Help me pick a return pump!

[tyler91913]

I posted this on the nano forum, but figured this might be a more appropriate place to ask--

I'm setting up a 30 gallon tank with the glass-holes 700 gph overflow kit going into a 10 gallon sump. For the return I've got a 3/4" SCWD. For flow in the DT, I'm planning to go with a single MP10.

I'm looking for return pump ideas. I don't want to go crazy with flow in my tank (no need for 900 gph going through a 10 gal sump!). I've been looking at the Eheim 1250, but wonder if that might be too little flow when diluted through the SCWD.

What are your thoughts? What are others using on similarly sized tanks? Low noise and low heat transfer are very important to me. Thanks!

 

[Tank2379]

Tunze would probabaly a good Choice rated for 600 plus GPH

 

[viggen]

in a 30g tank you only need 2-5x's a hour of actual flow so anywhere from 60 gph to 150gph is all you need. Like mentioned to much flow your sump can't keep up which will result in lots of microbubbles.

I am not really sure what pump to suggest, there are lots of great ones out there. I have been doing some searching for a feed pump on my skimmer & saw a nice video on aquarium specialties website with the new sicce pumps, I can't remember their name. They compare the sicce to a mag5 (which I have always thought were noisy) with a db meter & there is quite a difference. I am leaning towards a sicce for that reason....

the SCWD's do create a lot of head pressure. I would personally pass on that idea & get a ocean motions squirt. Costs about 2x's the price but doesn't restrict flow & is a awesome product.

 

[Tank2379]

HA! I didn't even realize the size tank.... Ugh.. Is this thing on!!!??? Yeah 30G tank you don't need that much flow going thru it-

 

[chuckreef]

The 1250 is a good choice.

 

[RattlerSkin]

I have an eheim 1260 on my 60G tank with a ~20G sump and I love the flow I get out of it. Not too much, not too little. I would say the 1250 would be good for your tank; you could always add a ball valve on the return side to throttle it a little, if you deem it necessary to slow down the flow through the sump.

 

[lighthouze08]

i have the 1250 on my 20 gallon, i would recommend the 1260 for extra flow, the eheim is well worth it

 

[A_Z]

eheim or sicce are my favorites

 

[Bababooy]

Tunze silence. Quieter than my eheims and adjustable flow. Never any restart issues either.

 

[SoLiD]

A Tunze Silence 1073.050 is what I use on my 40G Breeder.

 

[tyler91913]

thanks for all the suggestions guys--i'm going with the 1073.020.

 

[SoLiD]

You won't be disappointed with Tunze Silence Pumps. You'll also be surprised how small they are for the amount of water they push. Keep into account that the normal head pressure (about 4.5 ft.) on most reef set ups cut non pressure rated pumps flow in half before they enter your aquarium. Thus a pump rated at 900GPH at 0 ft., will be entering at around 450GPH after a 4 1/2 ft of head pressure.

 

[AD87]

David are the Tunze Silence pumps pressure rated?

 

[SoLiD]

No, I'm pretty sure that Tunze Silence Pumps are "Not" pressure rated pumps. Otherwise they would state it on the specs given on Tunze's website. Pressure rated pumps can reach higher head pressures that volume rated pumps can't.

P.S. You can always check with Roger in the Tunze Forum.