Return pump question

Ok so I plan on running an eshopps overflow box down to a 10 gallon sump/fuge, what size/brand return pump would y'all suggest. I noticed the mag drive md5 pumps 310 gph with 3 ft of head but the eshopps only rates the box at 300gph. I don't want to add any extra length to my return line, mainly bc of room and I don't want it to look tacky (sorry I'm picky). I don't know exactly how many feet my return line will be yet, if I had to guess, probably 3 feet maybe a little less.

 

Question, how big is your main tank?? Also, overflow boxes have a max flow (not taking in affect any bents with hose, 90 & 45 degree fittings).

 

I use the 440ish GPH Maxijet, turned down about halfway with a ball valve, on about 5 feet of head + 2 right elbows, with the same overflow box.

Totally not helpful for you in and of itself, but the idea is that you can use the 310gph Magdrive and use a ball valve on the return line to turn down the flow. They actually recommend doing this in the "Technical Specifications" for the mag drives on foster and smith aquatics. Just don't use the ball valve on the intake to the pump; it has to be on the return line.

 

Make sure you put a valve on the return so you can configure the flow of water of DT to sump and sump to DT. If your pump is more GPH than the overflow box this would be required anyways. That's a close match up though so I would go for it.

 

That pump will work, all you have to do is put a Ball valve on the output so you are able to turn it down slightly in case the overflow box cannot keep up. These are the ones I used, they work better than the one piece style because I found out that the one piece will not close up properly after a couple of months.

 

Display is a 29 gallon. I wonder if home depot carries thoae ball valves...

 

Yes they will. The single union ball valve should work the same as a one piece ball valve. (Plumber here) Just remember if you are using soft vinyl tube that you will want to get some stab fittings to glue into the ball valve.

 

In that case, I'd do what I did for my return instead: buy a ball valve with threads instead of unions, and toss some teflon on a nylon barb NPT fitting. Steel hose clamps work well, since they have no contact with the water, and are much easier to tighten than zip ties.

 

I might wrong about what you are talking about and if I am ignore me. But the one piece valve are tighter in construction and after a few months are almost impossible to close completely and after a year or so forget even getting them to move.

For some reason the union type work much smoother and I have yet to have one lock up on me like the others do. I attribute this to the construction of them, because the union ones have a nut on the ends of the ball that can be adjusted.

I am sure when used in a situation where there is just fresh water running through them this might not happen but we are talking about salt water and there is all kinds of stuff that sticks to the inside of these hoses and valves. I am not a plumber but I have used a boat load of both in others and my setup over the years.

 

I would not use the nylon fittings. There are not for use with potable water in my experience.

gazog, if that has been the case for you, I believe it. Go for the easy union BV then guy!