return pump help

Zoacoral · Jul 6, 2012

I am getting a 36 x 24 x 20 tall reef tank. It has 1 drain, and 2 returns, 1inch drain, and 2-3/4 inch returns, with that said, I will feed my refugium which will be in the same tank as the return pump. The pump will be in the stand directly under the tank. So with that said.What size pump would I need? How much gph?

Clownfish Depot · Jul 6, 2012

Here is a link to FAQ on Water Pumps; Good Luck!!

Water Movement in Aquariums: Water Pumps: General FAQs

Zoacoral · Jul 25, 2012

bump. looking for some suggestions so i can order tonight

Poseidon · Jul 25, 2012

A 1" drain has a max of about 500gph right? If that is the case, I would go with an Eheim 1260.

scooterc268 · Jul 25, 2012

700gph Reef Octopus water blaster.

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mcarroll · Jul 27, 2012

A 1" gravity drain is considered to have about 600 gph maximum flow. You do not want to push it is far, however.

Your tank seems to compute out to about 40 gallons. 2-3 turnovers per hour is plenty to feed your filter/sump.

So, anything that provides 200-400 gph of actual flow (like you measure what comes out of the drain) should be more than adequate.

An Eheim or Tunze return would be a great high-end option, but there's nothing wrong with selecting something like a Mag 5 or 7 either. If something more efficient is a must (i.e. your tank is going to be overheated) then consider a Quiet One 2200.

BTW, you will have to calculate your plumbing's "head loss" in order to select the correct pump, BTW, so we can't suggest anything too specific yet.

Good luck!

-Matt