Return pump recommendations please...

[Entacmaea]

I am setting up a 70 gallon reef tank, and would like some suggestions on an external return pump, which will go through an oceans motions 4-way squirt. I'm looking in the range of 1000-1200 gph. Some choices I have researched include the Iwaki MD 40RLXT, Blueline 30 HD-X, Litte Giant 4qx, and GRI 518. Has anyone had any experience with these pumps, or can suggest another?

I'd like it as quiet, efficient, and reliable as possible...

Thanks, Peter

 

[Anonymous]

IMO 1000-1200 gph will be a but much for you overflow. Or is this for a closed loop? I have a blueline 40hd and like it. It has a little fan noise but not much.

 

[Len]

Peter,

I recommend going with Iwaki MD30RLXT or the Panworld 30X-X (Iwaki 30RLXT equivalent). The Blueline 30 HD-X is the same thing as the Panworld, only rebranded. The Iwaki 40 series on up has a cooling fan and is significantly louder.

 

[Entacmaea]

Good to know about the fan on the higher Iwaki models, thanks Len.

Wazzel, also good point about the overflow- I plan to have the tank drilled with two 2-inch bulkheads and custom surface skimmer- should this give me adequate"room" for 1000gph, plus a little extra safety margin?

 

[Anonymous]

Don't the fan on the Iwaki's make up for the added noise with less added heat?

If not, how do the other pumps that don't have the fans dissipate the heat.

I do agree that they are noisy. I'm running a 40 and a 100 and my fish room is quite noisy. Of course it's pratically dead silent on the family room side

Louey

 

[LA-Lawman]

(2) 2" overflows will be fine for the 1000gph you want to push... a 1" handles between 600-700gph. so you are good to go.

be sure your surface skimmer has wide enough slats to allow for the flow and small enough not to trap fish. with that kind of flow you might want to look into a ocean motion type actuater... so you dont have all the force thru two outlets...

just a thought. see lens tank thread...

when you get the time... post some pics, we all like pics 'round these parts..

 

[Entacmaea]

Thanks Ben, yeah I'll be using an OM squirt- and yes I've been impressed with some of the plumbing pics using them, including Len's. I also saw an 8-way set-up that was amazing. LOTS of pvc!

 

[LA-Lawman]

I saw that one too. I wish I had the money to have a glass tank drilled. i would have all the plumbing to use one of those squirt jobbers. I am wanting to buy a few stream pumps...

I think i am gonna wait for the ecotech marine one.... way cool.

 

[Entacmaea]

I've seen that mentioned on a few posts now- what is the ecotech pump?

 

[LA-Lawman]

go here http://www.ecotechmarine.com/

very neat little gadget....

 

[Entacmaea]

yeah, did a google search too- looks pretty darn cool. We'll have to see how much they are...

 

[Entacmaea]

Alright, thanks for the input on the pumps everyone- I'm also looking at the Titanium series "Poseidon" pump, which is supposed to be ultra quiet (30db) and pushes about 1200gph, my target. Does anyone have any experience with this pump? Tryng to save a few bucks.... also, how do the Pan World pumps measure up? Twice the warranty as the Iwaki at almost half the price...

Also Len- the iwaki 30rlxt has the exact same dimensions as the 40rlxt, but the 30 you say does not come with the noisier fan? Just confirming...

Thanks, Peter

 

[Entacmaea]

bump

 

[Len]

Hey Peter,

Here's the dish (I've been around the block re: pumps so i can answer all your current questions )

Poseidon Titanium pumps (also marketed as Silent Seas and a few other names): DEAD quiet and pretty powerful. The problems are 1) they run hot (will heat up water) and 2) I've had three seize up on me in reef tanks, probably due to Ca buildup. The impeller assembly on these pumps are "direct drive" and a lot of moving parts are in direct contact with the water, so the potential for failure is high. I love how quiet they are, but I can not live with their unreliablity.

Iwaki 30RLXT does not have a fan. The 40 does, even though it's the same size. The fan is pretty flush to the pump, so it doesn't take up much space.

Panworld pumps are nice. I've been running one for a short while now and so far, I have not been disappointed. Iwakis are better built from what I can see, but the Panworlds are quite good too. The surprising thing is the Panworlds are a little bit quieter then the fan-cooled Iwakis. On the other hand, it seems all Panworld pumps have cooling fans, so you'll have to deal with that whirling sound regardless of pump size. I recently bought the smaller Panworld (comparable to the Iwaki 30RLXT) and was a bit disappointed that this model still had the cooling fan.

 

[Entacmaea]

Thanks Len, sounds like the Iwaki 30 is worth the exta $50 bucks then! Too bad the Titaniums seize- their Db rating is really nice...

Best, Peter

 

[Len]

Oh, one thing about the Iwaki RLXT series that is a minor quirk: the outlets aren't perfectly perpindicular. Most pump's outlets point straight up, but the RLXT is slightly skewed in one direction for some strange reason. Not sure if this matters to you, but it did in my cramped stand. When I have photos of my cabinet and undertank plumbing, you'll understand

 

[Entacmaea]

Great, good to know Len. I haven't even gotten close to doing plumbing yet, let alone the stand et. al. - still trying to get a refund for the actual tank from a fish store that went out of business, yet still has the money for my order without even getting me the tank! :evil: