Pump volume advice needed.

Discussion in 'Filters, Pumps, etc..' started by ilikespam, Oct 23, 2011.

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  1. ilikespam

    ilikespam Feather Duster

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    I just got a used 75 gph wet/dry with a 300gph overflow setup and i need to know what size pump i need.Im turning this into a sump/fuge style setup i have removed the bioballs and will not be using them but i will be using filter floss and a overflow filter.Also how far below the water does my overflow inlets need to be.T.i.a.
     
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  3. ilikespam

    ilikespam Feather Duster

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    Will something like this work.
    I know its harborfreight but i can always get the warranty and its close by.
     
  4. AZDesertRat

    AZDesertRat Giant Squid

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    3 to 5x the display tank volume after head loss is a good flow rate for a return pump. Just because the overflow is rated up to 300 GPH doesn't mean thats what you should run.
    What size is your display tank?
    Stick with an aquarium pump rather than Harbor Freight, it could have a low quality metal shaft and may not be suitable for saltwater. Its not worth risking the tank inhabitants over a couple $$ savings on a pump.
     
  5. ilikespam

    ilikespam Feather Duster

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  6. AZDesertRat

    AZDesertRat Giant Squid

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    So you want a pump that will do 200+ GPH at whatever feet of head you end up with, usually around 5 feet of head between the vertical distance between the sump level and the display level plus line and fitting losses.

    I usually slightly oversize my pumps and add a ball valve on the discharge side to throttle or fine tune the flow to match the overflow and sump.

    My suggestions would be something like an Eheim 1250 or 1260 or an Ocean Runner 2500, neither are cheap but they both are top of the line and have good histories.

    Pumps I would stay away from include Mags due to heat , higher than normal power consumption and noise, Quiet Ones for the same reason plus restart problems and fires, Rio Hyperflows due to swelling of the magnets and misalignment of the shaft and Via Aqua for the same reasons.