Pump quality going down hill?

[madweazl]

I'm in the market for a return pump for the 150g build and after reading reviews, it seems like there just aren't any reliable internal/submersible pumps in the 2500gph range (I'm shooting for 1500-2000 gph at 5' head). Skimz doesn't provide any flow/head data, Vectra's seem to have as many bad reviews as good, Abyzz requires a second mortgage... I was planning on going with a Reef Octopus Varios 8 but after reading all these reviews, it looks like Jebao/Jecod has the most happy users of the bunch! Maybe this is just asking too much from a submersible? And where the heck are the a/c pumps in this range? 

 

Maybe a Snapper/Dart hybrid is a better option; how noisy are they compared to some of the submersibles above? 

[cpu933k]

I've had pretty good luck with jebaos powerheads. I only had 1 out of 6 die on me so far I decided to try my luck again with a dct12000. It worked for 10 seconds, then died :( Didn't want to test my luck again, so ordered a vectra. Works great so far and dead silent.

Edited November 22, 2017 by cpu933k

[dpassar12]

For submersible pumps I always use Supreme/Danner pumps. External I use Iwaki(Japanese version). On my old 180 build I used 2 Danner pumps, one on each return. They seem pretty indestructible. I still use them on my skimmers, media reactors etc. I some have been running for 5+ years doing only an occasional cleaning. Just my 2 cents. 

[Origami]

Check the Water Blaster HY-10000. Efficient AC pump delivering 2600 gph (0' head) and 16 feet of head pressure. 125W. Might only get you 1357 gph at 5' given the curve at Salty Critter. 2-year warranty. The smaller pumps used to be regarded as fairly efficient and reliable. There are two other pumps larger than this in the line: The HY12500 and the HY16000. The 12500 consumes 175W but should give you 2000 gph at 5 feet.

 

At 175W, though, I'd begin to consider something like a Reeflo Dart (external pump) that can give you about 2750 gph at 5 feet for around 150W. I regard them as fairly quiet but I've always run them in a fish room. Get the Reeflo Dart-Snapper hybrid and you'll have two pumps in one. In the Snapper configuration, you should be able to get over 1600 gph at 5 feet for about 100W.

 

Of course, you could also try a larger Mag by Danner. They've proven fairly reliable over the years (and a bit of a power hog at times).

 

 

To help, a good rule of thumb for return pump operation is $1 saved each year for every Watt of power saved.

[WheresTheReef]

I've been running a deepwater aquatics bldc8 for 2 years. It's a well built DC pump and haven't had any issues. Not sure what flow rate I'm getting, but it is plumbed into a 120g and 30g, plus my skimmer, reactors and an algae scrubber. It's running at speed setting 5 of 6. They have bigger pumps too.

 

https://www.marinedepot.com/Deepwater_Aquatics-2000_Gallons_Per_Hour_Higher_External_Aquarium_Pumps-PL1-FIWPEPOH-ct.html

[madweazl]

Check the Water Blaster HY-10000. Efficient AC pump delivering 2600 gph (0' head) and 16 feet of head pressure. 125W. Might only get you 1357 gph at 5' given the curve at Salty Critter. 2-year warranty. The smaller pumps used to be regarded as fairly efficient and reliable. There are two other pumps larger than this in the line: The HY12500 and the HY16000. The 12500 consumes 175W but should give you 2000 gph at 5 feet.

 

At 175W, though, I'd begin to consider something like a Reeflo Dart (external pump) that can give you about 2750 gph at 5 feet for around 150W. I regard them as fairly quiet but I've always run them in a fish room. Get the Reeflo Dart-Snapper hybrid and you'll have two pumps in one. In the Snapper configuration, you should be able to get over 1600 gph at 5 feet for about 100W.

 

Of course, you could also try a larger Mag by Danner. They've proven fairly reliable over the years (and a bit of a power hog at times).

 

 

To help, a good rule of thumb for return pump operation is $1 saved each year for every Watt of power saved.

