Are you doing this with your aquarium return pump? Maybe you should be!

Do you have your return pump on it's own circuit?

  • Yes

    Votes: 103 14.0%
  • No

    Votes: 605 82.2%
  • Other

    Votes: 28 3.8%

  • Total voters
    736

HaveFishWillTravel

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Quick tips and QOTD today! It's simple but could really save your tank one day! Your aquarium return pump is the heart of your system and needs to be running at all times and there are some things you can do to make sure it is always pumping! Breakers can get tripped, power strips can quit working and pumps get dirty and can stop pumping! Here are a few tips and I hope that you will share some of your own.

1. If at all possible have your aquarium return pump on it's own circuit.

2. Plug your return pump directly into the electrical outlet. Don't use a power strip or even an aquarium controller.

3. Clean your return pump regularly to keep it running smoothly and efficiently!

4. Make sure the return intake of your pump isn't restricted.

5. KEEP A SPARE PUMP FOR AN EMERGENCY!

Do you have your return pump on it's own circuit and do you think that is necessary? What about these other tips?

Please share any tips you have for making sure your return pump is running at all times!

1599828729743.png
Quick tips and QOTD today! It's simple but could really save your tank one day! Your aquarium return pump is the heart of your system and needs to be running at all times and there are some things you can do to make sure it is always pumping! Breakers can get tripped, power strips can quit working and pumps get dirty and can stop pumping! Here are a few tips and I hope that you will share some of your own.

1. If at all possible have your aquarium return pump on it's own circuit.

2. Plug your return pump directly into the electrical outlet. Don't use a power strip or even an aquarium controller.

3. Clean your return pump regularly to keep it running smoothly and efficiently!

4. Make sure the return intake of your pump isn't restricted.

5. KEEP A SPARE PUMP FOR AN EMERGENCY!

Do you have your return pump on it's own circuit and do you think that is necessary? What about these other tips?

Please share any tips you have for making sure your return pump is running at all times!

1599828729743.png
Hello, this topic is near and dear to my heart. I started building my tank in May and fully completed the transfer from my Nano 20 to my new XL 200 in July 2020. I had ‘help’ because I just had surgery on my right shoulder. My helper (btw, someone that does this for a living, someone I paid ~$500 to ‘help’ me) did not organize the wiring as it should have been done. He put the Controllers into the cabinets and the wiring was completely tangled and was a mess. It was my responsibility and I should have taken ownership of this long before I did.
My arm was out of the sling so I decided to tackle rearranging all of the electrical components. While doing so, I pulled the AC Adapter for my EcoTech Vectra M2 Return Pump into the sump water. I heard everything start to shut down. I checked the GFCI and it had flipped. It wasn’t until I saw the smoke/steam rising out of the sump that I realized what had happened. Hastily or stupidly, I grabbed the adapter out of the water. It was fried. Now, what? My brand new aquarium, my clownfish, my lovely damsel, my crabs and shrimpies, two new rainbow tipped anemones, all of my corals from my Nano and about 20 new little frags were now at risk. Sunday afternoon...my Reefer was dead in the water, so to speak. Started making phone calls. I called a saltwater aquarium store in a nearby city to see if they happened to have an adapter for sale and lo and behold, they had an M1 Controller and AC adapter (combined unit) that I could borrow, but not until the next day. I wasn’t sure if it was compatible, but it was worth a shot. I ordered a new AC adapter online and the EcoTech Battery Backup and Booster and tried to order a titanium grounding probe, but couldn’t find one in stock.
Now, I had to figure out how I was going to keep my fish and corals alive as they had been sitting in water that was only being moved by the ReefWave25. Fortunately, I have several power heads and aerating pumps and various hoses that I had bought for my one-armed water change operations. The beauty of the REDSEA XL200 Reefer and maybe other tanks too, is that you can use the existing architecture. I clamped a hose onto a 300 gallon/hour pump and fired it up. I just threaded the hose up and over the top of the display tank and connected it by lodging it in the rocks. I kept that going until I picked up the M1 Controller/AC adapter. Thank goodness it was compatible! I ended up with an algae outbreak shortly afterwards. Other than a few more grey hairs, that was the only serious damage.
Lessons Learned:
1) Never leave your electronics in your sump cabinet or near any water
2) Organize your electrical wiring, use colored velcro to label items and tie down equipment. No loose wires or equipment
3) Have your Return Pump on its own GFCI so, if it goes down, it doesn’t bring everything else down
4) Have a Backup tested and established or ‘ready to go’ in the unlikely event of failure
5) Keep backup power heads and hoses on hand for emergencies
6) Install a Titanium Grounding Probe
7) Wear rubber soled shoes while working on your aquariums so that you do not become the ‘Ground’.

