Will an Atman 104 like this:

http://www.trademe.co.nz/Home-living/Pets-animals/Fish/Pumps-filters/auction-76746934.htm

be good as a return on a 50L tank + 30L sump?

If not then what should I be looking out for?

preferably best not to use powerheads for returns. they aren't designed to work with any head pressure (against gravity), more for circulation only. look for a small eheim or laguna for that size tank, perhaps eheim 1250?

While that does have a pump its only really usable as a filter - thats the speed it pushes water through the filter compartment, so its not really a pump in the normal sence of the word.

You need a standalone pump, depending on what you want to pay many people use eheims for return. You have a pretty small tank and sump, I dont really know what flow you'd be wanting. Trademe tends to be filled with pond pumps, something like this is what your after, but it might be too nuts (remember the height you're pumping detracts from the rating) http://www.trademe.co.nz/Home-living/Pe ... 679144.htm

You could always get something like this then split the return with a SQUID, so you could get some wave action going.

There are a variety of eheims all doing different rates at different head heights... http://store.petplanet.co.nz/?page=shop ... 1e0c8bb867

Good link choice Feelers

Aqua One also do the Pondmaster Pumps which are a cheaper option.

https://secure.utopia.co.nz/stores/store.petplanet.co.nz/?page=shop/browse&category_id=87656971f499e2a8175a311904937faa&ps_session=ccadba0f3e15456a4090242799cd8b38

Ok then. What sort of lph is the average needed?

I think i read somewhere 20x tank volume per hour?

If thats right do you include the sump volume?

And is the measurement taken from the pump rating or what actually ends up in the tank?

Ta.

The 20x+ is the turn over in the display, the return will make up part of this but isn't usually all of it. Power heads, closed loops, streams etc make up the rest.

It doesn't really matter to much what the through put of the sump is, but if is too high you might have problems with noise and micro bubbles, if its too low you might have problems with the display not getting enough warmed water.

Thanks Suphew