Return Pump Recommendation Poll

[ensquire]

Originally Posted by Myka

Is your tank SPS dominant? If you have any LPS or softies you will have to keep the flow on the lower end of the (4500 gph or so) or you will blow the tissue off the fleshy corals. If you just have SPS or almost all SPS look at two Tunze 6105 powerheads. That's what I'm going to put in my tank once all the LPS are out. They are a good fit for a 90 gallon SPS tank. I will also put my Tunze 6055 behind the rocks to provide flow in that area as well. That's about 8300 gph.

One thing to note, turnover calculations have changed since propeller-type powerheads have dominated the market. Since propeller powerheads provide gentler, wider flow patterns we can get much higher turnover than we could with impeller-type powerheads that provide a very direct, jet-like flow pattern.

It will be a mixed tank , I will have to ramp up flow as I add SPS later on.

Originally Posted by Myka

Flow through the sump has nothing to do with what type of corals are kept. As I said above, the purpose of the return pump is to feed the skimmer water to process. The skimmer can only process so much water, so increasing flow through the sump does no good. If you have a grossly over-sized skimmer then increasing the flow through the sump could possibly achieve a bit heavier skimming, but that would be negligible.

Powerheads are for provide flow for the corals and preventing detritus settling. For SPS corals you're looking in the 50-100x turnover range where LPS and softies are happy with 10-25x turnover.

Very well put Mindy. Maybe decide on your skimmer first and then look at the return pump.

[ensquire]

Skimz SM161
http://www.conceptaquatics.ca/index....s/sm121-2.html

[gregzz4]

Looks like a good choice for the $ and a nice footprint. It's even smaller than my SK181 with more air too

[RuGlu6]

My vote is for Eheim or Water Blaster.
http://www.goreef.com/Water-Blaster-Pumps
.
I want my return pump to be silent and reliable and Eheim has proven to be just that. Water Blaster seems to be a good choice but i dont know about reliability though.

[RDNanoGuy]

Ehiem 1260 or 1262. Best submersible pumps you can get.