I've got a basement sump that 2 tanks go into and both fed from a common return pump. I'm approximately 13' from the top of my display tanks to the pump for head pressure. My 20 gal cube sits approximately 18' horizontally from the pump, my 77 gal only about 8'. I'm using a ReefFlo Barracuda pump and I figure I'm pushing close to 1200-1400 gph to my tanks. Most of that I've got directed to the 77 gal using ball valves.
I'm in the process of upgrading my 77 to a 210 which is at least 8' further away and I have no concerns about flow.
I love the pump, no concerns other than a wee bit of vibration that I think I could have avoided had I thought about it when I was running my piping. It also isn't the most efficient pump (power wise), I just bought a power monitor so I'm going to see just how bad it is. I bought 2 DC pumps to replace it on the 210, but now with the power failure of my friends identical pump, I am re-thinking it...
I have no doubt you'll never regret a basement sump. The only thing I do in my main displays is feed and clean the glass. Downstairs I do my water changes, water testing, making RO/DI, clean filter socks, fill Ca reactors, GFO reactors, grow mangroves, make saltwater, keep QT tanks, keep spare equipment, take a time out from my wife (really honey, I need to do a water change)...
keep all the new equipment she doesn't know about, lol and generally keep ALL of the messy parts of owning a tank downstairs away from her eyes.
It allows you to have much more room to store stuff all in one place.