Pumps in a 55 gal

I am having trouble finding a calculator to figure out my pump size and gph in a 55 gal. tank. I'm thinking 4 pumps, #1 on my aqua ev 120 skimmer and they reconmend a mag 5, #2 to return the water to the main tank from the sump, and #3&4 to circulate the tank "ie power heads like maxi-jet" I have heard I need to move 10 to 20 times the tank size in a hour, so that will be 550 gal. or 1100 gals. I will have a distance of 3 to 4 feet between the tank and the refug/sump below. The water will exit the main tank through a overflow in order to get to the refug/sump. I have been planning on using 1" pvc pipe to plumb with. The skimmer instructions say to work right no smaller then a mag 5 or rio 2100, but that is only 500 gph. where does the the" tank circulation" come from? the return pump or others. My thinking is I am returning, lets say 1100 gph and using a 500 gph skimmer pump. my skimmed water will not keep up with my returned water therefore draining the retun sump dry before the skimmer can dump into it. or does the phase I have been reading mean just the circulation pumps in the tank circulate the 10 to 20 times a hour. I hope I did not confuse everyone, because after writing this tread I am more confused, thanks.

 

Ok, for tank circulation think powerheads, seio pumps, or my favorite Hydor Koralia pumps. The Koralis pumps give a very broad area of circulation and tons of flow for the dollar. That's where your 10 - 20 - 40 times circulation comes from.

For your skimmer, it's easy. Get a Mag 5. Your skimmer is probably intended for in the sump operation so water goes from the sump through the skimmer and back into the sump.

Your return pump is intended to move water from the sump back into the tank. Water will drain from the overflow into the sump at the same rate that the the return pump pushes it into the tank. Here is a head loss calculotor to help with your return pump selection;

Reef Central Online Community

Having said all this let me finish by say in that if it were my tank, I'd use a Mag 5 for the skimmer, another Mag 5 for the return pump, and 2 Hydor Koralia pump #3s for circulation.

Hope this helps some.

 

A Mag 7 will do fine but I'd go with the Mag 9.5 the type of overflow you use determines the pump size . I have friends and customers that use both of these pumps on their 55 and all work great.