favorite jack-of-all-trades utility pump?

psyrob · 05/20/2018, 01:56 PM

Had my MJ1200 and MJ900 both die after 15 years of service, used them mainly for stirring saltwater, pumping water during water changes and emergencies when either a wavemaker or main pump failed.
What are your favorite pumps for these tasks and roles? And if I go with maxi jet again, which is the "real" maxi jet, maxi jet/marine land or cobalt?
Thanks

dublo8 · 05/20/2018, 02:01 PM

Cobalt is supposedly the original. They are definitely built better than the marineland ones.
That's what I use for mixing water.

billdogg · 05/20/2018, 04:31 PM

I use a mag18 in my storage/mixing barrel, but I have to get the water up to the main floor in a reasonable amount of time.

mal7887 · 05/20/2018, 06:46 PM

Love Maxi Jets, They are practically bullet proof. You get your moneys worth for sure with them.

biecacka · 05/22/2018, 12:20 PM

Mag series. Size depends on work I need it to do

Corey

alton · 05/23/2018, 05:04 AM

Your old maxi jets where Cobalt pumps made for Marineland. I found out when I went to replace my 1200 on my Urchin Skimmer, I bought a MArineland first and it made noise under pressure, so it was replaced by a Cobalt. Marineland is junk compared to Cobalt.

yacn · 05/23/2018, 08:33 AM

I use a RIO 1400 pump with 3/4" vinyl hose attached to it to mix saltwater in garbage cans, and then use the same pump to pump the saltwater into my sump during water changes. LFS sold and recommended this pump to me....the pump is 11+ yrs old and still ticking.....I'm guessing I paid $30-$40 for it

I've never used another pump so I have nothing else to compare to.

jda · 05/23/2018, 11:23 AM

Mag drive for me too. You can get a handful of screw-on nozzles and bits in the sprinkler section of the hardware store and the things just run and run.

biecacka · 05/24/2018, 06:55 PM

Yup! And if the stall, just bang em wig a screwdriver of something and they start right back up! Tough little suckers.

Corey

psyrob · 05/25/2018, 11:00 PM

I had forgotten about Rio's, might give those a try instead of Cobalt

gamerunr · 05/26/2018, 07:44 PM

Mags and Maxi Jets are hard to beat

sfsuphysics · 05/26/2018, 11:07 PM

Rios are great bang for your buck... until they stop working. They've always gotten to a point where they don't start very well and takes a lot of finagaling to get them working, however when they do work they're absolutely great.

That said, I like using Eheim or Mag for "utility pumps" with no particular feature set in mind.

yacn · 05/27/2018, 07:33 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sfsuphysics

Rios are great bang for your buck... until they stop working.

I've had my Rio for 11+ years and it is still working....

$30-$40 pump..not sure how long they need to last to be considered a good reliable pump. Everything will stop working eventually...

05/20/2018, 01:56 PM	#1
psyrob Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Burbank, CA Posts: 508	favorite jack-of-all-trades utility pump? Had my MJ1200 and MJ900 both die after 15 years of service, used them mainly for stirring saltwater, pumping water during water changes and emergencies when either a wavemaker or main pump failed. What are your favorite pumps for these tasks and roles? And if I go with maxi jet again, which is the "real" maxi jet, maxi jet/marine land or cobalt? Thanks __________________ We have engaged the Borg.... Current Tank Info: 60 gallon mixed reef, 4X54 T5s, 10 gallon frag tank, Reefbreeders PAR38 led bulb, Euroreef Skimmer, wp25 pump ReefAngel controller

05/20/2018, 02:01 PM	#2
dublo8 Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: Morgan Hill, Ca Posts: 3,225	Cobalt is supposedly the original. They are definitely built better than the marineland ones. That's what I use for mixing water. __________________ 10g IM fusion. Zoa and SPS dominant, Apex monitored, Ai Prime, MP10, sicce return.

05/20/2018, 04:31 PM	#3
billdogg Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Grove City, Ohio Posts: 10,806	I use a mag18 in my storage/mixing barrel, but I have to get the water up to the main floor in a reasonable amount of time. __________________ I'll try to be nice if you try to be smarter! I can't help that I grow older, but you can't make me grow up! Current Tank Info: 120 mixed reef with 40b sump, RO 150 skimmer, AI Sol Blue x 2, and a 60g Frag Tank with 100g rubbermaid sump. 2 x Kessil A360w lights, BM curve 5 skimmer

05/20/2018, 06:46 PM	#4
mal7887 Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: Tampa Posts: 643	Love Maxi Jets, They are practically bullet proof. You get your moneys worth for sure with them. __________________ Matt Don't pee on my leg and tell me it's raining. Current Tank Info: 190

05/25/2018, 11:00 PM	#10
psyrob Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Burbank, CA Posts: 508	I had forgotten about Rio's, might give those a try instead of Cobalt __________________ We have engaged the Borg.... Current Tank Info: 60 gallon mixed reef, 4X54 T5s, 10 gallon frag tank, Reefbreeders PAR38 led bulb, Euroreef Skimmer, wp25 pump ReefAngel controller

05/22/2018, 12:20 PM	#5
biecacka Registered Member Join Date: May 2008 Location: Columbus Ohio Posts: 6,361	Mag series. Size depends on work I need it to do Corey

05/23/2018, 05:04 AM	#6
alton Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Zuehl, Texas Posts: 4,460	Your old maxi jets where Cobalt pumps made for Marineland. I found out when I went to replace my 1200 on my Urchin Skimmer, I bought a MArineland first and it made noise under pressure, so it was replaced by a Cobalt. Marineland is junk compared to Cobalt.

05/23/2018, 08:33 AM	#7
yacn Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Detroit, Michigan Posts: 212	I use a RIO 1400 pump with 3/4" vinyl hose attached to it to mix saltwater in garbage cans, and then use the same pump to pump the saltwater into my sump during water changes. LFS sold and recommended this pump to me....the pump is 11+ yrs old and still ticking.....I'm guessing I paid $30-$40 for it I've never used another pump so I have nothing else to compare to.

05/23/2018, 11:23 AM	#8
jda Dogmatic Dinosaur Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Boulder, CO Posts: 6,256	Mag drive for me too. You can get a handful of screw-on nozzles and bits in the sprinkler section of the hardware store and the things just run and run.

05/24/2018, 06:55 PM	#9
biecacka Registered Member Join Date: May 2008 Location: Columbus Ohio Posts: 6,361	Yup! And if the stall, just bang em wig a screwdriver of something and they start right back up! Tough little suckers. Corey

05/26/2018, 07:44 PM	#11
gamerunr Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: Missouri Posts: 90	Mags and Maxi Jets are hard to beat

05/26/2018, 11:07 PM	#12
sfsuphysics Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: San Francisco Posts: 9,103	Rios are great bang for your buck... until they stop working. They've always gotten to a point where they don't start very well and takes a lot of finagaling to get them working, however when they do work they're absolutely great. That said, I like using Eheim or Mag for "utility pumps" with no particular feature set in mind. __________________ Mike