Check valves can clog and cause a world of hurt. Better to go with a union aka ball valve that you can adjust to control flow. Backward flow in your pipes is just not a problem in a typical setup: cut the pump and the water just drains down to the sump, in which you have allowed enough room for that draindown (call in friend to watch below while you control the power) to happen safely. Power-outs will test your tank from time to time, with no problem if you allow that room. Disaster is what happens when a clump of hair algae goes down that pipe and clogs the valve, and THEN you have a powerout. Fish also sometimes get into the downflow and couldn't make it through a checkvalve, but would be recoverable in the sump if you had a ball valve.