Return pump question. Need help deciding

[J4Life]

Ok I have been doing some searching on RC and I am getting mixed results so I am hoping some of you who have had more experience than me can chime in here.

I currently have a 75 gallon RT with a 55 gallon sump. I am using a MAG 7 for my return but it's making a little noise and I am worried it might kick the bucket. So it's time for the "bucket list" :lol:

I have owned 2 mag 7 pumps over the past 7-1/2 years and I would like to replace it with something more energy efficient and a little more kick as I will eventually use this on my 180 gallon sitting in my basement.

Here is what I have been looking at so far.

Quiet One 4000 (http://www.marinedepot.com/ps_ViewItem~action~view~idProduct~RB3117~idCategory~FIWPSBTO~category~Saltwater_Aquarium_Supplies-Water_Pumps-Submersible-Over_1000_GPH~vendor~.html)

ViaAqua (http://www.marinedepot.com/ps_ViewItem~action~view~idProduct~VA2721~idCategory~FIPHFF~category~Saltwater_Aquarium_Supplies-Powerheads-Fixed_Flowrate_Pumps~vendor~.html)

Reviews on Marine Depot's site seem mixed but both seem pretty energy efficient. The only thing is I cannot afford for them not to restart incase a power outage happens. I take a beach trip every year and it is a week long trip with usually no one watching the tank while I am gone.

The price seems reasonable on those as well. Of course any help would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks

[AZDesertRat]

Ocean Runner and Eheim are both much better choices. I prefer the Ocean Runners myself, I have 4 of them. Very energy efficient, low heat generation and very quiet, plus about half the price of an Eheim which uses slightly more energy.

[twon8]

Agreed with the above, but i've had a few ocean runners lock up on me, never had an eheim do that.

[J4Life]

I appreciate the help. I too have an ocean runner that was used on my skimmer and I wasn't that impressed with it. I don't think it is more energy efficient at 65+ watts for the 3500 and 95+ for the 6500. The price is much better than Ehiem. It seems down right crazy to pay that much for a Ehiem. You could by 2-3 pumps of another brand for that price of just the one.

Are Ehiems really that much better than all the rest? They too are not energy efficient at all which in my opinion makes their price even more ridiculous.

That being said I don't want to take a chance on the others if they're not trust worthy.

Thanks again for the help,

Bill

[twon8]

ive bought mine used and have run them for years with no cleaning and no problems. they are super quiet and i run a 1060(1260) as a return on my 180.

[J4Life]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12669050#post12669050 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by twon8
ive bought mine used and have run them for years with no cleaning and no problems. they are super quiet and i run a 1060(1260) as a return on my 180.

Thanks twon8. Are you using any other pumps on your 180 to supplement flow?

[hansmatt]

I second the Eheim recommendation, I have a 1260 return on my 90g and would spend the $ now rather than replace two other pumps later. The silence is golden...the overflow water and skimmer are louder than the return, and the power consumption is lower than many alternatives.\

[twon8]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12669213#post12669213 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by J4Life
Thanks twon8. Are you using any other pumps on your 180 to supplement flow?

yes, im running four streams, a 6200 and 3x6100

[ccoral]

using a hyper flow 20 on a 80 gallon with 1.5" drain works well for about 1year
like the small size and the built in intake elbow

[J4Life]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12669271#post12669271 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by twon8
yes, im running four streams, a 6200 and 3x6100

Thanks I think in my 180 all I am going to run is the return pump which will be what ever I decide to get to replace my Mag 7. and two Vortech's with wireless drivers and battery backup. Of course the Vortech's are expensive but I think two would create some serious flow in the 180 gallon.

I may even use my two Tunze Nano streams that I am currently running on my 75 gallon to circulate from the back of the tank to the front of the glass.

I consider myself a budget reefer so spending $1000's of dollars is not something I like to do in this hobby considering early on I spent $1000's and lost lots.

Thanks again for everyone's help so far. I am leaning now towards the Eheim 1260. Hoping I can find one used reasonably priced.

:)

[davocean]

Out of all my equipment, one item stands far above the rest as far as trouble free, easy maintenence, quiet, and excellent performance, and that is my eheim.
I think just about every other piece of equipment I've owned needed some kind of mod to make it better, but my eheims(I now use 3 total including my cal reactor pumps) are perfect straight out of the box.
Only thing, is what you use on return for your 75g will most likely not be the same pump you'll want on your 180g, unless you go overkill on the 75g.
I use a 1262 for my 180g, well worth the $$

[J4Life]

Thanks davocean. I don't think it is necessary to have a crazy return rate even on 180 gallon as long as other pumps are being used to circulate the water. I believe twon8 said he is actually using the 1260 and not the 1262 and if he is having good results with it on his 180 I am willing to try it on my. The 1262 just requires way too much wattage than I really want.

