Guidelines for a new pump

[Coral Commander]

I need to get a new pump for my 55 gallon tank so I am looking into getting a Eheim pump since from all the reviews I have seen, they are said to be about the best on the market and are very reliable. This being said, what size pump should I get as far as the GPH rating? Right now I am looking at a 800 GPH pump. I want to make sure that I have a large enough pump so that I can maintain adequate water flow. Are there any guidelines when selecting a pump for a given tank size?

 

[dcantucson]

I think the ratio is 10 times your tank size at least. So 550 minimum. Someone else will say for sure.

 

[dskirtech]

Thats the "golden rule" i have heard... dont know much about the brand, but if it gets good reviews, then it must be ok!

 

[Bifferwine]

I have used an Eheim for years, and it has worked great. It's quiet, doesn't heat up and hasn't broken yet.

 

[yote]

I can never remember the specs on how many GPH plumbing can handle,so dont quote me on this,but I think that a 1" drain can only handle around 600GPH.
Besides,you want the flow through the sump to be slow enough to allow the skimmer and fuge (if used ) to do their jobs.So 10X or even a bit less is plenty.
You'll just either have to use powerheads or a closed loop system to make up the difference in the tank.

 

[bjohanson1234]

Also, there should be a Flow Vs Height chart some where on the website for the pump. If it is lifting water 5 feet it will move less water than if it is only lifting the water 3 feet. So the 800 GPH pump might only be pumping 500 GPH if you have it under neath the tank. Those are just random numbers so dont quote me on that. It is just to show you how the height of the water column will effect the pump output.

I have been using a Mag 5 in a closed loop for over a year now and the thing is very quiet. Barley any heat also.

Brian