Sump Flow?!

I have finally decided in my conversioin to a marine tank that a sump is going too be the right way to go. However, I'm unsure as to what direction to go as far as location and size of overflow and return plumbing.
I'll be happy to drill the tank, as long as it's not the bottom (as it's obviously tempered).
I need insight on the ideal level of flow, so I can ascertain the equipment to buy, ie. PVC, drill bits, bulkheads, return pump, etc.
It's a 55 gallon DT and I've only got room for a 20 gallon sump.

 

I added a sump to my Freshwater setup. Some thoughts:

. Overflow boxes are ok . I used an eShoppes 1100 overflow box with dual drains.
. Used hosing for drain lines and return line. Didn't use rigid PVC. Was easier for me.
. Research "BeanAnimal" and "Herbie overflow" design. I have an Herbie overflow with my eShoppes overflow box. Basically it's using two drain lines so that one is at full siphon and the other is an emergency drain
. Coast to coast overflow is best but a regular overflow box will work fine
. Can't give you exact "requirements" for flow rates but keep in mind that you can and probably should use circulation pumps to increase flow within the tank.. the sumps return pump doesn't have to do all the heavy lifting regarding flow rates.

Hope that helps getting you going in right direction.

 

I saw a few in tank overflow boxes, which would limit my drilling to only 1 hole for behind the box....I liked the look of them, and would much rather that than a single hole being the overflow directly to the sump. God forbid if something went wrong, it would limit the amount of catastrophe to the small amount that would be in the box....
Yes, I'm looking at a powerhead at both ends, making my circulation between 1600 and 2000 gph.
I just didn't know how crucial the overflow and return volume would be, so I knew how big to go.

 

So it seems like I'm going to go I. The range of 600-700gph overflow box, and then find a pump rated at 700, so with the couple feet of head space, it should be less than the overflow can handle.
Now the challenge is finding the right pump...I see a lot of weird brands that certainly match my price range, but I don't trust them as I can't find any flow change charts.
Since its only a 55 gallon with a 20 gallon sump, it seems CRAZY that I would need a submersible pump that would cost in the $150 range to achieve what I need. Am I crazy? Or is that just the price of admission into the sump club?

 

I use the Eheim compact 2000 pump. (500 gph max flow) got it for $80. You could get two of those and dial them down to get to 700 gph after factoring in head loss etc. But yes that would put you in $150 range. They probably have more powerful pumps. I went with Eheim. It is silent!! A slight hum but barely noticeable unless you sleep under your tank. I used silicon pads (used in kitchens when handling hot pans) to damper any vibrations (placed two pads under the pump submersed in my sump) and the only noise I get is vibrations on the return line. I have sensitive hearing so I notice it. Again I fixed that by putting piece of foam between hose and tank rI'm where it was making contact

 

Well, I made a could be rash decision and just bought a jebao dcp4000. I saw a few horror stories that folks' had them turn into bricks on them after s few months. But I read s lot more positive than negative, so I'm rolling the dice.
Worst case scenario, if it bricks on me, I'll have an excuse to give my wife when I buy the super deluxe expensive replacement.

 

Looks good... Make sure you are using a GFCI outlet for your pumps, heaters etc for safety sake

 

Yeah, I put one of them in when I started the tank as freshwater. Now I need to find a skimmer that I can squeeze in the fairly short height I have to work with....I saw some skI'm mate ghost that seems ultra low profile that may work.
First and foremost I need to wait for the rodI to show up...that's the thing I didn't want to skimp on so I got a spectrapure.