| I took a look at the Blueline and I'm going to say don't use it. Assuming you have a height of 4-5' from the pump to the tank, this will give you a flow rate of ~ 900 gph. This works out to a turnover of 10x the volume of the tank. 10x is usually the minimum recommended flow rate for a reef tank. Also, the 900 gph mark does not account for bends in the plumbing, friction, and any other forces or turbulence. You might end up with only 600 gph in the end. Find a pump that can handle about 1300 at 4' head as a minimum. When you install the plumbing, include a (expensive) gate valve to control the water flow since your overflow box might not be capable of handling the flow.
This may seem like a lot of redundance but in truth, redundancy is key. From my own experience I have gone through a lot of return pumps because they are good at the time but end up being much too small later on. And it is always good to buy something with the expectation of upgrading, especially something like a return pump. Return pumps can always be scaled back if they are too strong at the present but opened wide up for the newer, larger tank. Return pumps are also something you will always need for your tank. |