should I or shouldnt I ?

[reefman123]

Hi all ,simple question. I am using two Rio 2100 s as circulation pumps in my 80g reef tank. After reading some of the comments should I change them as quickly as possible?
regards
Paul

 

[danmhippo]

The most problems seems to happen on 2500 and 3100s. My personal experiences involves those 2 problematic models. Mine just stopped working, no leaks.

Its your call, if U can't sleep well with them in your tank, you might as well change them for the peace of mind.

 

[reefman123]

well I am getting a little worried, if there is a chance of it happening I feel maybe I should change them.

 

[Mouse]

In the time that i have been using these boards i have probably seen or heard of about 5-6 threads that start "Damn Rio blew up last night, oil slick all over the tank". On the other hand i have no idea about how many Rios are in use, or how these pumps were handled prior to leaking. Your call kid.

 

[reefman123]

I have just been told that in Europe here the Rio pumps have an UL (underwater listing) which is supposed to render them safe ?

 

[Mac1]

Reefmna,

I used a Rio 2500 for about two years in my tank, despite the warnings... I now use it to mix my change water... They're allright pumps IMO, but prone to a cataclysmic failure in our tanks, if/when they fail. Other pumps fail as well, however there aren't a lot of reports of other brands taking out a tank... I think part of the problem with them is the fact that they're so reasonably priced.. there's a lot of them out there. So naturally, due to law of numbers, you're going to hear about some of them (likewise, you'll never hear about a ton of people reporting what incredibly good experiences they've had with Hagen Powerheads, or anything like that...).

IMO, depending on the age of your pump, I'd let it go for a little while. Maybe put a nice Sen down on your Christmas list. If you've been really good, ask for an Eheim, now there's a good quality pump.

- Mac

 

[Carpentersreef]

I think the percentage of rios that fail in a catastrophic manner may be quite small. However, when my rio 2100 failed and polluted my tank, that small percentage didn't matter much. I've heard of no other pumps that fail like that, and I would recommend getting another brand as soon as possible.

Mitch

[ September 05, 2001: Message edited by: Carpentersreef ]

 

[jdeets]

I bought a Turboflotor 1000 skimmer, which is designed to work with the Rio 2100. It came with a Rio. That Rio never made it into my tank. As soon as I received the skimmer, I switched out the Rio for an Eheim 1060. I use the Rio for water changes. Sure makes those water changes go fast pumping at 750 gph!

I just couldn't justify putting my HUGE investment at risk with ONE pump. I've read too many horror stories about failures of Rios and lost tanks and felt that the $100 I spent on the Eheim was cheap insurance...

 

[SteveP]

I bought a Turboflotor T-1000 with a Rio 2100. The Rio lasted about 40 days before burning out and almost frying my tank. OTOH my friend has the same skimmer and pump and it's been running fine for over a year. Your call.

Steve
8{I

 

[pathos]

UL stands for Underwriters Laboratories not underwater listing, but they still may be UL rated for wet locations. FWIW I have been using Rio 2100's to power my reef for 2 years now with no problems. Did have to change one of them out prematurely though. May your decision be the correct one...

 

[Anonymous]

I don't own any rio pumps. There are a lot of stories of them failing, but there's lots more people who haven't had anything happen. I suspect that their failure rate is low, but maybe not as low as some of the other names floating around.

Ty

 

[rh]

I've had better experiences with Maxi-Jet pumps vs Rio in terms of reliability, output, and maintenance. MJ's also generally seem to be more adaptable in terms of positioning and angling their flow.