gain at all head heights. This pump was perfect bc it takes that variable out of the equation, otherwise these numbers wouldn't mean the same without trying to setup the system at different head heights and then you would have to try to replicate how dirty the filter was, etc...
Interpret how you want.
I'm going to keep my filter filled with sand and continue to use a low pressure efficient pump but im going to clean it more often, also I'm going to shorten the hoses(using 3 ft from my pump to filter snaked over the side of my sump).
The past week or so I temporarily plumbed this system in line which does help counter the head loss which I liked but now I'm going back to running it as a sump pump bc I like the simplicity/efficiency of running one pump plus having a sump, being able to sleep at night knowing that my hole tank can't be drained in minutes, etc...I did hook it back up in line after the bucket testing and there was so much flow that the overflow couldn't keep up like before.
First run, 1800 mag drive ran as a sump pump through my dirty sand filter and out the top of my tank.
Second run, 20-30 gallon backflush which put the pressure in my filter right in the middle of where it usually runs. Gained 83 gph
Third run, inlet hose disconnected from sand filter(flow minus the head loss from the filter and return to top of tank). Gained an additional 172 gph.
Fourth run, same as above but after I cleaned the pump/impeller for the first time ever. Gained an additional 238 gph.
As you can see in this flow chart the slope for the 1800 is almost perfectly liner, which means the differences in gph equal the same head loss/gain at all head heights. This pump was perfect bc it takes that variable out of the equation, otherwise these numbers wouldn't mean the same without trying to setup the system at different head heights and then you would have to try to replicate how dirty the filter was, etc...
Interpret how you want.
I'm going to keep my filter filled with sand and continue to use a low pressure efficient pump but im going to clean it more often, also I'm going to shorten the hoses(using 3 ft from my pump to filter snaked over the side of my sump).
The past week or so I temporarily plumbed this system in line which does help counter the head loss which I liked but now I'm going back to running it as a sump pump bc I like the simplicity/efficiency of running one pump plus having a sump, being able to sleep at night knowing that my hole tank can't be drained in minutes, etc...I did hook it back up in line after the bucket testing and there was so much flow that the overflow couldn't keep up like before.