So far I feel like I am getting beat into submission with the Eheim faithful but that's good because I want something reliable.

Thanks again,

Bill

[AZDesertRat]

Both Ocean Runner and Eheim are very true to their advertised wattage ratings. I have found through testing with a Kill A Watt meter, ball valve and low psi pressure gauge that this is not always the case with other brands. Some are way off in fact so don't go by their advertised power consumptions. You must also consider the full 65 watts or whatever is at 0 head and 100% flow whatever that may be. We don't normally run at 100% flow as we are pumping up to a tank through various fittings so wattage and flows decrease with the additional head. Again Ocean Runner and Eheim are pretty accurate on their head ratings where some pumps don't handle pressuer or head well and really fall down on the job.
The only time I had a problem with an Ocean Runner not wanting to start was my fault due to letting the little washer drop down inisde the housing when I removed the impeller for cleaning. Once I put it back in the right place I have never had a problem.

[J4Life]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12669786#post12669786 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by AZDesertRat
Both Ocean Runner and Eheim are very true to their advertised wattage ratings. I have found through testing with a Kill A Watt meter, ball valve and low psi pressure gauge that this is not always the case with other brands. Some are way off in fact so don't go by their advertised power consumptions. You must also consider the full 65 watts or whatever is at 0 head and 100% flow whatever that may be. We don't normally run at 100% flow as we are pumping up to a tank through various fittings so wattage and flows decrease with the additional head. Again Ocean Runner and Eheim are pretty accurate on their head ratings where some pumps don't handle pressuer or head well and really fall down on the job.
The only time I had a problem with an Ocean Runner not wanting to start was my fault due to letting the little washer drop down inisde the housing when I removed the impeller for cleaning. Once I put it back in the right place I have never had a problem.

Thanks AZ. I appreciate the feedback. If I can't get a good deal on an Eheim I just may slide over to the Ocean Runner. I know there are a lot of RC peeps using them also.

I wonder though does anyone who owns the ViaAqua or Quiet One pumps care to chime in as to how they have done?

[AZDesertRat]

I have both and both are in my junk closet next to the Mags.
The problem I encountered with the Via Aqua was I used it only for a month or so as a spare, I rinsed it and cleaned it up and put it away. When I got it out again the magnet had swelled and distorted so much it will not turn on the shaft. I contacted Via Aqua and they would not warranty it. It also started hard to begin with but did seem to pump a lot of water once it was running. I want to say its a 4900 model pump if I remember right.
The Quiet One 4000 was used for 18 months as a closed loop pump until I came home one day and found my chiller running non stop and the tank temp still rising. I unplugged equipment until I found the pump was shorted but still running. From day one it had restart problems and ran so hot I could not lay my hand on it for any length of time, not just warm but hot.

[J4Life]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12670923#post12670923 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by AZDesertRat
I have both and both are in my junk closet next to the Mags.
The problem I encountered with the Via Aqua was I used it only for a month or so as a spare, I rinsed it and cleaned it up and put it away. When I got it out again the magnet had swelled and distorted so much it will not turn on the shaft. I contacted Via Aqua and they would not warranty it. It also started hard to begin with but did seem to pump a lot of water once it was running. I want to say its a 4900 model pump if I remember right.
The Quiet One 4000 was used for 18 months as a closed loop pump until I came home one day and found my chiller running non stop and the tank temp still rising. I unplugged equipment until I found the pump was shorted but still running. From day one it had restart problems and ran so hot I could not lay my hand on it for any length of time, not just warm but hot.

Thanks that sucks for you, but I appreciate the info. Ok I think I am going to look into the OceanRunner as well.

Do you know a good place to find a good deal on either the Eheim or Ocean Runner pumps. I have checked both Dr. Foster & Smith's and Marine Depot but neither have what I am looking for at the moment.

[AZDesertRat]

Not sure on Eheim but I get all my Ocean Runner stuff from www.customaquatic.com in the San Diego area. I have received orders the next day if I order early enough since Phoenix is pretty close freight wise.