Need help with pump recommendation

NabberNate

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Looking for some help. I have my tank plumbed such that my return pump branches off and feeds an AquaC 180 skimmer. I have a 150g tank and 75g sump. I started with a fluval sp6 (3464 gph) and it was too much flow. If I restricted the gate valves on my two returns to get the right flow in the tank I was literally flooding my skimmer box with bubbles and it caused too much vibration. If I opened the gate valves on my returns more to get the skimmer operating well and limit the vibration I then had too much flow in the tank. I have since purchased a jebao dcp 10,000 and the flow to the tank is fine operating at 100% but the skimmer is now underpowered. With this pump however even if I close the gate valves completely to the tank I still can't get enough pressure through the skimmer.

So my question is will a larger dc pump such as jebao 15,000 make much of a difference or does dc not have enough power to create the backpressure and I'm better off getting a right sized ac pump? To that point I was looking at a reeflo 12,000 (3,200 gph) as it was a little smaller than the fluval sp6 but I don't have any experience with this pump. I also do not want to re-plumb the tank I'm aware that is an option too.

My suspicion is the fluval is a very strong pump and even though the reeflo is only 200 gph less I am guessing real world it will work since it's 85w vs 135w.

Thoughts?
 
Outside of Abyzz or Red Dragon DC pumps do NOT like head pressure.
I would find the rating on the skimmer flow & get a specific pump just for that.
If you wanted a DC pump there oversize it. I hear good things about Varios.
 

IF YOU HAD TO TAKE A REEFING EXAM, WOULD YOU PASS?

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