Abyzz DC Pumps

seahorse_man · May 28, 2019

I'm planning out my tank, and currently debating return pumps. Almost all pumps I've come across have some poor reviews and horror stories attached to them....and then I found Abyzz pumps that are made in Germany. All 5 star ratings, 10 year warranty, super silent, powerful, well built, etc.. Apparently the perfect pump, right?! Yes, but starting at $1,500! ;Dead

So, who here actually has one? Is it worth it? Anything comparable for less? I mean if it's truly worry free and reliable, maybe it's worth it (sort of like insurance) since it is responsible for thousands of dollars worth of life! Or maybe I'm just insane to even be considering a $1,500 return pump (same cost as the tank itself).

Hitman · May 28, 2019

They truly are the best of the best. I’m looking at 2 of the A200 for my new build. The only person I can think of running them off hand is @4FordFamily but I’m sure there’s plenty other here.

4FordFamily · May 28, 2019

I’ve had mine for going on a year and I do agree they are fantastic. I’m cheap, don’t think I would have bought them new but they are definitely the best!

WWIII · May 28, 2019

Can't really compare abyzz with anything else on the hobbyist level when it comes to pumps. They are incredibly well engineered and dependable pumps. The closest thing is probably the red dragon pumps, but still, just not on the same level. I've had an abyzz a200 for well over a year. When I decided I was done with external ac pumps due to the noise and having to drill the sump, I was left with very few options. My sump is in the basement and my display upstairs. The a200 has performed extremely well and has never had any issues. The pump is so extremely quiet I literally had to put my ear on the pvc pipe when I first plugged it in to make sure it was on.

These pumps are 100% silent, 100% dependable and 100% expensive as heck. The choice comes down to what you're really looking for? The price is a hard hump to get over, at least it was for me personally, but if you can you won't look back disappointed.

AiKkz · May 28, 2019

I’ve got the A200 and had some issues with it popping my gfci, and there customer support was phenomenal... paying the Larger price point for quality and customer service is well worth it. I can guarantee you won’t be disappointed.

jda · May 28, 2019

Abyzz and Red Dragon are in a class of their own - if you want a DC pump that you can depend on, then these are the choices. If you want reliable, powerful and inexpensive, then just get an AC pump... Laguna, Fluval use Askoll blocks which have decades or performance, low wattage and good head pressure on the larger models. Ehiem and Tunze are really good for smaller tanks.

ca1ore · May 28, 2019

WWIII said:
My sump is in the basement and my display upstairs. The a200 has performed extremely well and has never had any issues.

Could you share some specifics? I also have a basement sump room (with about 14' of calculated back pressure - 10' height plus 4' in various plumbing restrictions) and trying to work out how much of the 3,700 GPH I'd net in my system.

AiKkz · May 28, 2019

ca1ore said:
Could you share some specifics? I also have a basement sump room (with about 14' of calculated back pressure - 10' height plus 4' in various plumbing restrictions) and trying to work out how much of the 3,700 GPH I'd net in my system.

Looks like around 2k gph

Firemanreefkeeper · May 28, 2019

I've got one and it was worth the money for the peace of mind that came with it. I researched it and liked the reviews and the warranty it comes with. I have a sicce DC pump on my other tank and I constantly worry about it. Every flicker of power during an afternoon storm here in Florida shuts it off and it doesn't restart. I've had the abyzz for 6 months and I have had 0 issues with it. I like that it can adjust it's flow 1% at a time. It's silent, the plumbing I have mine connected to doesn't even vibrate. If I ever decide to do another build I would spend the money again on another.

DarkSky · May 28, 2019

I considered one of these for my 275g sps system, but opted to go with cheaper pumps and utilize two for redundancy.

I ended up using two Jebao DCP-10000 pumps. If one pump goes out, I can replace it for $90. Since I'm running two, I don't mind if they only last a year or two before dying, I can just swap a new one in and not have any down time. I'm currently on year two on both of these pumps, and the only maintenance I've had to perform is a vinegar soak and clean at the year mark.

I would have to buy 16 of these pumps to break even on the $1500 Abyzz. So far, I'm ahead.

rkpetersen · May 28, 2019

seahorse_man said:
Or maybe I'm just insane to even be considering a $1,500 return pump (same cost as the tank itself).

Not even remotely insane. Next time one of my cheap Chinese pumps fails or starts to leak rust, I'll probably upgrade to an Abyzz and never have to think about it again.

Variant · May 28, 2019

I got myself a Red Dragon, largely because the smallest Abyzz pump was still too powerful for my tank.

That said, if I had a larger tank that could handle an Abyzz, I would still go Red Dragon. RD pumps don't have that beefy warranty, but it also doesn't cost as much. I'd rather have two RD pumps with one as a spare than have a single Abyzz. If you are capable to buying two Abyzz pumps with one as a backup, then I'd say go for it.

Warranties are great but you still need to send them in for repair or wait on parts to be delivered. That means if your pump is not functional, you'll need to hook up a spare anyways.

