Smartpond pumps from lowes

Jeepguy242 · Jan 6, 2018

I have been using maxi jet pumps in my salt mixing tank (brute trash can) for several years now, i have to replace them almost every year..

so today i go out to the garage and open the lid to my tank to start mixing salt and turn the heaters on to prepare for my water change tonight and sure enough the maxi jet has failed AGAIN...

went to petco and they are 45 bucks....

being the DIY'er that i am i went to lowes home improvement and looking around at the pond pumps i see a Smartpond 600 gph pump for 68$... quick trip to the plumbing aisle and some 1/2" pvc fittings and i made myself a contraption to mix the salt and also i can pull off an elbow and hook on 40 feet of clear tubing and now i have a transfer pump also.... no more buckets....

anybody used these pumps? it seems quieter than the maxi jet 1200 i had and the flow is almost 3 times what the maxi jet was...

wonder how long it will last....

Fritzhamer · Jan 6, 2018

https://m.lowes.com/pd/smartpond-56...6kio5VvADFhf_SJZUs9iHDH2Zpwxp15RoCWRoQAvD_BwE

Fritzhamer · Jan 6, 2018

That was supposed to link to the reviews (not good).

Jeepguy242 · Jan 6, 2018

Fritzhamer said:
That was supposed to link to the reviews (not good).

looks about to be the exact same thing i would say about the maxi jet....

well, if this one works for a year i will have got my money out of it, and the added convenience of not filling buckets to carry them from the garage to the tank was worth the 25$ more than the maxi jet

i will let you know how it does with the transfer, it pumps water above the top of the brute can faster than my garden hose flows, so if it can handle the 40 foot run to my tank at almost 1' lift i will be in business....

just waiting for the salt to mix and we shall see...

Fritzhamer · Jan 6, 2018

I've been using a mag seven as my heater and mixer/pump. I have a Barb fitting on it. The pumps are so inefficient that they heat the water as they mix it. Seriously.

If and when this one eventually fails a mag would suit you well. I've had some last ten years.

Jeepguy242 · Jan 6, 2018

Fritzhamer said:
I've been using a mag seven as my heater and mixer/pump. I have a Barb fitting on it. The pumps are so inefficient that they heat the water as they mix it. Seriously.

If and when this one eventually fails a mag would suit you well. I've had some last ten years.

i have a mag 12 on my display tank that has served me well for over 7 years now.... replaced the volute and the impeller once in that time (2 years ago) so i agree.... i will be getting another when this one decides to crap out.... just needed something quick and cheap for the time being

sundog101 · Jan 6, 2018

Are you using the marineland or cobalt maxi jet?

Jeepguy242 · Jan 6, 2018

sundog101 said:
Are you using the marineland or cobalt maxi jet?

always marineland

i didn't know there was another

are the cobalt's any better?

sundog101 · Jan 6, 2018

That’s probably your problem. I use cobalt and haven’t had any issues. Marineland’s, from what I’ve heard, have all sorts of problems.

Jeepguy242 · Jan 6, 2018

i don't know why i didn't think of using a stronger pump and a hose long ago, i probably wouldn't have neglected my tank if i would have made water changes easier...

now i am getting ready to tile the whole house and it is a perfect opportunity to re-boot the tank and change up a few things to make maintenance easier

Flippers4pups · Jan 6, 2018

The only thing I'd be a little concerned about is if the smartpond pump is rated for corrosive liquids, since it's made for ponds. I'm sure it's okay though.

Jeepguy242 · Jan 6, 2018

Flippers4pups said:
The only thing I'd be a little concerned about is if the smartpond pump is rated for corrosive liquids, since it's made for ponds. I'm sure it's okay though.

i thought of that myself.... usually i only mix my salt in the day i am doing the water change... about 4-5 hours before i start draining the tank.... the rest of the time it will be running in RO/DI water... it takes my RO unit about 4-5 days to fill this 45 gallon tank because i have the unit T'd into the main tank for ATO and i evaporate about 2 gallons a day so it is constantly starting and stopping filling the main tank and the mix barrel constantly...

to explain a bit better......

RO unit with one hose to tank, float switch and solenoid opens the hose to sump when water is low, fills sump.... float switch closes and fills water barrel, hose runs up to attic and over to garage for the barrel, so when the solenoid opens the tank valve the water takes the path of least resistance to the tank. .... another float switch turns off power to solenoid on RO unit if sump level is too high to prevent flooding... so i takes about 4-5 days to fill the barrel with RO water... the barrel is next to the garage door so i can check the level each day when i leave and come home from work... the RO barrel has an overflow that will let water run out of the garage thru a hose to outside if it fills up too fast....

i always have water ready for a change, but even after all this i still didn't see to use a hose to transfer the fresh salt water to the tank, i have been using buckets