pump for my 500 gallon (96 x 40 x 30) aquarium sump

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Denzx12

Feeder Fish
MFK Member
Dec 29, 2022
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Hello,

I plan on buying a sump ( 72" x 24" x 18" ) and a 500 gallon aquarium (freshwater). The tank has 2 overflows with 1" drain and 3/4" Return per overflow. Iv'e been looking into pumps and im not sure which one to buy, I checked out some videos and they said the pump should at min pull 5x the tank so 2500 GPH. Can anyone recommend me some pumps? Thanks
 
I use one Ecotech Vectra L1 pump 3100gph on my 450gal (96x36x30) w/100gal sump but I leave it turned down to 80% which is right around 2500gph. I just ordered a 750gal (112x48x30) and two Vectra L2 pumps (new model) to run it. IMO you can't go wrong with the Ecotech pumps, but I'm sure there are less expensive pumps that could also work.
 
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Not a pump brand/model recommendation, but a reminder that your limiting factor will be those one inch overflow pipes, quite small for a 500 gallon tank. I just checked a few flow calculators online and all show a gravity/low pressure flow of around 950gph for a one inch PVC pipe. Unless you can set up our overflows so that you have both in full siphon, such as a double herbie or bean animal, you will not be able to handle the 2500gph you want.
 
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If possible
I would patch the 1” overflow hole and re drill for 1.5” plumbing

I’m a big fan of the Sicce pumps
I must have 25 of them running at the moment
 
Sassafras said:
Not a pump brand/model recommendation, but a reminder that your limiting factor will be those one inch overflow pipes, quite small for a 500 gallon tank. I just checked a few flow calculators online and all show a gravity/low pressure flow of around 950gph for a one inch PVC pipe. Unless you can set up our overflows so that you have both in full siphon, such as a double herbie or bean animal, you will not be able to handle the 2500gph you want.
Click to expand...
Even though each overflow has (2) 1" drain? should I bump up the 2 drains to 1.5" which changes the total of (4) 1" drain to (4) 1.5 drains? will I need to increase the size of the (2) total returns too then?
 
puffers4puffers said:
If possible
I would patch the 1” overflow hole and re drill for 1.5” plumbing

I’m a big fan of the Sicce pumps
I must have 25 of them running at the moment
Click to expand...
what about the size of the returns are the (2) 3/4" returns sufficient for the (4) 1.5 drains?
 
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