Cad light 70 gallon return pump,suggestions

[NY_Sea]

with all of the pumps on the market I am having a hard time deciding what would be a reliable return pump for my build. I have never owned a controllable return pump so am not sure if this is the route I would like to go.

This return pump is for a 70 gallon cad lights tank with 25 gallon sump. The return pump the tank comes with is rated at 660 gph and its pumping about 4 feet up.

I would like to incorporate a manifold for a reactor or 2 so I am trying to figure out how much gph I will need.

I have been looking at the reef octopus varios and fluval return pumps but not sure what size I would need.

All other suggestions are welcome.

Help me decide.
Thanks

 

[tdileo]

I would definitely upgrade to a pump that can handle more like 1500 GPH if possible. You lose a lot of power pumping 4 feet. I would guess a 660GPH pump is only doing like 250 at that height, and when you factor in reactors its even slower.

 

[NY_Sea]

Would something around 1000 gph work for return and 1 reactor?
Looking at the varios 4

Any other pump recommendations.

I have always run danner mag drive return pumps because they are workhorses and indestructible.
Looking for something just as reliable

 

[Mal11224]

I have the same tank and quickly upgraded my return pump to a fluval SP4. Works great and flow is awesome. Pump is quiet as well. I run a carbon reactor as well. The pump that they give you is not optimal for the kind of water movement you want to achieve.

 

[NY_Sea]

Thanks. I see the fluval SP 4 is 1822 gph. Do you dial it down with a valve returning to tank?

 

[Salty1962]

I have the same tank and I use a Varios 6 for my return.

 

[Mal11224]

Thanks. I see the fluval SP 4 is 1822 gph. Do you dial it down with a valve returning to tank?

I have it wide open. I like to have strong flow through my sump. Helps with the fuge and reduces detritus settling in the sump.

 

[buckroe07]

I have the same tank and run the older reef octopus DC pump which is the RODC 5500. It's rated at almost 1500 gph. I run it full blast and it also feeds a small brs reactor. Beautiful thing about the DC pump is that you don't have to install a valve. You can simply turn down the speed.
It's been at least 2 years now and no problems.

 

[CJBuckeyes]

I have the same tank and have the vectra M1. It's running my return pump and anything else running off my manifold. Usually just carbon in my media reactor.

The pump is silent and very powerful, I run it at less than 50%. Ecotech just announced a smaller S1 pump, that would probably work great.

 

[NY_Sea]

what do you guys think of a danner mag 9.5 return pump. i have always used this pump and love how reliable they are. i ran my last one for 5 years and barely even cleaned it and it never failed.

think this is sufficient to run as return with one manifold for a carbon reactor?

 

[buckroe07]

Those are awesome pumps. Very reliable and strong water flow. It will be more than enough for a return and to feed one reactor. After switching to an RODC pump, I like it better. Main reason I switched was the wattage to run the danner 9.5 added a lot of heat. Also with the 9.5 I kept having to unplug it feed or do maintenance and when plugged back in, it starts full blast and if your return nozzles in your main tank are above the water level it will splatter water until the level of the water raises above the return nozzles. No big deal, I just like that I can press a button to stop/start my pump and that it slowly ramps up to the speed level set.

 

[Blue Spot Octopus]

Since you are in New York having a pump in the winter would be nice for the free heat to your tank. Maybe in the summer use a DC pump. that is what I do. Best of both worlds.