Return pump recommendation (2 dead ecotech pumps)

[sigmarabi1]

Help needed: after 2 ecotech vectra L1's gone bad, I am a frustrated reefer in need of recommendation. My tank is 110G (139G system) running a manifold with two reactors and a chiller. My dead Vectra L1 pump provided enough flow with low noise, but after a few months they just stopped working including a replacement pump. Now I'm running a deepwater pump now with exactly the same dimensions and flow specification (strange??), however, it is VERY loud so it is driving me crazy. I recently tried a Jebao which ended up being a disaster.
Can someone recommend a reliable DC pump with more than 3000 GPH flow rate?
Thanks!

 

[mitch91175]

Well you didn't mention a budget so here you go: https://www.bulkreefsupply.com/a200-dc-controllable-pump-4-400-gph-abyzz.html

 

[JoshH]

If you're looking for something a little more budget friendly the Reef Octopus Varios pumps would be a pretty good option as well.

 

[mfinn]

When I got tired of changing my L1's out with new warranty replacements, I needed to find a 3000+ gph pump for my closed loop.
I had been looking wishfully at Red Dragon pumps for a while. When the second L1 went out, I made the decision to get one. I got the RD3 150watt.
The initial cost was a little hard to cope with for a few days. But once I got it hooked up and running I was pretty darn happy with how quiet it was and how much more flow I got. 4755 gph.

 

[Alexcus simon]

I run two jebao pumps with zero issues. And no noise

 

[mfinn]

Help needed: after 2 ecotech vectra L1's gone bad, I am a frustrated reefer in need of recommendation. My tank is 110G (139G system) running a manifold with two reactors and a chiller. My dead Vectra L1 pump provided enough flow with low noise, but after a few months they just stopped working including a replacement pump. Now I'm running a deepwater pump now with exactly the same dimensions and flow specification (strange??), however, it is VERY loud so it is driving me crazy. I recently tried a Jebao which ended up being a disaster.
Can someone recommend a reliable DC pump with more than 3000 GPH flow rate?
Thanks!

I saw a thread here on R2R about the impeller area getting some modifications.
Maybe they have it figured out.

 

[Kershaw]

Maybe the sicce ones.
My recomendation is a ac waterblaster. Super quite. Mine is 6 years old only cleaned it once.

 

[B-SMOOTH]

+ 1 on the Varios pumps

 

[mcarroll]

To avoid precisely what you've gone through I still recommend AC pumps.

If you tell us your layout we can suggest some specifics to drop into your current installation.

How high does the water have to be pumped?

Through how much pipe, in feet, and fitting will the water be pumped, and what size pipe?

What is your target flow rate for the tank? (110g*4 = 400gph)

...target rate for reactors? (100gph *4 reactors = 400gph)

...is there a target rate for the chiller or is it just an in-line device? (chiller flow=???; chiller has what size plumbing?)

I'm gonna assume it doesn't require separate flow (i.e. it's inline) just to get some recommendations in here. I'm also gonna assume that the sump is under the tank and the tank is 5' tall. I'm going to assume 10 feet of total plumbing distance, 5 PVC elbows and 1" PVC between the pump and the tank outlet, etc.

5' = 1.5 meters.
800 GPH = 13.3 GPM = 3 cubic meters/H or 3000L/H

Using http://www.freecalc.com/fric.htm to calculate friction losses from the pipe run and fittings.
It appears that friction losses will add about another 2.5 feet of head pressure to your pumps load...

Pressure Loss (psi): 1.1 Head Loss (ft): 2.5
Line Number:
Date: 4/25/2018
Nominal Pipe Size: 1
Pipe Schedule: SCH 40
Flow Rate (gpm): 13
Viscosity (cP): 1
Specific Gravity (water=1): 1.025
Temperature (F): 79
Pipe Roughness (ft): 0.000016
Actual Pipe ID (in.): 1.049
Fluid Velocity (ft/sec): 4.83
Reynolds Number: 40173
Flow Region: Turbulent
Friction Factor: 0.023
Overall K: 6.88
Piping Length (ft): 10
Short Radius Elbows: 5
Pipe Exit : 2

So....

Pumping head pressure = 5' + 2.5' = 7.5'

Rounding up to 8' (2.4 meters) of head pressure.

Sicce
Syncra 5.0
Syncra Pro 5000 or 9000
Multi 9000e, 14000e or 16000e

Lifegard
Quiet One 5000 or 6000 (same as Syncra Pro's above, but made in china, priced accordingly, warranted for 3 years)

Danner
Mag 18 (tho the Mag 12 is close)

I think there's an Eheim or two that would work if you can find flow curves/stats for them.

