Mixing Station pump

[callsign4223]

What size pump is appropriate for a saltwater mixing station? The mixing station will be in my garage about 20-30 feet from the tank in my living room on the same floor of the house. I'm looking at doing 20 gallon water changes. Would a 250gph panworld pump with a 10ft head pressure be enough?

I have avoided doing a mixing station like this so far because I thought I would need 200+ for a pump to make it work. I didn't realize you could get external pumps under $100.

 

[Vinny Kreyling]

I think you will be OK because the head pressure is minimal, but would be better with a flow around 500 GPH or more.
Use a hose no smaller than the output of the pump, perhaps up 1 size.

 

[callsign4223]

So something like the panworld 40PX should work good?

 

[cody6766]

I have a small mag drive in mine. I think it's a mag2. Mine sits in a 40g cylinder and serves two purposes. It's hooked to a 1" (ish) hose that I use to fill my tank after draining water into buckets. When I'm mixing water I just loop the hose back into the jug and fire up the pump. It works like a champ. I use an old koralea powerhead just hanging in the jug to keep things moving after the mag2 does the initial heavy mixing.

That sounds more complicated than it is. It's just a 40g cylinder strapped to a dolly with a heater, powerhead, and pump inside. There's a 6' (or more) hose on the pump that either goes into the tank or stays in the bucket. I use a small switched DJ power strip on the handle to turn things on and off, so there's just one cord to plug into the wall.

Pro tip, if you make yours mobile, don't fill the jug to the top. 40g of water is not mobile on a dolly.