Pump for Return

[DracoKat]

I am in process of building my own sump. It's either going to be 30 or 40 gals.

The tank is 75 gal reef-ready. Holes are at the bottom corner of the tank.

I am looking for a reliable return pump that is not too terribly expensive.

So far I am looking at Eheim 1260 or 1262- not sure which size to get. Help? Excellent reviews for Eheims.

I am also looking at the new Reef Octopus VarioS-2
http://www.marinedepot.com/Reef_Oct...m_Pumps-Reef_Octopus-CV25218-FIWPEPZT-vi.html

I like the control options it has here, but it's brand new and no reviews yet on it. Should I be the guinea pig? lol

Help me make my decision?

 

[Mstanker]

what size tank are you going to put the pump on? I have a 40gb with a 23g sump and I have this pump on it. The pump is pretty nice; I had a jeabo dc900 and I love the fluval pump a lot more. You need to look into the warranty that's the key in buying a nice pump. The DC pump i bought last year only had a 6month to 1 year warranty. The Fluval has a 3yr motor warranty.

http://www.marinedepot.com/Fluval_S...quarium_Pumps-Fluval-HG14335-FIWPSBFT-vi.html

 

[DracoKat]

I am in process of building my own sump. It's either going to be 30 or 40 gals.
The tank is 75 gal reef-ready. Holes are at the bottom corner of the tank.

 

[Mstanker]

Yeah, the one i linked would be great for a 75g tank and you would not have to slow it down any. I have it turned half down on my 40gb tank.

 

[DracoKat]

Thank you, I am looking at the one you suggested now to consider :)

 

[redfishbluefish]

I would definitely be looking at DC pumps, and with a budget, I'd be looking at Jebao/Jecod DCT 4000. It's too much pump for a 75, but it's fully adjustable. I don't like running pumps wide open anyway.

HERE's that pump on Amazon.

 

[DracoKat]

I like Jebao's price better, lol.

 

[mcarroll]

My Opinion
Much prefer a right-sized AC pump than a DC pump, IMO.

Done right, you don't even need a valve. Plus, AC pumps should last longer. (There's no track record for DC pumps yet...I see no reason to assume a cheap DC pump will outlast a QuietOne, Mag or Eheim which all have amazing long-term track records.)

My Recommendation
The three top choices I'd recommend....QuietOne, Mag or Eheim. Though there are definitely other good pumps out there too.

Eheim doesn't offer as many size choices in their most-esteemed Universal Hobby Pump line, but if you have the budget, this is still the rolls royce of pumps.

The QuietOne and Mag both make really sensible alternatives for a lot less money. The Mag is a stronger pump (and higher wattage) but still very quiet. The QuietOne is still pretty strong, but I think it is actually quieter than the Mags. I have at least one of all three pumps, FYI.

Sizing
Sizing the pump is about the actual throughput you need - not the rating on the pump.

If you are doing anything beyond a basic plumbing job, you should try to find and use a head-loss calculator to account for the extra height, twists and turns.

A basic plumbing job can be estimated well enough from the flow curves published by the manufacturers.

We'll assume your 75 is 4' off the ground.

75 gallons of display needs between (75 x 2 =) 150 GPH and (75 x 4 =) 300 GPH of return flow. That's it.

If you want to account for "wear and tear and buildup in the plumbing", maybe you'd go for as much as (75 x 5 =) 450 GPH.

More than that doesn't really do anything for you and can actually cause problems like noise, splashing, micro-bubbles, etc.

QuietOne
According to Lifegard Aquatics, a model 2200 (rated at 600 GPH) would do the trick and give you around 400 GPH. Way more than enough and only $58. A model 3000 would really be overkill IMO. I like that these pumps have built-in, male 1" threaded outlets.

Mag
According to Danner's info on the Mag pumps posted here, anything from a Mag 3 (rated at 300 GPH) up to a Mag 7 (rated at 700 GPH) would do the trick - even if your return was up to 7' high. If I'm literally right in my guess at your tank being 4' high and you have very minimal plumbing, a Mag 2 could even pull this off. That's a range between $62 and $90 online....I'd even pay a small premium to that if anyone is still selling those local to you. These pumps really are tanks. The only reason not to consider these is if you're (still) running halide or T5HO lighting and have a tank with heat issues. I like that they have built-in, 1/2" male threaded connections on the IN and OUT.

The QuietOne at 45 watts is more power efficient than the Mag 7 at 60 watts for similar performance. However if you select one of the smaller Mag's I mentioned, power usage can go as low as 20 watts(@$62).

Eheim
Eheim's 1260 would appear to be in the same size class as the 2200 and Mag 7.

Rated at 600 GPH, expected to deliver around 400 GPH at 4'. $169.

Definitely worth it, but not the only pump worth considering.

This has a 1" female threaded IN and oddball 5/8" threaded OUT along with an assortment of barb fittings. I have a littler 1250 and I had to jump through some hoops to get its 3/8" outlet plumbed to my skimmer at the time. The skimmer was also 3/8" but it's an odd size part to find. I bet 5/8" parts aren't for sale everywhere either.

Personally, I think I'd go with the Mag 5 or 7 or QuietOne 2200. But heat is not a consideration for me. Budget and reliability are. ;)

 

[mfinn]

I like the Eheim 1260 or Sicce Synrca Silent 3.0 for a 75 gallon tank.
Both quiet and dependable pumps.

 

[Lynn52]

I use a Quiet One on my 125. It does a great job.

 

[DracoKat]

wow macarroll .. Thank you SO much for that informative post!!!
And thank you everyone else for the input too!!

I decided on the Lifeguard aquatic 2200. $42 on Amazon

 

[Fudsey]

I've been running a QuietOne 2200 on a 72 bow for a few years now and it works perfectly.

 

[Cory]

I thought eheim was a better pump than mag drive fwiw.

 

[mcarroll]

For that price, you'll have to define "better" I think. ;) :)

 

[Cory]

Well my eheim is pretty quiet compared to the mag. I havent cleaned it since i owned it. Almoat two years now. The mags impeller shaft broke and i lost one of the rubber bearings, but thats not their fault.

 

[rainydave]

I'm running an Eheim 1262 on my 58g with a 20g sump. It's a lotta pump for the tank...but it works.

 

[Starwar]

I have a lifegard quiet one 1200gph on a 90 gallon and it works great. also a bit overkill but the unit has its own adjustable valve in the pre filter. Its also feeding two reactors. Best price i found was on amazon.

 

[Mstanker]

Yeah I guess if your going to run a pump for just return only and not have one pump running everything. A 500-800 gph will do fine; also remember the more pumps/power heads in your sump for more heat they put off.

 

[ironeagle2006]

I had a Mag 12 On my old 150. When I sold the tank 3 years ago I was wondering why the pump was rattling at times. I had a busted impeller shaft and that sucker was like what me worry.

 

[Mjl714]

I like your initial thoughts. I had an Eheim for 20 plus years, before breakdown. I find them among the most quiet. Many of the pumps mentioned are very good pumps.

Good luck with your choice.