I just want to add, I often wonder what it might be like living in the watery environment that I create for my little creatures and animals. Let me say that IMHO and I love them and I have had many...cats and dogs are Tiddly Winks compared to what you need to know and need to do to keep these environments safe and healthy for our marine pals. Don’t underestimate yourself in any way. This is a tough hobby and very rewarding. Have a great weekend! JL

Bear in mind that I have one 50 gallon reef tank. My tips are general in nature. Reading some of the other posts blow me away! You guys are awesome!
 
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725196

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Personally I would love to have 2 return pumps each on its own circuit, but my sump/tank is too small. I have one Cor15 for the return. It’s hooked into my Apex (of course). Idk of there is any sort of battery back up for that (Neptune that is a “million dollar” idea for you, your welcome. And royalty checks are ok but frags are welcome too.) in case of a power outage or circuit breaker being tripped I have 2 MP40s on batter backup. While I would like to have the whole system run it is the next best thing.
 

HaveFishWillTravel

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Don't think I'd ever consider it. DC pump on apex with battery backup. Some things are more critical, like if you're running a UV which could easily trip a breaker when it goes bad. Have that issue constantly with koi ponds.

9 tanks, backup pump and power supply for two largest tanks (run cor20s on both). Never had a pump go out but power supplies are a different story and worth their price in gold (well almost).
Don't think I'd ever consider it. DC pump on apex with battery backup. Some things are more critical, like if you're running a UV which could easily trip a breaker when it goes bad. Have that issue constantly with koi ponds.

9 tanks, backup pump and power supply for two largest tanks (run cor20s on both). Never had a pump go out but power supplies are a different story and worth their price in gold (well almost).
9 tanks? Seriously? I can’t imagine. I have 3 tanks, 2 freshwater (40 gallon & 10 gallon) and a 50 gallon reef tank. It’s a lot to manage. I love working on them. It’s relaxing unless there is some sort of trouble like a feisty anemone wants to wander around and take over someone else’s spot or some sort of emergency happens. More power to ya’
 

weamdog

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9 tanks? Seriously? I can’t imagine. I have 3 tanks, 2 freshwater (40 gallon & 10 gallon) and a 50 gallon reef tank. It’s a lot to manage. I love working on them. It’s relaxing unless there is some sort of trouble like a feisty anemone wants to wander around and take over someone else’s spot or some sort of emergency happens. More power to ya’

I don't claim to have immaculate tanks, but will admit about 4hrs of work today (not including feeding):cool:
I suppose I could knock it down to three if I had to. (220,125,75,55,30,29,14,10x2). 220 is stocked to the point a power outage causes the generator to get fired up while the APC runs the bare essentials. 2x2000g koi ponds outside. "Fish are friends, not food". A loss of power/pump on those on a hot summer day is catastrophic in just a few hours. Now those are on two separate circuits just for that reason, especially running 55w UVs on each.
 

