Return pump on a 55?

[joebob7]

what GPH would you recommend for a 55 gallon tank returning from the sump?
the sump should only be a few inches under the tank

 

[wangotango]

How much are you draining? You want the return pump to match what the tank is draining after head loss.
My tank is reef-ready, and drains 600gph. My return pump is in my sump and pumps 700gph at 0' head.
-Justin

 

[justin podolan]

I have a over flow on the back of my 55 it has a 1 in. u tube i think?
My return pump runs 650 gph.

 

[joebob7]

I will get the tank in a few weeks and just want to know what kind of pump to buy. Is there a way to figure out what my head loss is? and a 1" tube drains about 600-650?
Thanks for the help

 

[scsinet]

I don't like to run drain systems at or near 100%. IMO it's risky. Besides, you only need enough flow from your return pump to serve the needs of your filtration system. You then add additional flow using powerheads.
So how much flow you need depends on your filtration setup. You can look at your skimmer's flow requirements (usually available from the manufacturer), look at how much flow you want in your fuge, etc, and get your desired flow to meet those specs.
A 1" u tube overflow with a 1" drain bulkhead should be able to handle about 600GPH max. So I'd use a Mag 7 or similar with a ball valve on the output to throttle it back if necessary.