Return pump plumbing size

dburt520 · Dec 9, 2017

I am not sure if this is the correct section, however I will give it a shot here.

I am getting ready to plumb my new tank (240G) and I am going to use the Varios 8 return pump. They recommend to use 1.25 inch plumbing however the tank is drilled with (2) 3/4 bulkheads to be used for returns. I can reduce it down, no problem, however is it even necessary to start with 1.25? Will I notice a difference if I use 1 inch and then reduce to 3/4 versus using 1 1/4 and reducing it down to 3/4?

If it was straight through I could see where 1 1/4 would be beneficial, but I my thinking is that with the 3/4 bulkheads, its already restricted, so it shouldn't matter what size PVC I use before that.

Thanks
Dave

ca1ore · Dec 9, 2017

The larger pipe will add less friction, regardless of the bulkhead sizes, and add flow. How much I cannot say.

Fin · Dec 9, 2017

I would use the 1¼" pipe up to a 1¼" T and then, using 1¼" to 3/4" reducers on both sides of the T and run the two 3/4" returns from both sides of the T to the bulkheads..

10Seconds · Dec 10, 2017

Can you just get bigger bulkheads? I have my whole 220 plumbed in 1". I would not want to go any smaller and your tank is bigger.

dburt520 · Dec 10, 2017

I requested 3/4 bulkhead holes, so I'm not thinking a 1 inch bulkhead will fit.

I chose 3/4 because my thinking was that I will have to restrict it somewhere if I wanted to use loc line, and I wanted the tank as "clean" as possible, meaning I didn't want to reduce it inside there. Dumb thinking maybe, but it's what I have so I will make it work.