question about plumbing multiple returns

[Dodgersfan]

Hi everyone,

I'm plumbing my tank right now and I have a question about how to plumb my return. I've got a reef octopus Varios 6 pump, the output is 1 1/4" and I'm plumbing to two 3/4" bulkheads with 3/4" locline nozzles. My LFS said to run 1 1/4" all the way from the pump to the bulkheads (through a T to split it) and reduce right at the bulkheads, but I've got to thinking about that, wouldn't the T where I split from a single 1 1/4" line to two 1 1/4" lines cause a drop in water pressure/return rate? would it be better to reduce to two 3/4" PVC lines at the T so the two pipes still carry roughly the same volume after they split? the T is just below the bottom of the tank, so it would be a bit easier/cheaper to plumb from the T to the returns in 3/4" (and more importantly the tank can sit a bit closer to the wall) is either way better than the other for any reason? am i overthinking this? thanks for the help.

 

[hijinks7]

I run a 120 and have 1.25 out of the pump to a T where it reduces on the other end of the T to 3/4 and works great.

 

[DaveMorris]

I don't think it matters much where the reduction happens. The end result should still be the same. I have reduced the output on a return pump at the pump, at the tee, and at the bulkhead in many different systems and they all had excellent results.