Reef nutrition

Thinking drilling my ADA Garden cube. Need suggestion

I've had my cube running for a while now with a canister filter and led and T-5 lighting. I really hate the canister filter and am planning on drilling the tank for an overflow and returns. What size should I make the bulkhead holes? I want to try and fit a 10 gallon sump in the stand but I still need to take measurements and see what can fit inside. What do you guys suggest for return pump and size of plumbing if I decide to redo this?

I have been also thinking of a HOB overflow but I dont trust those things and I want to try and keep the clean look of the rimless top going. Thanks!
 
Without knowing which garden cube, I can only give comparative numbers.

http://reefcentral.com/calc/drain.php

My elos 70 (~55gal) had an eheim 1260 return as a stand alone for flow which was fine for a reef. I now use a 1250 which is fine for the FW planted tank, and fine for a reef if you also have internal flow.

For reference:
1260 @ ~600+ gph had 1.25" drain and 3/4" return
1250 @ ~300+gph was reconfigured for a new sump that had a 1" drain and used a 3/4" return, though the native hose connection is 1/2"
 
Thanks Tony, I forgot RC had that calculator. MY ADA btw is the 18"x18"x18" = 25 gallon. I think a 1250 might be too much flow? I also have a MP10es for flow. My main live stock is LPS in this tank with a flasher wrasse and maybe another small fish or two in the future.
 
You can probably get away with a 1/2" return and 3/4" drain and use a smaller pump like the eheim 1046 (, and use the MP10 to make up the flow difference.

http://www.marinedepot.com/pumps_eheim_universal_hobby_powerheads_information-ap.html#1046_1048_1250
 
its always good to go +1 on overflow to reduce floods from clogs IMO. i have the eheim 1250 on my 40breeder with a 1.5 inch diameter overflow.
 
Decide on the TYPE of overflow plumbing first!
Meaning - what technique are you going to use to keep the overflow silent.
Durso, Herbie, Bean, whatever.
That has an effect both on the size of the overflow drains, and on the number of them that you need.
Once you do that, and pick a pump, then size it.
(That assumes noise matters in your case of course.)
 
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