Trying to pick the right return pump

[sphelps]

Originally Posted by ElGuappo

+1
the more flow you can get here means fewer powerheadsd in the tank. at least IMO

+2
I'm also a fan of large turnover, a 75 gallon with that kind of drain can handle a very large turnover without causing problems relating to noise and micro bubbles. The only source of bubble problems would be from the skimmer, if the skimmer releases a lot of micro bubbles a higher flow rate through the sump may cause them to bypass bubble traps/baffles. However proper design and sump layout can avoid this quite easily, and choosing a skimmer which doesn't exhaust a large amount of bubbles is always a good idea. Skimmers which use diffuser plates and have larger diameter bodies typically do better at containing air bubbles.

I'd aim for at least 1000gph turnover, if you can go a little higher and hit a 15x rate at 1125gph even better. However hitting such a number isn't always desirable as typically you need to run larger external pumps which can create more noise. Usually you have to spend quite a bit to get a quiet pump capable of such a flow rate so this whole pump selection may be based on your budget. What is your budget?