Weighing Up External Sump Pumps

  • We are currently upgrading MFK. thanks! -neo
You may want to check out Sicce pumps.
They offer 4-5 year warranties, and are comparatively inexpensive.

Yes, I have heard about them, but they are not available here.

I don't know why, Eheim is imported but Sicce is not. Chinese stuff is often delivered cheap and without tax. I get a completely different selection (not just of pumps) over here.
 
I like jebao pumps, but have never used one externally. What kind of sump are you running? Low turnover with lots of bio media or high turnover with primary mechanical and bio media? What I mean to say is, if you have a ~750 gallon tank and the sump is your primary mechanical you may want a larger return pump/higher turnover than the ones you mentioned.

It will be a large sump full of pumice.

I have found that a larger sump and moderate flow keeps the nitrates lower.
 
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I am running jebao pumps on a couple tanks and they are quiet, reliable and powerful but with relatively low power consumption.

In the past with my salt system Ive run iwaki, and reeflo. In my previous house after I was out of the salt thing I ran a 180 and a 90 upstairs off a basement sump with a hammerhead and I had to redirect some of the flow out of the pump back into the sump. I really like the reeflo pumps, great power, not too bad on the power usage, and for the size pumps I had noise wasn't that bad. Way louder then my jebaos for sure.
 
I have got another quote from Iwaki for the MD-55R-5. (The range of Iwaki available here are not the same as either the Japanese or the American Iwaki in America.) I am going to get it. Best balance of wattage, flow and head.

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I have got another quote from Iwaki for the MD-55R-5. (The range of Iwaki available here are not the same as either the Japanese or the American Iwaki in America.) I am going to get it. Best balance of wattage, flow and head.

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I liked my iwakis. I eventually needed more flow then the iwaki could provide so I got a hammerhead. Then my huge skimmer was run by a dart and I got another dart to run my two 300g salt ponds. Once I started using the reeflos I never tried a different brand until I moved. Here at the new house I need something quick and cheap while I was moving that was the jebaos and I've been really surprised by them.
 
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I am sure with saltwater you need more flow. And it is quite involved.

Freshwater is easy. Down at one end, up at the other.
 
I am sure with saltwater you need more flow. And it is quite involved.

Freshwater is easy. Down at one end, up at the other.
Lol. Kinda true.
You still need to maintain a good flow rate through the sump not to fast so really a lot of flow is from power heads or wave makers in the tank or closed loop set ups. In both instances I was running 2 tanks on the floor above the basement where the "sump" was. In the fresh instance it was about 12' of head. In the salt the tanks were in two different rooms so was higher but the tanks were overall smaller.
 
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Iwakis have never let me down. Worth every penny in my opinion. One other brand nobody has mentioned that makes outstanding pumps is Blueline. I bought a used life reef sump system years ago that came with a blueline. Its an awesome pump in every way, cheaper than Iwakis. Zero issues.
 
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Iwakis have never let me down. Worth every penny in my opinion. One other brand nobody has mentioned that makes outstanding pumps is Blueline. I bought a used life reef sump system years ago that came with a blueline. Its an awesome pump in every way, cheaper than Iwakis. Zero issues.

Over here, Blueline is sold as Panworld. I did get a quote, but it was too high and the rep did not know much about his own products.
 
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