20 Long AIO pump and powerhead

[starypotter]

Hi everyone,
I just DIYed an AIO 20 long to have as a coral and invert QT/frag tank and I'm wondering what size pump I should get. I've got a single 1/2" loc line return. What size pump should I be putting on it, and do you think I'll need a powerhead of some sort?

ps- please don't hurt my wallet ;Hurting I'm looking at several ones on petco in the $15-$25 range and I'm wondering how many GPH would cut it. I don't plan on any SPS, mostly softies and LPS.

 

[mta_morrow]

Hi everyone,
I just DIYed an AIO 20 long to have as a coral and invert QT/frag tank and I'm wondering what size pump I should get. I've got a single 1/2" loc line return. What size pump should I be putting on it, and do you think I'll need a powerhead of some sort?

ps- please don't hurt my wallet ;Hurting I'm looking at several ones on petco in the $15-$25 range and I'm wondering how many GPH would cut it. I don't plan on any SPS, mostly softies and LPS.

I personally use enough flow to make my heater happy. For your purpose 100 Gpm should be just fine as I never followed the 10X “rule”. With no fish, your really not moving much waste to your filtration.

I would spend more on the power head as your corals will be happier.

Everyone will have different opinions on this question and ther will really be no right or wrong answer.

Follow your wallet on this one!

 

[starypotter]

I personally use enough flow to make my heater happy. For your purpose 100 Gpm should be just fine as I never followed the 10X “rule”. With no fish, your really not moving much waste to your filtration.

I would spend more on the power head as your corals will be happier.

Everyone will have different opinions on this question and ther will really be no right or wrong answer.

Follow your wallet on this one!

I like to follow my wallet but I think I'd need a GPS to find it at this point. Maybe I'll just do two tiny ones, I've seen some tiny ones online gotta look into them see if the size matches the money.

 

[saltyfilmfolks]

You’ll want I think 600-1200 GPH for the return pump. A koralia 240 or even a 420 would be perfect for that tank.
The sun sun Wavemakers on amazon and eBay are marked 500 gph and like $6 each.or $15 for a pair. But one may be a 600 and the other a 300. Lol.

A used maxi jet (600 800 900 1200) is prettty common cheap used and would work for the return.

The eBay dc 600 gph are under 20 I think. I use the tiny 200gph ones for ato and picos. My cats drinking bowl uses one too. Those are $3 each if you buy 3 or 4 on eBay.

The jeabo variable dc 1200 gph I have is $40 New And Sweet.

 

[starypotter]

I've got some of the Sun Sun 530s and it just seems so aggressive in my ten gallon I couldn't imagine it would make much difference with the little bit of added length? I think I have 1 extra laying around, I also have the 800 ones that I mostly just use for mixing water and for decorative clutter. Maybe I just really under estimate how much flow is really needed. I'm guessing eBay must be trustworthy for these things since this isn't the first mention I've seen for eBay. I know some of it is a bit fishy ;Hilarious and uh... if I want 600-1200 for my 20 long then I think I seriously miscalculated the pump for my 75... it's a QuietOne Pro 4000 which is 1022 GPH. I did notice it's rather weak out of the split loc line but didn't think much of it. It's reef ready and the overflow is rated 600 GPH... maybe I miscalculated my head...

 

[Instigate]

The Jebao pp-4 is great for that size tank, I have one in a 10 gallon and it's almost too much on the lowest setting. I would not recommend the sunsun wavemakers, I got 4 of the 800 gph units when I first set up my tank. One just stopped working after a couple months(cleaning and rebuilding did nothing) and two started leaking voltage(or possibly just always leaked voltage). So the remaining one I use to mix salt. As for a return I would also recommend a MJ1200 or 900.

 

[starypotter]

The Jebao pp-4 is great for that size tank, I have one in a 10 gallon and it's almost too much on the lowest setting. I would not recommend the sunsun wavemakers, I got 4 of the 800 gph units when I first set up my tank. One just stopped working after a couple months(cleaning and rebuilding did nothing) and two started leaking voltage(or possibly just always leaked voltage). So the remaining one I use to mix salt. As for a return I would also recommend a MJ1200 or 900.

Thanks! The wave makers are cheap enough so that if I at least get a short time from them that's good. Won't be too pleased about having to buy more expensive ones after though. I hope mine last me a bit longer at least.
I'll research the Jebao pp-4 and the MJ ones. Thanks for the input, there's just so so many it's hard to know where to start!