If you must have DC then I'd look at either Tunze or Sicce.

Let me know your real stats unless I happened to make a perfect set of guesses.

 

[sigmarabi1]

If you're looking for something a little more budget friendly the Reef Octopus Varios pumps would be a pretty good option as well.

I looked at some RO but didn't find one with enough flow rate. Any specific model u recommend?

 

[sigmarabi1]

I run two jebao pumps with zero issues. And no noise

I gave it a try. Poor build quality IMO.

 

[sigmarabi1]

Well you didn't mention a budget so here you go: https://www.bulkreefsupply.com/a200-dc-controllable-pump-4-400-gph-abyzz.html

Ouch.... yeah this one is over my budget. I'm actually willing to stay within the L1's range if possible. We'll see...

 

[sigmarabi1]

@mcarroll Back when I built the tank my calculation was somewhere in this range:

Equipment - Max GPH
Reefer 525 XL- 1,060
Bio Pellet Reactor - 400
Carbon Reactor - 300
1/4 Chiller - 660 (technically not inline)
GPH Loss 10% - 242
GPH Loss 25% - 605
Total + 25% Pipe Fittings => 3,025

The L1 was right on the money when it comes to flow , but it's a shame they are not reliable. I'm going through your AC pump recommendations.
How do they behave with Apex controller?

 

[chipmunkofdoom2]

I gave it a try. Poor build quality IMO.

You mean the Jebao had poor build quality? What do you mean by poor build quality? Did both of the Vortech pumps that failed you have better build quality? Seeing as how the Vectras both failed, would you say that the better quality was of great importance?

 

[JoshH]

I looked at some RO but didn't find one with enough flow rate. Any specific model u recommend?

https://www.bulkreefsupply.com/varios-8-controllable-dc-pump-2700-gph-reef-octopus.html

That's the best flow you will get from RO DC pumps anyway which falls a little short of your target flow unfortunately.

 

[Jimbo662]

I've got two VarioS pumps...they're dead silent.

 

[mcarroll]

The L1 was right on the money when it comes to flow

We can backfigure the usual way what the L1 was doing.

The Reefer 525XL is 56" high, claims to have 1" plumbing and they actually recommend 1000 GPH for the tank....I guess bowing to the high-flow sump trend.....so we'll go with that. (1000 GPh = 16.7 GPm)

My plumbing configuration estimate of 10' still seems conservative, so we'll stick with it.

Back to the friction loss calculator for a new run:
http://www.freecalc.com/fric.htm

Pressure Loss (psi): 1.63 Head Loss (ft): 3.8
Line Number:
Date: 4/25/2018
Nominal Pipe Size: 1
Pipe Schedule: SCH 40
Flow Rate (gpm): 16.7
Viscosity (cP): 1
Specific Gravity (water=1): 1
Temperature (F): 79
Pipe Roughness (ft): 0.000016
Actual Pipe ID (in.): 1.049
Fluid Velocity (ft/sec): 6.2
Reynolds Number: 50348
Flow Region: Turbulent
Friction Factor: 0.022
Overall K: 6.3
Piping Length (ft): 10
Short Radius Elbows: 4
Pipe Exit : 2

Pushing flow up to 1000 GPH (3800 L/H) takes friction loss up to +3.8 feet, we'll round up to 46 inches.

56 + 46 = 102" = 8.5 feet of total head pressure. Pretty close to the estimate before, but the new flow target will change the pump recommendations a bit.

Sicce
Syncra 5.0
Syncra Pro 9000
Multi 9000e, 14000e or 16000e

Lifegard
Quiet One 6000

Danner
Mag 18 (or 24 or 36)



If you wanna make sure you have extra, go with either the Syncra Pro 9000 or Mag 18(or higher), IMO.

If you think my plumbing length estimate is too conservative at 10', re-run the calculation (or I can) – at 1000 GPH it's a significant factor so we should really try to get it right.

 

[Kershaw]

http://sicceus.com/sdc_adv.html
Look at the sdc and the adc. Adc might be a little too much flow.

 

[mcarroll]

How do they behave with Apex controller?

Should be normal...on|off simplicity.

 

[Peter K]

The varios 8 may fall below your flow rate but I have had one pretty much since they were released and it is absolutely bullet proof and dead silent. If you can sacrifice a bit of flow I really think they are worth giving a try.