Best return pumps in the industry: Who gets your vote?

Best Return Pump in the Industry

  • Abyzz

  • Blueline

  • Danner Mag Drive

  • Dolphin / Poseidon

  • Ecotech Vectra

  • Eheim

  • Fluval

  • Iwaki

  • Jebao / Jecod

  • Neptune

  • Pan World

  • Red Dragon

  • Reeflo

  • Reef Octopus VarioS

  • Sicce

  • Simplicity

  • Skimz

  • Waterblaster

  • Waveline

  • Other


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revhtree

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VECTRA-M1-1000x1000__39489.1516811030.650.650.jpg


abyzz-a100-water-pump.jpg


We are wanting to put a poll together for the BEST return pumps in the aquarium industry! Help us out by posting your favorite pump manufacturer. It would also be helpful if you tell us why!

Thanks.
 
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pelphrey

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I've been running the Reef Octopus VarioS6 for nearly a year. Nothing but good things to say about it, silent and it works! I do have the Neptune COR20 return pump, should be hooked up this weekend!

Edit - The VarioS pumps also come with fittings! haha
 

2Wheelsonly

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Currently I feel like the Vectra pumps by Ecotech are hard to beat (if you're not factoring in cost in the discussion of "best"). The jury is still out on the reliability because they are still fairly new by pump standards.

Until we get more long term data on the Vectras i'll say Eheim has my current vote. This is based on the fact that in my entire lifetime I have yet to have one fail on me or give me any trouble. I have been using them for years even before I got into salt water tanks I used them on my fresh water systems, in ponds and even in my old watercooled PC setups in the late 90s. Never ever saw one fail and they have always been quiet.
 

Mal11224

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I'm not an expert in this field by any means. I've used a jaebo pump and it was kind of loud out of the box so I replaced it with a fluval SP4 on my 70 reef tank and although it is not a DC pump, it is very powerful and very quiet. My skimmer pump, which is much smaller is louder that my fluval return pump. The pump operates on 120v and has a max flow rate of 1822 GPH. I get great flow in my tank and I do use this pump near max flow. There is some benefit to having a strong flow rate. The vertical distance between my pump and tank is roughly 3 feet. Very easy to clean and very consistent.
 

Brew12

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I'm against using any DC return pump so I will eliminate any of the excellent manufacturers that make them as part of this discussion.

Ehiem and Danner Supreme mag drive pumps are both a great value. Quiet, and they just work.

Sicce - Again, quiet and reliable. Gotta love having a 5 year warranty. Adjustable flow without needing an electronic controller.

Iwaki - About as good as it gets for value in a true pressure rated pump.
 

S-t-r-e-t-c-h

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I'm against using any DC return pump so I will eliminate any of the excellent manufacturers that make them as part of this discussion.

Ehiem and Danner Supreme mag drive pumps are both a great value. Quiet, and they just work.

Sicce - Again, quiet and reliable. Gotta love having a 5 year warranty. Adjustable flow without needing an electronic controller.

Iwaki - About as good as it gets for value in a true pressure rated pump.

I literally came to post this same exact list. Thank you for saving me the key strokes... LOL.
 

Antics

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Still loving my L1 after a year. Hopefully it lives up to the Vortechs in terms of longevity.
 

Mrx7899

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Don't think they are the best but I run a Reef Octopus VarioS 2 on my 50 gallon cube very quiet comes with all the fittings you need. And a skimz quietpro 6.0 also quiet and comes with everything you need its running my 38 gallon tank and frag tank. Very Happy with both pumps and they are affordable
 

stylaster

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Ive always been a fan of ehiem for internal and reeflo pumps for external applications
 
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revhtree

revhtree

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I am using a Vectra for my frag tank to the main sump and an Abyzz for my main tank plumbing.
 

Tim Olson

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I've been running a Vectra M1 for about a year, along with a Reeflink / EcoSmart live.

Likes:
  • Lots of power available
  • Uses an average of 8.80 watts in my system
  • Ability to program the flow rate throughout the day
  • Reliability, so far. It has never failed to pump, even if there's a glitch with the Reeflink or something. It keeps on running at the last setting it was programmed to.
  • I really like EcoSmart live & Reeflink and their ability to keep track of pump health and power usage and other factors.
  • Customer support has been wonderful - especially with the ability of EcoSmart live to review how the pump is functioning.
  • Feed mode and the ability to program how much time you want the pump at a low speed and how fast it ramps up when it comes back on.
Dislikes:
  • Even though the pump seems bulletproof, the Reeflink is somewhat temperamental. For example the Feed mode sometimes doesn't work so I might have to power off/on the Reeflink. This happens every month or two so far.
Overall, I would recommend the pump, since the advantages outweigh the electronic Reeflink problems. Plus the Reeflink is an option anyways, so maybe I shouldn't even be mentioning it here.

Hope this helps!
 

Aquatic acrobat in your aquarium: Have you ever kept an eel?

  • I currently keep an eel in my tank.

    Votes: 29 14.9%
  • I have kept an eel in my tank in the past.

    Votes: 32 16.4%
  • I have not kept an eel in my tank, but I hope to in the future.

    Votes: 35 17.9%
  • I have no plans to keep an eel.

    Votes: 96 49.2%
  • Other.

    Votes: 3 1.5%
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