Help me pick a pump

[jiml77]

I need some help. I have had an old Quiet One for years that started overheating my tank. Was told the new ones have heat problems, so the lfs suggested a Titanium T-4. It also ran too hot. Could not get tank below 85. Took it back and they suggested Little Giant 4 series. It works great, but a bit too powerful and way too noisey. Any sugestions for a quiet and cool running pump. How are Iwakis and Gen-Xs? Quiet One and T-4 were totally silent but too hot.

My tank is 100 gallons with a 30 gallon sump, mix of softies and SPS. Softies did not like the current from the little giant. They all closed up or got smaller.

 

[Ritteri&Bubbles]

Mag drives(run externally),sedra pumps,dolphin ampmaster all run quietly are reliable and put minimal heat transfer(0 with the dolphin ampmaster) and are efficient electrically. THere are alot of good choices from your description, many of which are yet to be mentioned.

 

[IcantTHINKofONE]

Mag drives(run externally)

Aren't Mag Drives submersible pumps?

 

[Tcook]

Mag drives(run externally)

Aren't Mag Drives submersible pumps?

They can be run either way. Pure garbage IMO. I have four of them and will never buy another. The ampmaster isn't cheap, but sounds like a good reliable pump. That is what I will use when I set up again.

 

[jiml77]

Anyone have any experience with Iwaki md30s? Are they very quiet?

 

[danmhippo]

Another alternative is to use what you have on hand, but install one or 2 fans on the sump to aid in evaporative cooling.

 

[MandarinFish]

Are hardware store pond, pool and sump pumps an effective and inexpensive alternative?

They are much cheaper and look like they run consistently...

Just curious - what are the downsides to them? Heat?

 

[Green Lantern]

GenX Mak 4 are nice pumps, they're quiet and handle pressure well, I'm running two of these. I have a Ampmaster 3000 as well and it is silent but I can't comment on durability of either GenX or Dolphin as all have only been running for ~ a month. I think noise is something you have to except with the LGs btw, I've ran four different models and all have been noisy although proper application seems to have a lot of bearing. If you can get good rubbery material underneath the pump and flex hose somwhere in the plumbing to remove any vibration and/or resonance. HTH[/i]