Good or Bad Idea: Your Return Pump Connected To A Controller?

[revhtree Verified Admin]

There are return pumps that allow you to control them via an aquarium controller and then there are those that do not.

I have always been of the school of thought that using a controller to control your main return pump just adds one more point of potential failure. If your controller fails then maybe your return pump gets shut down and maybe it doesn't depending on the controller.

How do you feel about it?

 

[Elementalj]

There are return pumps that allow you to control them via an aquarium controller and then there are those that do not.

I have always been of the school of thought that using a controller to control your main return pump just adds one more point of potential failure. If your controller fails then maybe your return pump gets shut down and maybe it doesn't depending on the controller.

How do you feel about it?

Return pump, controlled or not, goes directly to a UPS. The spice must FLOW![emoji1611]

 

[120reefkeeper]

I personally have mine run by a controller. I like the fact that I can see the amperage draw on my EB8 when my pumps are on. I can activate each individually and get a reading of the draw for each pump. This can let me know if my pump is getting tired or even dirty.

I also like the fact that I can hit a single button (feed mode) and my pumps shut down for a specific time period for feedings. I also have a separate feed mode that I use for water changes. This gives me single button control to shut down my pumps, do my water change and have everything fire back up once complete.

To me all of this sure beats pulling cords out.

 

[Elementalj]

I personally have mine run by a controller. I like the fact that I can see the amperage draw on my EB8 when my pumps are on. I can activate each individually and get a reading of the draw for each pump. This can let me know if my pump is getting tired or even dirty.

I also like the fact that I can hit a single button (feed mode) and my pumps shut down for a specific time period for feedings. I also have a separate feed mode that I use for water changes. This gives me single button control to shut down my pumps, do my water change and have everything fire back up once complete.

To me all of this sure beats pulling cords out.

My UPS has a button, no cord pulling. [emoji6]

Let me add that the benefits you've listed are compelling, but circuitry is still circuitry and a fault can show itself at the most inconvenient of times.

I do have circulation pumps running through my controller for the very same reasons you've noted, I just feel a bit uneasy with every single thing running through the controller independent of the brand.

 

[Bmartinez76]

With apex if the controller fails your outlets can remain on if you have the fallback setting to on. I prefer the controller as I can feed easier and do maintenance easier.

 

[Terence]

The new Energy Bar 832 can tell you when your pump is running out of "spec" (meaning how you intend it to run) and send you an alert. It does this by monitoring the power consumed by the pump at all times. If your pump were merely plugged into the wall, you might not know immediately when it failed - or especially as it may be acting erratic leading up to failure.

 

[Brew12]

There are return pumps that allow you to control them via an aquarium controller and then there are those that do not.

I have always been of the school of thought that using a controller to control your main return pump just adds one more point of potential failure. If your controller fails then maybe your return pump gets shut down and maybe it doesn't depending on the controller.

How do you feel about it?

I shut mine down as part of the feeding cycle so I like it on the controller.

I am not a fan of DC return pumps. I do view the controller of a DC pump as another possible failure mode and once I get my flow locked in on my drains, I don't want the speed changing.

 

[Brew12]

The new Energy Bar 832 can tell you when your pump is running out of "spec" (meaning how you intend it to run) and send you an alert. It does this by monitoring the power consumed by the pump at all times. If your pump were merely plugged into the wall, you might not know immediately when it failed - or especially as it may be acting erratic leading up to failure.

Nice feature! This would be a fantastic way to do condition based cleaning, too.

 

[chefjpaul]

Controller with battery backup

 

[revhtree Verified Admin]

The new Energy Bar 832 can tell you when your pump is running out of "spec" (meaning how you intend it to run) and send you an alert. It does this by monitoring the power consumed by the pump at all times. If your pump were merely plugged into the wall, you might not know immediately when it failed - or especially as it may be acting erratic leading up to failure.

So really any return pump can be plugged in to the energy bar and you would still be able to benefit whether it was controllable or not?

 

[ngvu1]

I do have the tunze DC return pump connected to an apex controller. If the apex controller is dead, the return pump is done....There is a power head that keeps running in case of power outage.... Hopefully fusion notifies me in time and i can rectify the situation in time....

 

[Brew12]

So really any return pump can be plugged in to the energy bar and you would still be able to benefit whether it was controllable or not?

I think you need to define controllable. By controllable do you mean variable speed or just on/off?

If you have a DC pump (variable speed) odds are it will turn off or go to minimum flow if the controller output is lost. If you have an AC pump on a controllable outlet (especially one you can program to a default state of "On") this should be much more reliable.

 

[reeferfoxx]

I understand the points being made about controllers failing. But to me it's all the same unless you have a way to keep the pump going? If the controller for my DC pump goes out, I just have to replace the controller. If the pump goes, then it's the pump. Either way, I lose flow. UPS can fail and so can power strips. I don't see the harm with or without a controller. Like someone else said, keep powerheads as a fail safe?

 

[Terence]

So there are a few ambiguities here that the OP might want to clear up.

- AC pump?
- DC Pump with its own motor controller?
- If DC it has its own controller to make the motor spin but could have the power supply connected to an outlet and a 0-10v "control" cable that can adjust the speed via connection to a third party co triller like an Apex.
- DC pump with no 0-10v but with power supply connected to an outlet on a controller power bar such as the Apex Energy Bar 4/8/832
- DC pump with both of the above. 0-10v and power supply connected to controllable outlet bar.

 

[lou dog420]

My only piece of equipment that is not plugged in to apex

 

[pelphrey]

Actually ordered the cable today to control my Varios6 with the apex. Plan to plug the power cord into my UPS, then the Varios into the VDM port. I don't care about the power consumption, I want to set it and forget it but still have the ability to shut off in fusion.

 

[-Logzor]

Why do you need to control the return pump is another question. Not sure why you would want to. I have an Ehiem. It's plugged into the wall. It has been running for 7 years with a cleaning here and there, yet to fail me.

 

[6272862829]

Why do you need to control the return pump is another question. Not sure why you would want to. I have an Ehiem. It's plugged into the wall. It has been running for 7 years with a cleaning here and there, yet to fail me.

One of the greatest part of owning a vectra is the fact that you can calibrate the pump for max flow and feed mode flow. I can go to feed mode and the vectra will slow down to the point is just a trickle flowing through the sump allowing for the food to stay in the tank and never having to shut off the systems i also use this for my water changes. When you hit feed mode the sump water level rises due to the slower flow of the pump which allows me to do a water change on my tank without shutting down the system.

 

[filbie70]

I have my Vectra L1 set to shut off if the leak detector on the Apex senses a water leak.

 

[reefsahoy]

Why do you need to control the return pump is another question. Not sure why you would want to. I have an Ehiem. It's plugged into the wall. It has been running for 7 years with a cleaning here and there, yet to fail me.

Well let's say you have micro bubbles in your display tank because your sump is too small, you can slow the flow rate and clear up the micro bubbles. Or you can add another piece of equipment like a reactor or chiller and if your pump was bought oversized, you can adjust for more flow to compensate for the addition of other equipment and still get max flow thru the sump without micro bubbles running to your display tank.