Choosing a sump return.

Never had a sump and need help choosing a return pump. Tank will be a 90gall RR with the durso standpipe and sump prob somehere around th 20-30gal glass tank size. Want the sump return section, an equipment section, and an area for some live rock and maybe algae down the road.

What size pump should I look for? To much flow I feel like would be bad for a refugium but too little is obviously not good either since the heater and filtration will all be down in the sump.

Looking at the hydor models thats is rated 740gph
http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod_display.cfm?c=3578 4587 21413&pcatid=21413

or the Ehiem, hate to spend the extra cash but if its worth it Id do it
http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod_display.cfm?c=3578 4587 4604&pcatid=4604

This is something I do not mind upgrading at a later date sicne having a spare return pump is probably a pretty good idea!! Can always use a spare for water changes to make life easier as well!

 

Hmm antoehr possibiltiy seems to be the Mag drive 9.5 or 12. Im kinda leaning to getting the Mag drive 12 and having enough flow to divert for any future reactors I may add

 

Mags are known for being.................loud sometimes.

I'd go with one of the Jabeo DC pumps, bigger than you need- and run it on a lower setting instead of choking it off with a valve.
Inexspensive- and bascially silent too, and DC powered too

 

Are you limited by room for your sump? If not, I'd suggest a bigger one considering what you want to put in it.

 

I have had success with Mag drives for years. The knock on them has always been the noise, but for me that has not been a huge issue. They also seem to generate a bit of heat. That also has not been an issue for me, to the point that my heaters never ran! I have run my current 60 gal without a heater at all and my temp has been rock steady at 78 deg which i attribute to the pump. If you want complete silence, Id listen to Todd.

 

Hmm yea summer heat can be an issue and I do not want noise!! Magdrive is ruled out thanks for the help with that!! Still contemplating the hydor though seems to be a good cheap little pump!

 

I would go with an Ehiem or a Fluval SP2, I have an SP4 powering my skimmer and it is as quiet as any DC pump
http://www.marinedepot.com/Fluval_S...Aquarium_Pumps-Hagen-HG14335-FIWPSBFT-vi.html

 

So I went in a completed different direction and went with the Waveline DC-6000.

http://www.saltysupply.com/Waveline-DC6000-Internal-External-Pump-w-Controlle-p/h2o1169.htm

At $150 it is cheaper then the eheims and has a max flow of 1585 not accounting for headloss. I believe my overflow can only handle 800gph so even with headloss this pump should cover my capabilites 100%. It is controllable with the output via a controller and even has the ability to connect to an apex or neptune if I chose to get one someday. I went with Waveline over Jabeo since the Jabeo is a knockoff of the gen1 wavelines that had a few minor issues and the Waveline will be a gen 2 pump.

 

That's pretty exciting. A sump that can be controlled by a controller is really interesting. If it wouldn't mess with the ATO, I would be tempted to vary speeds during the day. But I am not sure how you could get around that issue. Congrats all the same. Is your sump plumbed for an external pump?

 

I have never used an ATO before but probably will get one on this setup. Please excuse my lack of information on how the ATO works but why wouldnt you be able to vary the speed of the return pump without affecting the ATO? My thought is t he only chamber in a sump that should vary water height would be the return chamber so that is where you would place an ATO? Even so, no matter what speed you choose shouldnt the water level remain the same as the height in the DT is controlled by the overflow box level and the other areas of the sump by the baffles?

Regardless, I am more excited abotu the abiltiy to control speeds using the pump instead of a ball valve and having the ability to crank it up if/as I add more equipment. My thinking is I would have 1 return pump that will supply the return to the tank as well as split off to reactors and what not. The pump can be moutned externally but unless heat would become an issue I would like to keep it submerged as I feel like less worry about leaks with that being the case.