HaveFishWillTravel

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I don't claim to have immaculate tanks, but will admit about 4hrs of work today (not including feeding):cool:
I suppose I could knock it down to three if I had to. (220,125,75,55,30,29,14,10x2). 220 is stocked to the point a power outage causes the generator to get fired up while the APC runs the bare essentials. 2x2000g koi ponds outside. "Fish are friends, not food". A loss of power/pump on those on a hot summer day is catastrophic in just a few hours. Now those are on two separate circuits just for that reason, especially running 55w UVs on each.
I still need so much more knowledge...and money...LOL I spend at least an hour a day on my tanks and two or three days a week, I will spend at least 3 or 4 hours on them. I am still doing water changes, trying to keep Nitrates down to a dull roar especially in my 40 gallon freshwater tank...I have a Gourami that really needs a larger tank. I am going to get him one as soon as I can. In my reef tank, I am still too unfamiliar with how the anemones behave to know if something is right or wrong so I spend a lot of time reading and researching and doing water testing and cleaning. I like my sump clean and the protein skimmer relatively clean. I manage my Phosphate lowering gizmo so I don’t drain all of the Phosphates out of the tank and try to keep my Nitrates at 2ppm without disturbing everyone all of the time. I don’t like to do huge water changes (more than 35% or 40%). I am of the mind that by replacing the water with clean saltwater, I am removing valuable nutrients and disturbing their environment. I have just started adding small amounts of Phytoplankton to my water and have been experimenting somewhat with different waves and intensities...just nothing too drastic. I document everything I do and the results. Everyone seems to be growing, they are happy and flourishing. Fingers crossed. Sorry to digress. This is just so much fun!
 

powers2001

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1. If at all possible have your aquarium return pump on it's own circuit.

Own it's own circuit? I assume you mean by circuit is the "house's electrical line" that goes from the wall outlet to the "house's electrical breaker box?" The same said box where you filp the circuit breaker back to "on" when a circuit is tripped and you have a partial power outage in only a certain part of your house or building? My answer to question #1 is: NO. I will rewire my house's breaker box so I will have some of my aquarium equipment on separate circuits by creating additional circuits complete with their own wall outlets. Then I will have separate circuits for my return pumps different from other equipment like energy bars.

2. Plug your return pump directly into the electrical outlet. Don't use a power strip or even an aquarium controller.

See answer to question #1. I would like a separate circuit with just a double outlet plate on the wall for one of my return pumps and one of my grounding probes. This probe goes into my sump to protect the main return pump and other equipment. The main return pump is controlled by my Apex by a cable separately from it's power. I will discuss the two return pumps in question #4.

3. Clean your return pump regularly to keep it running smoothly and efficiently!

This is a must! I can use power monitoring and flow monitoring to alert me if some performance changes in my return pumps which could suggest all kinds of problems not just a dirty pump.

5. KEEP A SPARE PUMP FOR AN EMERGENCY!

My COR-20 pump is the main return pump and just pumps water from the sump back into the DT. It will be plugged into it's own circuit with a grounding probe. The other return pump, a COR-15, runs the manifold which feeds my: chiller, UV sterilizer, and media reactor. The COR-15 pumps water from the sump through the equipment connected to the manifold and with the UVS it returns sump water back into the DT.
 

Paulie069

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Quick tips and QOTD today! It's simple but could really save your tank one day! Your aquarium return pump is the heart of your system and needs to be running at all times and there are some things you can do to make sure it is always pumping! Breakers can get tripped, power strips can quit working and pumps get dirty and can stop pumping! Here are a few tips and I hope that you will share some of your own.

1. If at all possible have your aquarium return pump on it's own circuit.

2. Plug your return pump directly into the electrical outlet. Don't use a power strip or even an aquarium controller.

3. Clean your return pump regularly to keep it running smoothly and efficiently!

4. Make sure the return intake of your pump isn't restricted.

5. KEEP A SPARE PUMP FOR AN EMERGENCY!

Do you have your return pump on it's own circuit and do you think that is necessary? What about these other tips?

Please share any tips you have for making sure your return pump is running at all times!

