[sjm817]

tbone, an Eheim SPE5 is ~ the same as the ER SP4 @ 900 LPH. It is not the same performance as the ER SP5 @ 1100 LPH. My RS250 worked really well with the SP5. The Eheim would be a nice pump on the RS180.

As far as the adjustment goes, the traditional standpipes work well, but some people dont like them. Same complaints, hard to make fine adjustments, noise, etc. Gate valves are easy to make fine adjustments with. The wedgepipe is a coarse type of valve. Not sure on ERs recommendations. I go by what the mfgr suggests, but also try out things myself and use what works best. Maybe the wedgepipe outflow doesn't work well set up that way.