What return pump to use?

Mohawk man · 05/14/2016, 05:43 PM

Hey so i am new to reefing and im sure this has been asked before but still havent figured this site out yet. So my question is, what return pump should i use? I have a 110 gallon corner flow from marineland . I have a 30 gallon sump. From what i been reading i belive i should go with 1 1/2 pvc for my overflow and a 1" return. Just not sure if the holes drilled in my tank are big enough for the 1 1/2 have not mesured yet. So if i am able to go with that what size return pum should i use?
Thank, rookie

JohnnyHildo · 05/14/2016, 06:43 PM

pumps are personal preference and even though mine has worked fine should my quietone return fail i would gladly run an eheim.
as for proper flow rate i would consider something that can push 1000g/hour. you can scale it back by valving your return line to fine tune it.

GimpyFin · 05/14/2016, 08:07 PM

I have the exact same marineland 110 tank as you. The tank is drilled for 1" bulkheads. I used this and 1" pvc all around. Although, I ditched the black abs/pvc bulkheads that came with the tank overflow plumbing kit and bought some reef octopus 1" schedule 80 ones (They fit in the same size hole.) Way nicer and they have seated o-rings instead of a washer style gasket. Everyone has different opinions on pumps, but I use an Eheim compact 3000+ pump for my return. (I have it dialed down to between 500 and 600 gph and it works great.)

Roy Arena · 05/14/2016, 09:42 PM

I have a 1.5" drain on my 90. My return pump is the eheim compact 5000. You won't go wrong with an eheim pump whichever one you choose.

SALTYwaterDOG · 05/14/2016, 09:47 PM

I recently went DC, I don't know why I didn't do this before. Iove it

T206 · 05/14/2016, 10:21 PM

DC pumps are hands down the best. I have been designing installing and maintaining tanks for years.

Ron Reefman · 05/15/2016, 06:53 AM

I went through a variety of pumps when I started in the hobby. About 2 years ago I switched both my systems (400g and 200g) to Jebao DC pumps. They come in a variety of sizes, they are dead quiet, run very cool (I run one externally for 2 years and it's maybe 5 degrees warmer than the room temp), and they have different speeds as well as a 10 minute feeding timer and soft start up when they come back on. I would never consider an old style AC pump again. Oh, and they aren't very expensive either!

Potatohead · 05/15/2016, 08:29 AM

Either Eheim, Tunze or Sicce IMO. DC is nice if you need it really quiet but the three I listed are pretty quiet already. For your system you'll want something around 500 gph at whatever your head height is, but it's nice to get something a little bigger in case you want to tee a reactor off of it or something like that. You can always scale it back, the Sicce and Tunze pumps are adjustable out of the box already.

Mohawk man · 05/15/2016, 09:10 AM

Thanks every one ! I am going to look at the suggestions every gave and make a descision !

05/14/2016, 05:43 PM	#1
Mohawk man Registered Member Join Date: May 2016 Posts: 18	What return pump to use? Hey so i am new to reefing and im sure this has been asked before but still havent figured this site out yet. So my question is, what return pump should i use? I have a 110 gallon corner flow from marineland . I have a 30 gallon sump. From what i been reading i belive i should go with 1 1/2 pvc for my overflow and a 1" return. Just not sure if the holes drilled in my tank are big enough for the 1 1/2 have not mesured yet. So if i am able to go with that what size return pum should i use? Thank, rookie

05/14/2016, 06:43 PM	#2
JohnnyHildo Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2016 Posts: 669	pumps are personal preference and even though mine has worked fine should my quietone return fail i would gladly run an eheim. as for proper flow rate i would consider something that can push 1000g/hour. you can scale it back by valving your return line to fine tune it. __________________ 120G Standard - 40G Sump. Apex - DOS - ATI Current Tank Info: Acros - Zoas - Palys

05/14/2016, 08:07 PM	#3
GimpyFin Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2016 Location: Portland, OR Posts: 2,032	I have the exact same marineland 110 tank as you. The tank is drilled for 1" bulkheads. I used this and 1" pvc all around. Although, I ditched the black abs/pvc bulkheads that came with the tank overflow plumbing kit and bought some reef octopus 1" schedule 80 ones (They fit in the same size hole.) Way nicer and they have seated o-rings instead of a washer style gasket. Everyone has different opinions on pumps, but I use an Eheim compact 3000+ pump for my return. (I have it dialed down to between 500 and 600 gph and it works great.) __________________ Brian Current Tank Info: 110 gallon

05/14/2016, 10:21 PM	#6
T206 Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2015 Posts: 88	Go with A Reef Octopus Various DC pumps are hands down the best. I have been designing installing and maintaining tanks for years.

05/15/2016, 06:53 AM	#7
Ron Reefman Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Cape Coral, FL Posts: 10,431	I went through a variety of pumps when I started in the hobby. About 2 years ago I switched both my systems (400g and 200g) to Jebao DC pumps. They come in a variety of sizes, they are dead quiet, run very cool (I run one externally for 2 years and it's maybe 5 degrees warmer than the room temp), and they have different speeds as well as a 10 minute feeding timer and soft start up when they come back on. I would never consider an old style AC pump again. Oh, and they aren't very expensive either! __________________ The good thing about science is that it's true whether or not you believe in it. (Neil deGrasse Tyson) Visit my build thread http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2593017

05/14/2016, 09:42 PM	#4
Roy Arena Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2003 Location: Chandler AZ. Posts: 202	I have a 1.5" drain on my 90. My return pump is the eheim compact 5000. You won't go wrong with an eheim pump whichever one you choose.

05/14/2016, 09:47 PM	#5
SALTYwaterDOG Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2015 Location: New Ulm Minnesota Posts: 477	I recently went DC, I don't know why I didn't do this before. Iove it

05/15/2016, 08:29 AM	#8
Potatohead Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2016 Location: Vancouver Posts: 1,596	Either Eheim, Tunze or Sicce IMO. DC is nice if you need it really quiet but the three I listed are pretty quiet already. For your system you'll want something around 500 gph at whatever your head height is, but it's nice to get something a little bigger in case you want to tee a reactor off of it or something like that. You can always scale it back, the Sicce and Tunze pumps are adjustable out of the box already.

05/15/2016, 09:10 AM	#9
Mohawk man Registered Member Join Date: May 2016 Posts: 18	Thanks Thanks every one ! I am going to look at the suggestions every gave and make a descision !