Do I Need External Pump For 180g?

[wiselyy73]

Any internal pumps can handle that kind of flow for SPS dominant tank? How loud can external pumps be?

 

[rossco]

My 210 does just fine with an Eheim 1262 for the return.

Flow in my tank is generated by multiple Vortechs.

 

[ca1ore]

Assuming you're not dealing with silly head pressures, there are a bewildering array of submersible pumps that will do the job.

 

[WWIII]

As Calore posted, there are plenty of internal pumps that will work with a sump under the stand. If your sump is remote or in the basement, then that list gets fairly short. Most external only pumps are a bit on the loud side, depending of course on your definition of loud.

 

[Reefinmike]

I would be perfectly happy with a pump as small as 500gph(after head pressure loss) returning to a 180 gallon. There really isnt a need for a ton of flow through a sump. That just creates more noise, higher electric bills, more heat in the water and microbubbles from drains/skimmer are harder to keep out of the display. Plenty of internal pumps to chose from! I personally wouldn't want more than 1,000gph running through a 180 without a monstrous sump and baffle system/microbubble solution. Use auxilary powerheads such as koralias, vortechs, gyre etc to create low power broad random flow patterns for your sps coral, not a giant return pump.

 

[wiselyy73]

It will be under tank sump within crazy head pressure.