Return pump size

aws2266 · Nov 24, 2021

I'm setting up a 120g with a wet/dry filter. Below are pics of the sump. Looking at the Current-USA eflux dc pumps and not sure which one to get. I was thinking the 6009 but I'm still new to this. There will be about 4ft from the return to the overflow connection. Not using hard PVC.

fushi · Nov 24, 2021

aws2266 said:
I'm setting up a 120g with a wet/dry filter. Below are pics of the sump. Looking at the Current-USA eflux dc pumps and not sure which one to get. I was thinking the 6009 but I'm still new to this. There will be about 4ft from the return to the overflow connection. Not using hard PVC.

Personally I would go bigger as the listed gph is usually at 0 head hight, and its easy to turn down a dc pump. It would also be helpful if you could find that pumps gph at 4ft. Other companies will show a graph of hight to gph, so maybe you can find one for current-usa.

DCR · Nov 24, 2021

Based on the sizing chart, I would recommend the 6010 with a 1" return line (vinyl tubing as you prefer). You will probably have 6-8 ft of elevation and friction head and assuming a linear head curve, that would give you about 900-1000 gph at full speed. That should give you about 5X turnover with some turndown on the pump.

jda · Nov 24, 2021

I cannot help with DC pump selection, but 600-700 GPH is fine for that tank. You want enough to keep the tank water oxygenated if you lose the circuit with the flow pumps or otherwise have to live with just the return pump for a bit, but also not too much through the sump. For under tank, I usually find a Laguna, Ehiem or Fluval that is near the flow that I want at 6 feet and then just live with whatever it puts out.