Pump Size Calculation

eame0002

Murray wrote:

If there is a down side to Aquaponics it is the fact that one has to have a pump or two to make it work. (pity) I am now running a 700 watt x 15,000 lph in my fish tank, but it is throttled back a fair bit. Assuming it is going at 3/4 power burn and using Steves calcs it is going to cost 675.00 per year to run in continuous flow, but it only runs for 3 minutes every 30 minutes, so it is only going to cost approx 67.50 per year to run.
Then there is the sump pump, which is a 280 watt pump. It runs more often so I guess it is going to burn 30.00 per year.
Total running cost = about 100.00 per year
\

By that, would I be better off having a header tank which I use a good pump to fill quickly and then use that to provide the continous flow NFT. That way the pump would only be on to fill the overhead tank, rathe rthan ticking over 24/7. I've worked out I need a couple of litres per minute per NFT pipe, and of course I have to cope with the extra head caused by pushing water through my bead filters and up into the feeder/header tank....

eame0002

EllKayBee wrote:

E2 - I run continuous flow 38w pump (24/7):
noise factor - zero, I can be ~ metre from the pump and not hear it over the background noise (and before anyone asks - I don't wear a hearing aid :tongue5:

)

running costs - pretty low, there was some figures thrown up to calculate cost but not sure where it is.

I was at Murray's place and I think he has 8,000lph pump running on a timer and that had very little noise also

How much water does the pump manage to shift an hour, and how many water changes does that equal for your setup?

EllKayBee

It is rated @ 2,000lph but does 800 - 900lph (metre head) and the fish tank is 200l so 4, reason is I need 400lph/GB for the auto-siphon to work (40mm pipe size).

Ell

Food&Fish

Hi all heres one I need an answer for I have a 1 k/w pump running 37 minutes in24 hrs how much does it cost

EllKayBee

Quote:

...how much does it cost

How much did you pay? :bounce:

Food&Fish

HI el you know me nothing got it from the recycling center the part i could work out is it pumps 25.000 litre a h/r

EllKayBee

That's ok then :wink:

working off Steve's figures of 12cents per kilowatt hour

costs you 12c/hr @ 37 mins/day
7.4 cents/day
51.8 cents/week
$27/year

cheaper than mine full time :lol:

Food&Fish

Thanks for that its just a swiming pool pump seems to be working ok its keeping the fish tanks clean plants seem to be growing all in all the system is working ok

King Erik the 14th

Murray have you trialled those Italian pumps yet? The blokes at Creative Pumps just tried to sell me an Easy Jet 5000.

Speaking of running costs, if you go to their web site they've worked it out for you
http://www.creativepumps.com.au/Pumps/p ... _pumps.htm

Murray

King,
Yes I have been running them now for a month , a 800 lph one in the sump for water return to the fish tank and a 15,000 lph one from fish tank to grow beds. Running well
Murray

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Pump Size Calculation

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A place to discuss aquaponics