Iwaki or Reeflo which would you use

[fragit]

Help me decide on my return pump. I am going to have my sump in the basement, and DT on the first floor. System will include 120gal DT, 40breeder refugium, and 40 breeder sump (20gal volume). There is about 15 feet of head, I am planning on building a return line manifold with probably 4 or so "ports" in the display. I think I will tee off the return pump to feed the fuge, but may have the overflow feed it(haven't decided yet). I've narrowed down my pump selection to either a Iwaki 55RLT which does 1104gph at 26.9feet and uses 192watts $359.99. Option 2 is a Reeflo hammerhead/barracuda hybrid which does 4300-6000gph at 24feet and uses 237-372watts $414.99. I'm also considering an Iwaki 70RLT flow price and power consumption all go up but I'm not sure that the running cost will out weigh the gain in flow. I'm leaning towards the Iwaki due to reviews and less power consumption, plus IMO a return pump can just be used for turn over, and power heads are used for flow. Thoughts and opinions please.
http://www.bulkreefsupply.com/iwaki-md-55rlt-japanese-motor-1080-gph.html
http://www.bulkreefsupply.com/iwaki-md-70rlt-japanese-motor-1500-gph.html
http://www.bulkreefsupply.com/reeflo-barracuda-hammerhead-hybrid-6000-4590gph.html

 

[TaylorPilot]

How much flow are you wanting to put through the system?

 

[fragit]

How much flow are you wanting to put through the system?

Well with the total of about 180 gallons minus displacement of rock and sand I'm guessing I should end up with about 160 gallons or so. At the least I believe you should turn over 4x volume per hour which would put me at a minimum of 640 gallons. Both pumps put me well above that. Again I believe that most of the necessary flow we get from our powerheads unless of course your using sea swirls or something like that to create random flow.

 

[TaylorPilot]

I'd look at the reeflo pressure pumps like the swordtail. 800 GPH at 15" on about 150 watts. If you want more power, step up to the yellowtail. It would do 1928 GPH but well over 300 watts. Although from looking at the charts, the barracuda maybe a better solution based on 15' of head. Maybe call them and they can give you some better wattage numbers at your head estimates.

http://www.reeflopumps.com/95-275-gallon-systems.html

http://www.reeflopumps.com/250-500-gallon-systems.html

 

[fragit]

Any other opinions/feedback on any of the return pumps I've mentioned?

 

[Jlobes]

no suggestions, but I do have a hammer head for sale. if ya interested/looking

http://reef2reef.com/threads/fs-new-unused-reeflo-hammerhead-hybrid-gold.233748/

 

[fragit]

@Jlobes you offered me that pump in another thread, maybe it was meant to be. I can't believe you still have it. I will check in with you over the weekend. I'm very interested.

 

[robby2782]

The iwaki is a tank and will last for a long time. Mine is awesome.

 

[mcarroll]

I bet there's 15' of vertical head, but you should run a calculation that accounts for more of the plumbing than that. Horizontal runs and turns in the plumbing all add up.

You may want about 700 gph of flow so there's a little headroom for losses over time.

700/60 = about 12 gallons per minute.

Assume your headloss ends up equally 20' just to be conservative. (Still guessing, so I'd use a calculator...should be one that shows this pump.)

If I'm reading marine depot's chart correctly, I think you can still get away with either the 70RT or 100RT with "extra pump" leftover on both of them.

Given the budget, I think that's the route I'd go vs the Reeflo....but it's a bit of a toss-up.

 

[fragit]

Yes, thank you @mcarroll, I have decided to go with the Iwaki. The reputation, and longevity of the pump has convinced me. I'm going with the 70RT just to be sure I have the pressure at the DT I need. I will be splitting off just above the pump to run the fuge, and will be setting up a return manifold of sorts at the DT to provide enough flow to the entire tank, as I want to use as few in tank pumps as possible.

