How many people use 2 return pumps?

My project for today was plumbing in a second return pump on my 180. I went over the back and just used some silicone tubing. My reason for adding the second pump is insurance just in case the other pump fails. I am gearing up to be working out of town again more frequently (it seems every 2 years or so this happens) and I want to make sure my tank could survive for a week if something happens and I am out of town. My dh could probably replace a power head, but he really doesn’t know my tank well and the less he has to do the better.

Anyway I split the amount of flow between the two pumps This little project made me realize just how much the flow through my sump had slowed down and I probably need to clean my other return pump, I was pulling 30 watts with one pump and now I am pulling 58 watts with 2.
Next project research automatic fish feeders. The obvious choice would be the Apex one, but it doesn’t get very good reviews.

I bought the eheim automatic fish feeder and I haven’t had any problems with it.

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I’m a big fan of redundancy. Haven’t ever tried two return pumps though.

It would be awesome if you used 2 DC pumps and rigged up a sensor that automatically adjusted the flow rate of them to maintain a certain level or flow rate. Then if one failed it would adjust to compensate.

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Having 2 pumps is ideal but also depending on costs. I would hate to have to buy another cor20 but maybe have another cheaper pump that you pre-plumb incase of a failure or swap out as needed or during maintenance of the main pump.

Apex fish feeder for me have been good as long as you get a good one. I have 2 and only had 1 that wouldn’t go fully back in the unit but it still worked I did however eventually get it swapped out.
Only pita I found with the feeders was programming my return pumps to turn off or turn down at all feeding intervals. I wish they offered a easier setup to this when running a apex pump and apex feeders so that in the feeders feed mode programming it just had a setting to turn it to 1% and slowly ramp back kind of like a defer 0:05 when feeder on then ramp 1%- 51% over 5 minutes.

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This exactly what I am going for “redundancy”! I had the pump new in the box as a backup, but I have been reading on the forums and see that many people are using 2 pumps. I have mine plumbed totally separate so if one pump fails the other will still keep the water flowing through the sump. It will of course be at a slower rate, but should keep things fine enough until I can fix the issue with the other pump.

I have no idea if what you suggest is possible, but I am using two dc pumps.

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Thanks. I’ll check that one out.

Here is a thought I just came up with easy way to plumb both into the manifold and have it so all you have to do is turn your secondary pump on. Add a wyre check valve above both pumps so if one does you just shut it off and the valve will keep the other pump from back feeding through it. Less to put on someone else’s plate if you’re not around

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You bring up point that I did not consider, if one of the pumps fail it will backflow water from the tank. I need to install check valves in each line. I didn’t plumb the pumps on the same lines with a manifold. I just added the second pump and ran the tubing over the back of the tank. I did increase the flow through the sump by quite a bit, but I think it needed the flow.