Need Internal Return Pump - 750 GPH

[XStroX]

Hi All. I have a separate build thread for my tank at the below link but figured I may have better luck getting a response on this if I started a new thread.

I have a 75 gallon tank. Head height will be 7 feet. I would like to get 750 GPH but am having trouble finding a submersible return pump in the $150 range that will do that. I found the Mag Drive 12 but I hear quite a few people complaining about the heat that it puts out. I would prefer to avoid warming up the tank water more than necessary. Should I be worried about this? Is there an alternative to the Mag Drive 12 that doesn't put out as much heat and is still in the same price range?

Thanks.


My Build Thread:
http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2292412

[nemosworld]

quite one 3000 and you can loop the return to adjust the return to your liking:

http://jandrstudios.smugmug.com/Other/225-build-7-2011/i-vz5w4hq/0/M/DSC01603-M.jpg

or go with a wave line dc-3000 controllable pump

[SC Reefaholic]

Internal pumps are going to heat the water. Its just a fact of life. Thats how they cool themselves. External pumps use air and internal pumps use the water. That being said, you want to find the pump that will do the job you need with the least amount of energy. I use a Quiet One 3000 but since I have a chiller on the system I didnt really check around for the most efficient pump. there might be better ones. Look for all the pumps that will do the job and then get the one with the least amount of draw that is within your price range.

[SC Reefaholic]

Just doing a quick scan it looks like the Quiet One 4000, Eheim 1262 and Mag 9.5 are about the same but the QO is under $100 and has the lowest watt draw but is very close to the Eheim 1262. The 1262 cost about $150. The Mag 9.5 is probably a little stronger but uses 50% more power so thats where the heat is coming from.

[XStroX]

Are any of these big enough?

The Quiet One 3000 is 819 GPH at 0 head height. The 4000 is 991 GPH at 0 head height. The Eheim 1262 is 900 GPH and the Mag Drive 9.5 is 950 GPH. All of these at 7 feet head height are going to be closer to 500-550 GPH from the figures I've seen.

Is that all I need going through my refugium for a 75 gallon tank? I was shooting for 750 GPH because I've always heard 10% is a good place to start.

I've got a pretty fancy bean animal drain system in the works and if I only go with 500 GPH I'm going to start to wonder if that is even needed or complete overkill.

It would seem once you go to a pump a size up from those above, prices and wattages spike drastically.

[XStroX]

The Quiet One 5000 looks like it would give me almost exactly what I was looking for. 800 GPH at 7 ft. This will use 115 watts though vs 65 watts for the 4000. However 4000 would only give me 400 GPH. I'm basing this off these tables:
http://www.marinedepot.com/Lifegard_Aquatics_Quiet_One_Pro_Series_Aquarium_Pump_5000_500_to_1000_Gallons_Per_Hour_Submersible_A quarium_Pumps-Lifegard_Aquatics-RB30000-FIWPSBFT-RB30022-vi.html

Why don't they make a 4500 darnit!!

[SC Reefaholic]

10x through your sump is too much. I see this all the time. People try to use their return pump as their primary flow. 10x flow is accurate but you dont want that coming from your return pump. Most factory overflows are only capable of 300 to 400 gph without excessive noise or flow issues. They are designed that way for a reason. You should have about 300 gph running through your sump and create the rest with powerheads, closed loop, etc. The faster you run water through your sump, the less efficient everything will be. Heaters, skimmer, reactors, macro, etc.

[XStroX]

So even though I'm using a BeanAnimal overflow setup, that should easily handle much much more than 300-400 gph, quietly and with no flow issues, I should still only shoot for the 500gph that the Quiet One 4000, Mag Drive 9.5 or Eheim 1262 will provide? Then do the rest inside the tank with powerheads?

[SC Reefaholic]

The primary purpose of the BeanAnimal isnt so you can have more flow. The primary purpose is sound and safety. The beanAnimal is silent and has virtually no chance of failure like a normal standpipe overflow. High volume is just an added benefit for some people with large tanks. I personally would not run more than 350/400 gph through my sump. Any more and like I said, you lose efficiency with regard to the equipment you have in there. But you will hear many different opinions on that.

[XStroX]

Well SC Reefaholic I am going to go with your opinion since you seem to be the only one responding and go with a Quiet One 4000 or Eheim 1262. Thank you for all your input. And I really mean that as I've had a hard time getting people to respond at times.

It looks like the Quiet One is certainly the cheaper of the two. I'll look at reviews and see which one seems like the best deal based on the prices I'm seeing and go with that. I need to get something before the weekend is over as I'm going to need it fairly soon.

Thanks again.

[nemosworld]

couple of things, if you don't provide enough flow for the bean animal setup, it won't work right. 2: if you increase your flow, you need a big enough sump to handle the flow and not sound like a water fall.
you are right, you should be shooting for 758-900 gph with the bean system if you are using the 1.5 inch drains, if you do not provide enough flow, the system will give you headaches to dial in. basically only one drain may run. or you are going to come very close to almost completely closing the siphon drain.

in the image i posted above, the quite one worked for me because i went with 1inch drains.

[XStroX]

I also will only have 1" drains. So sounds like the Quiet One 4000 or Eheim 1262 should be fine right?

[nemosworld]

I think the 3000 would be good if you go with quite one, if you notice in my pic, I also used it to feed my fuge. This was on a 60x30x29 tank (220) gallons.

[nemosworld]

Look into a dc pump, you will be able to control the output with it and they are silent.