Replace Reeflo Dart with Vectra L1

mtraylor · Mar 4, 2017

Anyone replaced their Reeflo Dart with a Vectra L1. I'm thinking about it because I hear the Vectra is dead quit and it has better head pressure although slightly rated below the dart with 3100gph vs 3600.
If you have my questions are.

What is the size difference between the two pumps?
Did you have to change the plumbing or did a 2" to 1.5" reducer and 1.5" to 1" reducer work for you without plumbing your whole setup?
Which pump do you like better now that you have made the replacement?

DasPig36 · Mar 4, 2017

mcarroll · Mar 4, 2017

What's your plumbing system like? What size tank? We can probably do a reasonable estimate of what flow rate you should expect.

If you know anyone who runs a Vectra, see if they can verify their actual flow rate for you. Like measure it from the return or drain outlet with a bucket or something. If you can get that and details of their plumbing, you can see for yourself if the Vectra lives up to its flow curve.

mtraylor · Mar 4, 2017

Well I have a union 2" coming into the pump and then I take the 1.5" plumping out about 3 to 4 feet and run 3/4" plumbing off of it to run my aquarium, Uv sterilizer, Gfo and carbon combo reactors and my calc reator and refugium. I take the ouput of the carbon directly into my gfo reactor, so that is just one manifold.

mfinn · Mar 5, 2017

I replaced my Reeflo Dart/Snapper Hybrid pump with a Vectra L1 almost 1 year ago, on my closed loop, on my 233.
I am very happy with the results.
Went from the steady hum I could hear 3 rooms away from the tank to near silence next to the tank.
The day I switched on the L1, I was so impressed with how quiet it was I ordered a Vectra M1 to replace the Eheim 1262 I used for my return pump on the same tank.
My existing closed loop plumbing was all 1-1/2" pvc, so after buying the optional BST/slip fitting from Ecotech ( for both pumps) everything worked perfectly.

As far as getting the same flow, I'm pretty sure there is a difference as the specs point out, but the difference is noise level makes it worthwhile IMO.
The Vectra L1 is about ( approx.) 1/2 the size the Reeflo pump was.