 

[alton]

I guess I am too late to tell you Pan World

 

[mcarroll]

Yes, thank you @mcarroll, I have decided to go with the Iwaki. The reputation, and longevity of the pump has convinced me. I'm going with the 70RT just to be sure I have the pressure at the DT I need. I will be splitting off just above the pump to run the fuge, and will be setting up a return manifold of sorts at the DT to provide enough flow to the entire tank, as I want to use as few in tank pumps as possible.

Set up like that can add quite a bit to headloss - plus you are outright feeding some of the flow to the frag tank. You may want to budget for more like 800 or 900 GPH.

I would definitely get on a headloss calculator before ordering.

I would completely give up on the idea of running the flow in the display tank from the basement pump. ( assuming I have read you correctly.) Horribly expensive in every sense - the 100RT wouldn't even cut it for that. The pump would have to be sitting at about the same level as the tank to get anywhere close to the performance you would need. A flow manifold like you described almost always has a dedicated pump near/on the tank like this, so you would have to budget for at least two 70 RT's, or similar, and find a place near the tank for that pump to run.

Almost no matter what your beef is with pumps in the display tank, there's a better way around it than a closed loop manifold, which is essentially what you are talking about, only worse.

 

[fragit]

Using the head calculator on that "other" forum based on my plan and using an Iwaki 70Rt comes out to be about 823gph+-. With about 180gal+- total water volume, that would be about 823/180=4.57/hr turn over rate. Which is okay by me, as I will obviously have some power heads in the tank. Planning on using a couple Mp40s and probably a Gyre as well. If I have to I'm not totally opposed to putting an Mp40 or two on the short viewing panel of the peninsula, but would like to avoid it if I can. If I find that feeding the refugium with the Iwaki reduces the flow too much I do have a sicce that I can use to feed it.

 

[mcarroll]

I doubt you'll like hearing this, but running MP's on a penninsula is a bit on the futile side.

I think you'd need an MP60 to have a prayer at enough reach to get flow to the front of the tank with them...but even if that would work I don't think it's a good way to go.

There are lots of options to pick from, especially if you want to consider other brands too like the Gyre.

If you can keep the top of the water clear for the Gyre to have room to work, it seems like a good option for the penninsula....but I still wonder about longevity, etc with them.

Whether you do all the flow with Tunze (give me a budget and I can give you some more specific ideas) or just compliment your other pump, I'd use at least some since they are the best at being hidden around in the tank....even to the extent that they sell a live-rock "shell" for their pumps so it can be totally concealed.

http://www.tunze.com/US/en/catalogue/katalog-ii.html?user_tunzeprod_pi1[predid]=-infoxunter064

 

[fragit]

Yes I have been looking at the Tunze pumps also, and have been considering the rock hiding spot too.

 

[JPSika08]

I would recommend the Ecotech Vectra M1, I have the L1 as the first one was not available when buying, it's silent, runs on low power and has nice features. Just my 0.02 cents. Also, can run inside the sump or as external too.

 

[fragit]

That was what I was going to use originally but, I have read that they don't handle high head pressures very well. I will have about 15' of head loss right off the bat with no angles, valves etc. I can't/won't make an investment in something that I am not positive will do what I need it to. They are really nice looking pumps though, and I'm sure are great in the right application.

 

[Jainc]

I have both a Pan World and the Iwaki. The Iwaki is a much more powerful pump and a whole lot quieter too.

 

[fragit]

I have both a Pan World and the Iwaki. The Iwaki is a much more powerful pump and a whole lot quieter too.

There is a great review on BRS that compares panworld, iwaki(Japanese motor), and iwaki(American motor).

 

[Reef Junky150]

I have both a Pan World and the Iwaki. The Iwaki is a much more powerful pump and a whole lot quieter too.

Had an iwaki, now have a panworld. iwaki was much quieter. But since sound wasn't an issue because of its location I tried the panworld for replacement. Very pleased with the panworld for the price but think the iwaki was better. Would buy either again pending the application.