AiKkz · May 28, 2019

Just get a cheap spare to last a few days, when my A200 was having issues they sent me a new one with no hassle (took 2 days from first contact to pump at my door). Once I received the new one I sent mine back in their box with a return shipping label that they provided.

seahorse_man · May 28, 2019

Variant said:
I got myself a Red Dragon, largely because the smallest Abyzz pump was still too powerful for my tank.

That said, if I had a larger tank that could handle an Abyzz, I would still go Red Dragon. RD pumps don't have that beefy warranty, but it also doesn't cost as much. I'd rather have two RD pumps with one as a spare than have a single Abyzz. If you are capable to buying two Abyzz pumps with one as a backup, then I'd say go for it.

Warranties are great but you still need to send them in for repair or wait on parts to be delivered. That means if your pump is not functional, you'll need to hook up a spare anyways.

I was thinking of the A100 (2,200 GPH) since my tank is going to be small (24x24x22). I just assumed I would dial it back and that wouldn't harm the pump? Then when I upgrade to a larger tank would have a pump that could handle it.

I'm also looking at the Red Dragon pumps now. Either this: https://www.aquariumspecialty.com/royal-exclusiv-red-dragon-3-mini-speedy-50-watt-5-0m3-dc-pump.html
or
https://www.aquariumspecialty.com/royal-exclusiv-red-dragon-3-speedy-100-watt-2400-gph-pump.html

rockskimmerflow · May 28, 2019

To the OP -Red Dragon/Abyzz are top of the DC pump heap if you have the budget. I wouldn't consider any others if I was married to the idea of having a DC return pump. As @jda stated the Askoll made blocks are proven reliable. I have an old 1350gph model running a clients tank that is literally 11 years old now and it's only been cleaned twice.... bearings still looked good at the cleanings. Also legendary are the eheim hobby series - the 1260 and 1262 are especially nice for mid sized 60-150g tanks. Anything bigger and I'd go with the Fluval SP or Laguna, preferable 2 of them for even larger tanks to increase redundancy rather than rely on a single abyzz.

That said, I have known some of the early abyzz adopters who had controller overheating issues and had to get new ones. It appears this is fixed and customers are instructed to install the controller bricks in an upright position so the heatsink can let the air convect upwards through it naturally to exhaust more heat than if it was set in a flat position. I have not personally known anyone who's had an Abyzz impeller or motor block go down so I'd rest pretty darn easy knowing that they'll likely last the very long expected lifespan of the pump hardware.

seahorse_man · May 28, 2019

rockskimmerflow said:
To the OP -Red Dragon/Abyzz are top of the DC pump heap if you have the budget. I wouldn't consider any others if I was married to the idea of having a DC return pump.

I'm not exactly married to the idea, but I like the idea of having the option to control the flow. I feel like that along with gate valves will provide the ability to really fine tune everything.

Epic Aquaculture · May 28, 2019

I have the A100, and love it. On my prior tank I had the Vectra M1, and the controller failed. I have had no issues with my A100.

Variant · May 28, 2019

seahorse_man said:
I was thinking of the A100 (2,200 GPH) since my tank is going to be small (24x24x22). I just assumed I would dial it back and that wouldn't harm the pump? Then when I upgrade to a larger tank would have a pump that could handle it.

I'm also looking at the Red Dragon pumps now. Either this: https://www.aquariumspecialty.com/royal-exclusiv-red-dragon-3-mini-speedy-50-watt-5-0m3-dc-pump.html
or
https://www.aquariumspecialty.com/royal-exclusiv-red-dragon-3-speedy-100-watt-2400-gph-pump.html

You can definitely dial back the A100. I will likely dial back my RD3-50w too. That said, electronics can always break at some point. This means, making sure your overflow drain system is built to handle the off chance your return pump stays stuck on 100%. That's why I replaced my 800gph overflow with a 1200gph version to prevent any major issues.

rockskimmerflow · May 28, 2019

seahorse_man said:
I'm not exactly married to the idea, but I like the idea of having the option to control the flow. I feel like that along with gate valves will provide the ability to really fine tune everything.

There's no harm at all in throttling the AC pumps I mentioned with a ball valve on the output line. In fact, they use less power as they are throttled back. Now, if you'd rather push buttons or play with apps on a controller then by all means get a DC pump. They absolutely reign supreme in the controller toys and gadgets arena. I prefer plugging a power cord in and simply twisting a valve to the right position and leaving it set, knowing it won't change position even if the pump loses power etc. Best of luck with your decision!

seahorse_man · May 28, 2019

Variant said:
You can definitely dial back the A100. I will likely dial back my RD3-50w too. That said, electronics can always break at some point. This means, making sure your overflow drain system is built to handle the off chance your return pump stays stuck on 100%. That's why I replaced my 800gph overflow with a 1200gph version to prevent any major issues.

Where did you purchase your Red Dragon from? Their website? http://royalexclusiv.net/en/ Seems to be limited on options compared to other pumps.