Return Pumps

Return pumps push water from a sump back up into the display and run continuously, so quiet operation and reliability matter as much as raw output. Current stock includes Lifegard Quiet One pumps and the Seachem Impulse.

Two numbers

Flow rate is the first, usually chosen so the display turns over several times an hour, though a much higher figure is not automatically better since an overflow can only drain so fast. Head height is the second and the one most often overlooked: every vertical foot from sump to return nozzle, plus every elbow, cuts into the pump's rated output. Check the flow at your actual height rather than at zero.

These are bought with union fittings, hose and a valve for throttling.

Valves to pair with one are in Reef PVC Valves.