Problem... Big

ok this was my original plan... http://www.3reef.com/forums/general-reef-topics/new-project-64413.html and it was going really well i bought PVC and finished off the pumps and everything i just needed an HOB overflow and a return pump. Well since my sump is in my closet, a return pump is about $175. i dont know how to tell which pump i need or how to measure what pump i need. I thought i was doing good but its not looking too good now. I would move it out of the closet but i just have no room in my room for a 20 gallon sump. My hopes were high and i really thought i was going to pull this off. Any advice? any pumps on ebay that are cheap? Was all that hard work for nothing?

Please get back to me,
Ryan

 

the smaller the return line the less powerful the pump needs to be, i dont know the distance needed to run the line but i would start by hooking up a maxijet to a 1/4 inch tube(i think 1/4 fits it), and see how far that pumps the water, a maxijet 1200 puts out 300 gph. if that only makes it half way i would do double or triple it to 900 gph.

you may not have the flow rate through the sump you want right now but you can always upgrade it more later.
petsmart has a 800gph pump for 60 dollars.

 

I can't imagine you would need a pump larger than this for a 20 gallon display tank. Although it depends how far away the sump is from the tank and how much plumbing is needed to get the water there.

http://www.bulkreefsupply.com/Plumbing-and-Pumps-Water-Pumps-Ocean-Runner/c14_46_96/p482/Ocean-Runner-OR-2500/product_info.html

I'm only putting less than 10x my display volume through my sump on my new 75 gallon tank. I don't see a lot of benefits to having a lot more flow through the sump than that. I've got 10x my tank volume through my sump right now and I think it's more than enough. That means every 6 minutes your sump is emptied into your display tank, maybe there's something I'm missing.