1599828729743.png
Well with my OCD my tank and return pump are pretty clean
 

Buckster

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Funny this article came out! 5 days ago I wanted to adjust the flow from the return pump and realized the adjustment piece wouldn't turn. I didn't have time to remove the pump as I left for a golf trip. I will be back home tomorrow and cleaning the pump will be a priority. I don't have a backup pump yet as I'm deciding to replace the pump with the same make and model or a different one.

I have two air stones and extra power heads that I would use if the return pump quit before the replacement is purchased.
 

jon99

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2. Plug your return pump directly into the electrical outlet. Don't use a power strip or even an aquarium controller.
Hmmm... I would much rather have the return pump on a controller that can send an alert if the pump stops running.

I have 2 return pumps (redundancy). They are not on dedicated circuits, but they are on separate circuits.
 

Techno10

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I now have two return pumps, each one is on a separate gfci and both are plugged into my Apex. I also have a high and low sensor on my sump, if a pump fails I will get a notice that the water level is high and the Apex will also notify something is wrong on the power usage.

I think it’s extremely important to know that a pump is not working.
 

Rich Klein

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Tip - Add a water hight sensor a couple of inches above the water line when the return pump is running. Setup alarming if the water level in the sump rises above the sensor. This would detect a return pump failure as a likely cause.
 

terraincognita

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I guess the question I'm wondering is if your pump shuts off whether it's from a blackout or a oversight how long does your tank have until it starts seeing real issues?

Do you have 4 hours? 6 hours? 12 hours?

I'm able to currently check on my tank every 3-4 hours, so I'd be able to notice the pump not working and do something ot handle it, either pop in my next 2 powerful pumps, or fix the DC pump that's in there.

Anyone know a time? or about? Or experience unfortunately with this?
 

GK3

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Quick tips and QOTD today! It's simple but could really save your tank one day! Your aquarium return pump is the heart of your system and needs to be running at all times and there are some things you can do to make sure it is always pumping! Breakers can get tripped, power strips can quit working and pumps get dirty and can stop pumping! Here are a few tips and I hope that you will share some of your own.

1. If at all possible have your aquarium return pump on it's own circuit.

2. Plug your return pump directly into the electrical outlet. Don't use a power strip or even an aquarium controller.

3. Clean your return pump regularly to keep it running smoothly and efficiently!

4. Make sure the return intake of your pump isn't restricted.

5. KEEP A SPARE PUMP FOR AN EMERGENCY!

Do you have your return pump on it's own circuit and do you think that is necessary? What about these other tips?

Please share any tips you have for making sure your return pump is running at all times!

1599828729743.png
Several good points here, I do have to disagree with your statement about plugging it directly into an outlet and not using a power strip. At minimum you should use a surge protector. If lightning fries your pump, a grounding probe isn’t going to save your tank. Secondly pumps are quite expensive, a surge protector is cheap. Seems like a no brainer to protect the equipment and your live stock.
 

Millwright

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I have two circuits. One has lights, power heads, heaters and dosers. Second has return pump, skimmer and ato.
Thoughts on spare return pumps.
- All returns should have a union.
- in case of multiple tanks all unions should be set at standard height from the bottom of the sump to the top of the union’s mating surfaces.
- unions should be orientated in the same manner. Example Male end always on the pump side.
- spare return pump should be fitted with its respective hose/pipe and Union already installed to work with the established common height of the union determined above.
- return pump’s power cord should be easily removable and not tanged with other power cords.
 

Vyper

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I run dual return pumps for redundancy. Both are on separate Neptune bricks which are powered on separate outlets. Both have flow meters on them as well so they can be monitored. All else fails I have a pair of mp40qd on vortech battery backup.
 

FishTruck

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One return pump
Three circuits
Backup generator
Numerous controllers


Any single pump or even any single circuit can fail without a catastrophic event. If the main pump goes out, the powerheads in the display and skimmer pump will keep things moving in all areas - giving me a number of days (a week hopefully) to discover the problem.

I also have my controllers spread out between apex, Orphek, dummy timers, and Ecotech - so that a controller failure also can't take out the tank.
 
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