Which return pump?

[Ben]

I have a 4x2x2 120g with dual corner overflows and returns. I haven't built my sump yet but I have about 46" width in the stand to work with. I had purchased a Reeflo blowhole 1100 to push an ETS downdraft skimmer and an Eheim 1262 I had intended for the return pump. For space reasons I have decided to sell the ETS downdraft skimmer and go with an in-sump cone skimmer instead.

So the question is: Do I use the blowhole 1100 for my return pump and sell the Eheim 1262 or stick with the Eheim?

I think either should provide enough flow so the considerations are plumbing, sound level, and waste heat transferred into the water.

 

[FatWrasse]

Mag 12

~introducing fish and coral into a electronically balanced body of water since 2007~

 

[mtraylor]

@Ben Runnels wrote:

Personally since you have decided to go with internal pumps. If your Eheim pump is used and you have had it for a while, I would stick with the eheim. Can you return the blowhole, or are you just going to sell on market. If you can return it, I would go that route on the blowhole. Only reason I say this, is so you can get some money back for the skimmer. Great decision on the skimmer! The downdraft skimmer is ancient and costly to run. Your new skimmer will have a ~40 watt pump on it.

Really you cant go wrong on either pump. If you plan on keeping them both, I would go with the blowhole for the tank and keep the eheim backup. That's only for the flow. No other reason. The Ehiem is a tank! Plug it up and forget it pump. I don't know much about the internal reeflo's, but it it is as good as their external pumps...YOu problably have the best internal pumps on the market. I would rank eheim #1 only because I have experience with that pump.

 

[Ben]

Well actually , the reeflo blowhole is an external pump but ultra quiet and small footprint. I bought Marco's used sump and it's about an inch too wide to mount the blowhole external so the Eheim 1262 will be used for my return pump. I'll throw the blowhole up on the forsale forum shortly because I bought it about a year ago and even though I've never used it I doubt the supplier would take it back. I'm also going to need to sell my 2 skimmate lockers because they won't fit under the stand with the new sump either. If it was just 17" wide instead of 18" wide everything would fit perfectly.