Life Span of Return Pumps

[rockscuba54]

Just want to know you life span of return pumps. I have 1 that is a little over 4 years old and it's starting to make a little noise. It's the Little Giant (1225 GPM at 3 foot) I got to order another one for a Just In Case. Good...Bad?

[viggen]

Never been a fan of their pumps due to their short life, noise & also maintenance they require. A good pump will work 15-20 years so personally, I would look elsewhere.

A great pump that I have on both of my aquariums is the velocity T4 which has similar flow compared to the Little G but is silent!! Both of my pump are over 8 years old now & work as good as new!!

Also consider Iwaki, Sequence & a few others....

I would but a new pump & install that on your tank. Then keep your Little G as a spare!

[sick1166]

iwaki 6 of the 40rlxt and 2 70s all 13to18 years old

[DarG]

Might be time to move on ... Little Giants used to be make great pumps. They are all I used for 25 years. They did not have the Aquarium series years ago and the old industrial semi-corrosive series ... 2-MD-SC and 3-MD-SC, 4-MD-SC ... use to be great pumps. Built like tanks. I havent bought a LG pump in the last 10 years that has lasted more than 2 or 3 years and I had a couple that barely made 1 year. All the selaed bearing LG's crapped out in a year or two and even the recent oilable ones didnt last much longer. I ahve an old styrofoam cooler that serves as the LG graveyard. Every LG I bought in the last 10 years is in it except for two that I took out of service and replaced before they were a year old. I have a 25 year old 3-MD-HC that still works pumping water from the ro/do storage tank in the garage through the attic to the fish room.
There are cheaper pumps that are better, quieter and transfer less heat to the water. Switch to another fan cooled pump if you dont need it to be totally silent. Just switching to Bluelines, my chiller runs signifigantly less and they are much quieter. The LG'
s do transfer alot of heat to the water for a air/fan cooled pump.

One word on the Velocity pumps ... they are water cooled and transfer more heat to the water than similiarly rated air cooled pumps. The advantage is that they and other water cooled pumps are very quiet as viggen mentions.

[rockscuba54]

Thanks Guys. I was looking at the (velocity T4 ) Found one place that sells them for around $160. Still looking at other places that sells external pumps with 1 inch fittings. Links to sellers, etc or ReefCentral sponsors.

[rockscuba54]

I jost ordered the Velocity Pump T4 . Sound like a good pump. I just have to change a little plumbing around.

[DarG]

Cool, just keep an eye on the tanks water temperature if it is anywhere close to being on the high side already. The LG's did heat the water up a bit but water cooled pumps like the Velocity do transfer more heat to the water than most air/fan cooled pumps. It may not even be an issue though, just something to check after you get it running.

[rockscuba54]

Thanks DarG....Didn't know that ist was a external water cool pump. Might not be a problem. I have a bathroom exaust fan mounted in the basement with a cloths dryer tube running up and over the top of the glassless tank for the summer. Kind of wish I had a chiller,thou, but that works for me. I have the 125 for 5 years now. With most of the oringal livestock fish in.

[DarG]

I'm sure it will be fine. The LG's ran relatively hot for external air cooled pumps anyway.