If at first you dont succeed.....

[jason_sps]

...Try, try, again. Well, since I don't have a little all knowing gnome in my pocket telling me what would be the perfect pump for my vive, I have to keep looking. I bought the Topfin power head 30 from our local Petsmart thinking it was powerful to pump water up a 3/8 tube about 30in. I was obviously wrong. I did my first test tonight and it didn't even push the water half way up the tube so I will make my way out to Home Depot tomorrow and get a more powerful fountain pump. Wish me luck!!

[jersey]

check and see if you have a hydroponics store near you. I purchased a 200gph pump for about $30 from a local store in jersey. Much better prices then you will get at a big box garden or pet store. Also check online.

The pump I have is able to be tuned down and pushes water at a nice smooth flow up about 30 inches in my palu I am constructing.

[evilhorde]

Fountain pumps will (should) have a chart on the side telling you how high they can pump. Be sure to choose something that exceeds the height you want to pump by a decent margin.
The first pump I bought for my viv lifted water exactly as high as the pump claimed but it had no flow at that height, it just stalled out. I had to step up to a 800GPH pump just to get the power required to lift water to the top of my viv, approx 6 feet.

[Fired-up]

Try the RIO 1400 that will do the job but it will cost you around $60

[MartinM]

Many pumps, on the packaging, in the included documentation, or on the manufacturer's or seller's website, include a chart showing how many cubic feet per hour the pump puts out at different amounts of "head" (that is, the height the water is lifted). Of course, finding this in the included documentation, AFTER you've bought the pump and opened the package, is pretty silly, so if the chart isn't on the package, write down the make and model number at the store and check on line.

Many pumps come with a diverter valve that lets you control how much of the output to send to the main output tube and how much to divert into the pond or sump where the pump is sitting. With this feature you can buy a more powerful pump than you think you need and adjust to get the flow rate you want for your water feature. The diverted water just swirls around in the sump or pond, which is generally a good thing because it prevents stagnation and favors aeration.

Martin