Return pump for 120 gallon

I am looking for sufficent pump for a 120 gallon RR with two overflows and returns. My plan as of now is to do the herbie overflow utilizing two 1" drains Teed together with two 3/4" emergency drains. I have a 40gallon breader for sump/refugium (skimmer/return/refug.) I planned on having two returns piped up the back and over the topof tank. I was looking at several pumps but just am confused with head loss etc. I plan on using submersable pump. Eneim 1262? Water blaster HY5000? Mag12-18? I am upgrading from 55 gallon reef tank now. I have a Quiet one which seem to be performing pretty well but have heard bad performance with them. I would like to upgrade to more tested reliable type pump. I would be splitting the returns with pvc tee and 90's to run two over top lip of tank due to herbie set up. I was thinking of keeping the quiet one to run BRS phosban and carbon reactors and the other pump strictly for return flow. Any help would be appreciated. Starting this build soon and just want to make the right decisions with other peoples experiences on the first round.

Another question is for the herbie overflow. I plan on doing a duel overflow since the tank is rr with two overflows. I plan on increasing the pipe sized just after the bulkheads into lets say 1 1/4" into a 1 1/2 tee below the Tee a 1 1/2 gate valve to control flow. I would like to split the lines for skimmer section and refugiums section of my sump/refugium. How do I accomplish this?? Or should i just run that to my skimmer section and use the separate pump as i listed above that i would use for BRS reactors. For example used the quiet one 300 run 3/4 inch pvc line with three ball valves off that line (1)phosban, (2) carbon, (3)refugium. I thought i was getting experienced at this reef thing and all the curve balls start coming at me. Any advice. Thanks

 

bump

 

The rule of thumb is a return pump that returns 10 times the sump's volume per hour at 4 to 5 foot head.

 

So lets say my sump is 40 gallon. True volume approx. 30-35 after pumps, sand, skimmer. Ten times that would be 300-350 gph, correct. I was thinking 10 times the display ex. 120 gallon =1200 gph?

 

Using the return pump for a circulation device is a waste of energy and creates more heat. It also does not allow the skimmer to be as efficient and can make micro bubble problems in the DT. Use circulation pumps like Koralias instead of the return pump.

 

Thanks 2in10

 

Exactly--water does not to be screaming through the sump. That's what powerheads are for. My DT is 30g and my return pump puts 120gph from the sump into the DT. That's 4x the DT which is plenty.

 

I understand that now. I just trying to balance with head loss and dual returns what would be good pump. Thinking water blaster or eheim, possibly mag. I was thinking return pump in middle section of sump/refugium coming up to tee two 90's like a U to top of tank coming over top and two line locs with nozzles. Not sure though. That would be one Tee and approx. four 90's. Little bit of restriction which can play part in what gph pump i choose. Also was thinking bigger return pump and run the two (carbon, phosban) reactors. Thinking, thinking.

 

I use a mag 18 for my return pump on my 120, it might be a tad bit excessive but it works.

 

Is it just for the return. Or is it pumping reactors, etc. Also do you use herbie method or durso type drains? I am trying to find good method.