Pump Help

okay so im setting up a new 125 reef ready tank..It is 6 feet long..Im going with a 40 gallon sump, and i have two return towers on each side of the tank..Im wanting to go with the Eheim 1262..im wondering if this will be enough flow? Im open to other suggestions on different brand names, sizes etc...Is it better to go bigger?

 

Hello Schrimshaw!

So for your tank I would suggest doing a bit more analysis before you really get your answer. Not knowing the amount of water you are pulling out of your tank form your overflow I would say that this pump is definitely a bit on the low side but not by much. A rule of thumb for your overflow/return is to shoot for around 10x's turn over roughly. Remember that in your sump that you want water to spend a little time in your refuge so that the macro can pull out what it can but you don't want your water sitting there stagnating. As for your full system a rule of thumb, including overflow/return, is to have something from 20 (very low and not overly suggested) to 40x's turnover. This includes your power-heads, overflow/return pump, and any other way you can move your water in the tank.

I made the mistake and I'm only running my return pump at maybe 50% because it can outwork my overflow box. I will be making changes to this when I can afford to do so but my advice to you is to buy an overflow box, or drill so that you can pull water faster than you can return it then use your ball/gate valves to restrict the water from being pulled to fast and flooding your sump.

That's my .02 cents.

 

The 1262 is a perfect return pump for a system your size. 3 to 5x the display volume is a good flow to shoot for so you do not have velocity and microbubble problems in the sump which get carried back to the display. Lower flow is good in this case.

You will want to add additional flows within the display using propeller type powerheads which are extremely efficient and use little power for the amount of water they move. Some brands to consider are Koralia Evolutions ( I use two of the 1400 size myself in my 100G mixed reef), Tunze and Vortech MP series.

 

Brownie my tank is drilled..i have a return and intake on one side the tank and also a return and intake on the other side...


Rat..Ive looked into the Koralia, but ive heard they can be noisy when they crank up..i rreally dont want that..i ordered 4 off brand wavemakers that can push 1350 gal/hr..The Eheim 1262 pumps about 950 gl/hr...what do you think i should try to shoot for? ive been told before that this pump is a little on the low side but i wanted to see what you guuys think

 

The Eheim 1262 or Ocean Runner 3500 are perfect, you DO NOT want high flow or velocity through the sump, one of the worst things you can do.
I have had two Evolutions 1400's for almost 3 years now and have over 2,500,000, yes 2.5 MILLION starts and stops on them and they are not noisy at all. They start and stop every 30 seconds and have done so almost since day one. Its the MP people that bash the Evolutions.