What Return Pump are you running and why.
- Thread starter Amps Reef Life
- Start date
- Tagged users None
Bmezz
Active Member
- Joined
- Aug 30, 2017
- Messages
- 163
- Reaction score
- 50
- Location
- OC California
- What state or country do you live in
- California
Ecotech L1. Purchased for performance, controllability, reputation with one of the best suppliers in the world and compatibility with the Ecotech radion lights, Vortechs, Backup systems and Reeflink-- a great system for total reef control!
Mark Gray
2500 Club Member
- Joined
- Jul 13, 2015
- Messages
- 2,960
- Reaction score
- 2,834
- Location
- Athens GA
- What state or country do you live in
- Georgia
I on my new build am running 2 Cor 15's I can't tell you about the longevity but they are extremely easy to create different flow patterns with the Apex, I also have a sicce 7 on my other tank it runs good. The 2 Cor's are silent
rockskimmerflow
Well-Known Member
I spec a lot of different reefs but the only models I currently have in the field are Fluval sp4, sp6, eheim 1262, panworld 40px, 50px-x, 100px-x, 150ps, 200ps, iwaki 20rxt, 30rxt, 40rxt, 100rlt, and one lonesome mag12b still running at 8 years old and about that long since its last cleaning which will be swapped for an sp4 when it finally gives up. Oh and some Cobalt mj1200s for the few nanos I run.
Couldnt pay me to install a DC pump unless it was an abyzz or red dragon. And even then I wouldnt unless a client insisted on it.
Couldnt pay me to install a DC pump unless it was an abyzz or red dragon. And even then I wouldnt unless a client insisted on it.
Sleepydoc
Valuable Member
- Joined
- Apr 10, 2017
- Messages
- 1,423
- Reaction score
- 1,269
- Location
- Minneapolis, MN
- What state or country do you live in
- Minnesota
I had a Fluval SP4 - rock solid, quiet and actually just as efficient as most of the DC pumps. I wanted controllability and soft starting, so that got moved to my mixing station when the old pump broke. Had a Waveline for a while, but I'll second the comments on needing to clean it. I replaced it with a Varios 6 - solid, quiet and controllable. I got a COR20 when they came out and have been using that for the last 4-5 months. It is a bit more powerful than the Varios, just as quiet and has better integration with my Apex. The flow dropped off somewhat at about 3-4 months. I cleaned it and now it's back to how it was.
Flippers4pups
Fins up since 1993
I let my system stop back syphoning before I restart mine.
I run a Panworld 150 ps for a return pump. All the claims of these pumps being as durable as Iwaki's is true. 3+ years running 24/7 all that time and it's still running like new. Basement sumps returning to a floor above, Pan world/blue line or iwaki is a excellent choice! Flipper approves!
ca1ore
10K Club member
Excellence Award
Reef Tank 365
CTARS Member
Article Contributor
R2R TV Featured
My Iwaki MD40-RT pump is more than 10 years old working 24/7! When it dies I am planning to change to a DC pump to save electricity.
The good news is that it may well run another ten years ..... at which point there will be good reliability data on DC pumps. I certainly 'get' the desire to save electricity, but also consider how many times you'd have to replace a DC over a 20 years lifespan.
ca1ore
10K Club member
Excellence Award
Reef Tank 365
CTARS Member
Article Contributor
R2R TV Featured
I agree. But what happens if there is a momentary power loss, you're not home, and the pump attempts to restart. We get a lot of those brief ones. That's why I have my apex programmed to delay the pump restart so I can be sure the back siphon has finished. I do the same on my UV so that the ballast can cool otherwise it doesn't restart either. Sigh, it's always something.
Flippers4pups
Fins up since 1993
Yep, can't beat a rock soild decade of performance! Those magnetic Drive pumps are a beast! Durable, reliable and retain full performance for tens of years! Can't beat that!
JBKReef
Valuable Member
- Joined
- May 15, 2017
- Messages
- 1,962
- Reaction score
- 2,317
- Location
- Bloomington, Indiana
- What state or country do you live in
- Indiana
Sicce 4.0 on my 93 cube, I have a BRS reactor manifolded off of it as well. Tank up and running for about 6 months. So far it’s ran exactly like I planned, which is rare for my set up.
Flippers4pups
Fins up since 1993
I get it and see what your saying. Luckily we here don't hardly ever see any loss of power. Great idea on the Apex controlling a delayed start though. I remember that.
ca1ore
10K Club member
Excellence Award
Reef Tank 365
CTARS Member
Article Contributor
R2R TV Featured
They really are; and if one ends up being a long-termer in the hobby, they are likely to be the low cost option as well. My own personal view is that the popularity of DC pumps is highly correlated to time in the hobby. Many reefers will drop out before their pump fails.
Flippers4pups
Fins up since 1993
I can see that. They are one aspect of my system that I don't even think about. It just does what it's supposed to do, no questions asked. Years from now it will be doing the same thing.
Dburr1014
10K Club member
- Joined
- May 8, 2016
- Messages
- 11,300
- Reaction score
- 10,981
- Location
- CT
- What state or country do you live in
- Connecticut
Sicce syncra 9.0
Why : it is a dc pump that can handle the head pressure of my basement sump.
Controlability from my phone. So if I'm watching my tank upstairs, I can control the pump that is in the basement.
They are reputable company. Running 6 months no problems and haven't even cleaned it yet.
Why : it is a dc pump that can handle the head pressure of my basement sump.
Controlability from my phone. So if I'm watching my tank upstairs, I can control the pump that is in the basement.
They are reputable company. Running 6 months no problems and haven't even cleaned it yet.
