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View Full Version : Mag drives run hot?


melvinudawl
11/23/2008, 11:37 PM
So, I initially let my LFS talk me out of a sump and into a Fluval for filtration. Before I put any livestock in and really did my home work, I decided a sump was really a requirement. After a lot of research on overflows, sumps, and skimmers, I decided on a compact liferefugium II with lifereef overflow as a turnkey solution.

Reeding here on RC, I find alot of users referencing heat issues with mag drives. The lifereef unit I've got coming has 2 mag 9.5's, one for the return and one for the skimmer.

Is this going to cause me heat problems in my 72G, with about 90G total in the water column. I can live with a 1 degree increase, my tank runs at 79 overnight, and peaks at 80.5 after 8 hours of lighting. I have fans installed, but they never come on.

Thanks!

REEF-n-Chicago
11/23/2008, 11:50 PM
Mags do run hot yet I have always used them with no problems. There are better options but the mags work well for the money!

AZDesertRat
11/24/2008, 07:12 AM
Trade them back for Ocean Runner 3500s or Eheim 1262s. Much better pumps, quieter by far, much less heat gain and lots more efficient energy wise. remember the pumps will be running 24/7 so get as efficient as you can.

returnofsid
11/24/2008, 10:06 AM
It's unfortunate because Mags are great pumps...however, they do run quite hot, compared to comparable pumps.

Roy G. Biv
11/24/2008, 12:48 PM
I use all mags on my system. Thats what I started with and stuck with that brand. I never have issues with them but they do run hot and they seem to use more watts/gph than other brands.

1DeR9_3Hy
11/24/2008, 12:50 PM
Ive got a Mag 5 in right now, and to be honest i dont have heat issues. I stay within the 78-80 range 24 hours a day.

melvinudawl
11/24/2008, 03:14 PM
Thanks for the feedback, guys. I don't have anything except LR/LS in my tank yet, so I'm going to give them a go and see how they do. Worst case I'll replace them with one of the suggestions above and have a mag drive or 2 around for maintenance tasks.

thanks!

atvdave
11/24/2008, 03:38 PM
Look at it this way... Watts = Heat. So if your concerned about heat, get a pump that uses less watts and it will run cooler.

Phyxius
11/24/2008, 03:45 PM
I ran some Mag 9.5s and then went with the Eheims 1262 and noticed I had less of a heat issue. I use a Mag pumps in large can to mix up salt water and left it on all day by mistake and it was hot water when I got home. It really surprised me how much it heated up the water. Tried it with another Mag pump I had and it did the same so I knew for sure it was the Mag pumps. Tried it with a Eheim 1250 and it raised the water temp a little but no where near as much as the mag did.

Most pumps that are submersible will let off excess heat into the water to cool themselves and some just put out way more than others.