Pump for SW mixing station.

[rahger]

I’m probably over thinking this, which is why my build thread is progressing in slow motion.
I have 2 35g norwesco horizontal containers for my mixing station. Is there a general rule of thumb when it comes to these containers. I’ve always been a “pump in a brute” Kind of guy so picking a pump for external use on these containers has me going back and forth between something like the s2 or varios and something like a pan world.
I don’t plan on pumping the water vertically, just~10 feet back to the sump.
Any advice would be great.

 

[Quietman]

I would go cheaper AC pump (Pan World) over DC. Bullet proof, last for years, little maintenance. They're not as quiet as Iwaki but it's not in your living room so save a bit.

 

[homer1475]

Panworld is whats on my 50G brutes. Pump is a bit slow, but I pump up about 6 feet, and horizontal to my tank about 20 feet.

Cheap, reliable, and does the job.

 

[rahger]

I do have a dead panworld that I could probably fix up. I think it’s around 800gph. That could work. Thanks for the input!

 

[jda]

I use PanWorld 150 (Blueline 55) and it will empty my 2x 55g tanks in about 5 minutes. I would be just as happy with similar sized Gen X or Iwaki. These are true workhorses for pumping water.

If you have the tanks raised up high enough, then you might not even need a pump and just let gravity feed the water into the tanks... mine are up on a shelf at about 6 feet and this works for the tank in the room, but I have to use about 50 feet of hose to get to the other tank.

 

[rahger]

I use PanWorld 150 (Blueline 55) and it will empty my 2x 55g tanks in about 5 minutes. I would be just as happy with similar sized Gen X or Iwaki. These are true workhorses for pumping water.

If you have the tanks raised up high enough, then you might not even need a pump and just let gravity feed the water into the tanks... mine are up on a shelf at about 6 feet and this works for the tank in the room, but I have to use about 50 feet of hose to get to the other tank.

this is the set up. I’m not keeping that grating it’s getting replaced with something stronger.
The tank is on the other side of the wall. So I’ll have to pump it over I think.

 

[jda]

I cut 23/32 tounge-and-groove OSB and put it over my grating... plenty strong enough. I made it wider too. If you are worried about water, then epoxy the top - I don't care and can replace it if it ever gets soft.

 

[S2G]

External I like panworld

 

[TPE]

I am building a similar setup with (2) 65 gallon Norwesco vertical tanks on the same floor as my sump; have been researching suitable pumps for a while now.

Using the same pump as one currently in your system (in case of main pump failure) has definitely been a strong suggestion that makes sense.

Although I have (2) Abyzz 400 pumps ready to install on my new sump, I cant justify the cost of a third unit on a water change station.

I am trying to lower my electric bill and like the quietness and operating cost of the DC pumps.

I will probably go with a Reef Octopus Various-4 or 6 for my station. The pump gets decent reviews and is APEX ready.

Good luck with your setup.

 

[rahger]

I am building a similar setup with (2) 65 gallon Norwesco vertical tanks on the same floor as my sump; have been researching suitable pumps for a while now.

Using the same pump as one currently in your system (in case of main pump failure) has definitely been a strong suggestion that makes sense.

Although I have (2) Abyzz 400 pumps ready to install on my new sump, I cant justify the cost of a third unit on a water change station.

I am trying to lower my electric bill and like the quietness and operating cost of the DC pumps.

I will probably go with a Reef Octopus Various-4 or 6 for my station. The pump gets decent reviews and is APEX ready.

Good luck with your setup.

That’s one reason I haven’t quite committed yet. I’d like to ideally have a pump that could also run my display tank as a back up but the cost. I think since I have a pan world, I’ll use that until I can justify shelling out another display-capable return pump as I would be unable to use the panworld as a back up return.

 

[homer1475]

I am building a similar setup with (2) 65 gallon Norwesco vertical tanks on the same floor as my sump; have been researching suitable pumps for a while now.

Using the same pump as one currently in your system (in case of main pump failure) has definitely been a strong suggestion that makes sense.

Although I have (2) Abyzz 400 pumps ready to install on my new sump, I cant justify the cost of a third unit on a water change station.

I am trying to lower my electric bill and like the quietness and operating cost of the DC pumps.

I will probably go with a Reef Octopus Various-4 or 6 for my station. The pump gets decent reviews and is APEX ready.

Good luck with your setup.

You do realize you only need the pump to mix for like an hour or 2? If you leave a pump on in your mixing barrels, you'll have precipitate on your pump, and your just wasting electricity.

BRS did a video a while back on whether you should continually mix, and heat your stored water, or mix it, and let it sit unheated and uncirculated.

FYI according to them, and what I've always done, mix it up for a couple hours, then let it sit.

 

[rahger]

You do realize you only need the pump to mix for like an hour or 2? If you leave a pump on in your mixing barrels, you'll have precipitate on your pump, and your just wasting electricity.

BRS did a video a while back on whether you should continually mix, and heat your stored water, or mix it, and let it sit unheated and uncirculated.

FYI according to them, and what I've always done, mix it up for a couple hours, then let it sit.

I don’t he means to use a pump to mix continuously, nor will I.
We’re talking about using a pump that is easily swappable with the main display tank as backup/redundancy in case of failure

 

[TPE]

Thanks, I did see the video and agree with you.
I have a Reeflo Hammerhead pump I could use, I would rather use a quiet and more energy efficient DC pump.

 

[homer1475]

I don’t he means to use a pump to mix continuously, nor will I.
We’re talking about using a pump that is easily swappable with the main display tank as backup/redundancy in case of failure

Thanks, I did see the video and agree with you.
I have a Reeflo Hammerhead pump I could use, I would rather use a quiet and more energy efficient DC pump.

What I was getting at, is I don't think you'll see much electricity savings with an AC pump Vs. DC pump with the way we use them in mixing stations.

I will agree that having the same pump on your mixing station as the one in your tank, is a great idea!

 

[jda]

It might take a lifetime to see any energy savings using a DC pump over something like a Magnetic drive for this purpose. My PanWorld 150 uses barely 100w and it runs for like 3 days a month and maybe a few more minutes when pumping water around - these are good at sitting and still working after sitting.

You need some pressure to mix salt in a larger drum... velocity gets it mixed, which is why many choose a high-head pump.

I would choose a pump that you know that will be around for a while so that you don't have to re-plumb everything if the pump fails.