Help Picking a sump pump

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epond83

Plecostomus
MFK Member
Nov 10, 2009
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Duvall, WA
First off I know there are lot of threads out there similar to this but it's an important question!

I currently have a 180 gal. with a 65 gal. sump, with a Iwaki MD-55RLT that puts puts out around 1000 gpm. I bought it used a few years ago and it was never quiet and hasn't got better. I want to replace it with something that is quiet. Noise is my main concern, the pump can be internal or external. The flow i have is ample to I think i want to back off a little there to help with noise.

I've been looking at a Lifegard Quiet One 4000 and the Pan World 50PX-X.

I would like to minimize cost but noised is my main concern.
 
Wow ur pump is 60,000 gph? Quite a bit of flow for ur tank.

Reeflo, hands down

Sent from my SGH-M919 using MonsterAquariaNetwork App
 
Your tank would be turning over 330 times an hour. Must have meant 1000 gph.

I use a pond pump because it was much cheaper. Some noise but its mostly water trickling back into the sump and I love that sound :)
 
piranhaman00 said:
Your tank would be turning over 330 times an hour. Must have meant 1000 gph.

I use a pond pump because it was much cheaper. Some noise but its mostly water trickling back into the sump and I love that sound :)
Click to expand...

What pond pump are you using. I have been considering Elite.

OP, I am currently using a Laguna MaxFlo. Take it out of the cage and it works great. Low power and an internal pump, so completely quiet.
 
I have started using the Laguna pond pumps not long ago, I keep the cage on in my sumps, to help keep snails and other junk from getting in.
Find them very quiet as far as hum and vibration, at this point I have a couple of the 2000+gph units.
 
LOL oops yeah 1000 GPH I have a custom built sump with dual filter socks that have almost zero bypass in series, 100 micron and 50 micron. Water stays nice and clean, so I could lower my flow rate a little which would help with noise. I've got everything else dialed in to be nearly silent, including my over flow.
 
I've heard really good things about the reeflo but all of there pumps are well beyond the flow range I need, which also puts the price higher then i need to pay.

On the Laguna it doesn't look they handle head height very well, may tank it will have about 5' of head. Which means the 900 gph model will put out 92gph, way too little. Or the 1500 gph will put out around 1200 which is a bit higher then I'm looking for.

Thanks for the input, keep it coming!

Also just for a reference I downloaded an decibel meter app. With every thing turned off the room was about 40dB, with everything turned on and about 4' away from the tank it was 60dB and 12" away from the pump was 72dB.
 
I am looking to buy a laguna maxflo 4200 myself. Only uses like 155w which is incredible compared to my tetra 3600 @ 250w
 
I would go with a Laguna Max-flo 2000. Specs = 1,442GPH @ 5' head on only 80 watts.

Compare that to the Iwaki MD-55RLT which does about 1,000GPH @ 5' head and consumes 192 watts (these are high pressure pumps, which are unnecessary if you are running a basic gravity fed sump).

I realize that the Max Flo 2000 will provide more flow than you'd like, but you can place a valve on your return line to dial down the flow, or install a "T" on your return line to divert some flow back to your sump if you really feel it's too much flow.

The Lagunas are quiet, well-made pumps. I'm running their largest model (Max-flo 4200) going on 2+ years and I'm happy with it.
 
I have a Lifegard Quiet One. It is very quiet and have no vibration. I'm very happy with it. One suggestion is to Tee off with a valve to release the extra water back into the sump instead of slowing the pump down. That won't put strain on the pump. But always do a shut off test on your system to make sure it won't flood the sump in case power goes off. Good Luck.
 
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