I'm not overly concerned with power consumption in the grand scheme of things but I certainly don't want to be wasteful for the sake of being wasteful either. I had a Mag7 on a skimmer years ago and I don't remember it being terribly noisy but I've never run any of the larger ones either. This setup will be under sump and in my home office or living room; undecided yet as I spend 90% of my time home in the office but the 75g is in here right now and I'd have to move and/or sell it prior to setting up the 150g). Not sure I want to maintain two tanks.

[madweazl]

I grabbed the Snapper/Dart; gotta take advantage of those sales

[Origami]

I grabbed the Snapper/Dart; gotta take advantage of those sales

[zygote2k]

We've been using Mag Drive pumps for 20+ years.

Cheap, easy to service, parts available at the hardware store.

Dc pumps all fail as the technology just isn't there yet- even had a Vectra with a fried motherboard.

[Origami]

Mags are known for reliability. However, I just had a Mag 7 fail after 3 years. Unfortunately, it was not the kind of failure that you could just go get parts for: The motor block appeared to overheat and warped, stopping the otherwise good impeller.

 

On the flipside, I've had two Waveline DC6000's running 24/7 on my skimmer for the last 3-4 years without failure. Prior to that, two DC5000's that failed within 12 months of being put into service due to a design defect in a circuit board inside the pump itself. 

 

Just saying that you can get failures and successes on both sides, and that the newer technology is maturing, and has matured since their entry into the market.

 

The best pump reliability that I've experienced personally has been with my Reeflo pumps with the larger, Baldor motor. I've had one running pretty much continuously for the last 6 years without issue. Prior to that, I had one bearing failure that required a fairly simple rebuild. The only "downside" that I've had with Reeflo Dart, Barracuda, and Wahoo pumps has been that they're external pumps and require a little more plumbing and real estate planning. 

 

Another pump that was having a good start before DC pumps made a splash were the higher efficiency, AC submersible pumps like Reef Octopus' Water Blaster series. As I recall, they were starting to get a reputation for being reliable and efficient, when our collective attention refocused on what was then new DC pump technology coming from Waveline.

[Epic Reefer]

Let’s keep this going, I’m looking for a external pump for my 2- 200 gallon vertical water change station. I run a dart gold for the return pump. But I was looking for something that draws less power.

[Origami]

Let’s keep this going, I’m looking for a external pump for my 2- 200 gallon vertical water change station. I run a dart gold for the return pump. But I was looking for something that draws less power.

Your water change station shouldn't have to run too much. Maybe a few minutes a day to give it a stir and whenever you make new salt water. Are those reasonable assumptions? If so, you really don't need something power efficient. It's much better to have something reliable that can tolerate all the power cycling it'll see. In that case, I'd lean toward something like a Panworld or Iwaki. 

[Epic Reefer]

Your water change station shouldn't have to run too much. Maybe a few minutes a day to give it a stir and whenever you make new salt water. Are those reasonable assumptions? If so, you really don't need something power efficient. It's much better to have something reliable that can tolerate all the power cycling it'll see. In that case, I'd lean toward something like a Panworld or Iwaki.

Ok so I will have to put it on a timer. I don’t really like Saltwater sitting. So I was thinking it would run continuously.

[Origami]

Ok so I will have to put it on a timer. I don’t really like Saltwater sitting. So I was thinking it would run continuously.

There's no need to do that actually. Stirring continuously has been implicated (only by stories) of driving out a brown sludge (probably clay) to coat the inside of your container from some mixes. Stirring once or twice a day for a few minutes is sufficient to keep the mix reasonably well and evenly oxygenated.

[madweazl]

I picked up a pair of containers a while back and need to get to work on the water change station myself but I've been lazy. Thankfully mine are only 55g so I was just going to use a Rio 2100 I have that is collecting dust. 

[tom39]

I have had great success with Sicce pumps, have you considered a Syncra HF 10.0 or 12.0?

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

[Jon Lazar]

Ok so I will have to put it on a timer. I don’t really like Saltwater sitting. So I was thinking it would run continuously.

 

Why not have a large pump for mixing and pumping water through a hose, and a smaller powerhead for stirring?  Works for me.

[madweazl]

Why not have a large pump for mixing and pumping water through a hose, and a smaller powerhead for stirring?  Works for me.

I've been considering an on demand pump on a hose long enough to reach the aquarium and using the Rio for the mixing itself.