need to choose a pump!!!!

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cichness

Feeder Fish
MFK Member
Nov 6, 2008
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michigan
im setting up 2 75 gal tanks with their own sumps... original idea was to use just one larger sump, but due to lack of confidence in all my fellow DIY-ers, ive scrapped that idea for another day, as these will be my first DIY sumps.

ive done loads of research and at times found myself overthinking to the point of headache....

my options are as follows....

rio 1400
mag drive 5
quiet one 1200 (these are so much cheaper than the other, and the chart on http://www.aquatictech.com/pumps.html says that they preform just as well...... any personal experience would be awesome!
 
I set up my Fishroom in April of this year (2008) and before doing so I did some 'research' on what pumps to use. To make a long story short, I decided to try SEN pumps purchased through Kensfish.com. I have 300, 500 & 700 gph models. When considering both initial cost and electrical consumption (head pressure factored in) these pumps proved to be a good buy. They also were rated to maintain good flow rates at higher head pressures (mine don't perform quite as well as the chart claimed, but I'm still happy with the result). I can't vouche for the longevity of them as I've only been using them for less than a year, but I am not seeing much (if any) reduction in performance in mine (after being cleaned that is). Their submerged noise level is as quite as any other I've used.

The only downside I have found is they do create some heat. In most applications this will not be a problem at all as we use heaters in most of our aquariums anyway. Since I heat the air in the fishroom, not the water, this has proved to be a bit of a problem for me.

I would highly recommend SEN pumps to a friend...
 
cichness;2572017; said:
...but due to lack of confidence in all my fellow DIY-ers, ive scrapped that idea...
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Many of us have multi-tank systems. Keep in mind that with the internet, you have no idea who is on the other side giving advice or approving your ideas. You could be talking to a twelve year old that states his guesses as facts. It doesn't even have to be a twelve year old; it happens here frequently on a daily basis :nilly: (unfortunately more so than not). It sounds like you have been getting advise from people who didn't have multi-tank systems to begin with.

Don't give up on the multi-tank system if that is what you want. It is less work in the long run. If the tanks are side by side, there is nothing special to know except to have a ball valve after the pump to control the flow to each tank. If the tanks are to be one on top of the other, the equation for the flow rates gets pretty hairy really quick but I can still help you with it.
 
cichness;2572017; said:
my options are as follows....

rio 1400
mag drive 5
quiet one 1200
Click to expand...
If I did the research for the Rio's energy consumption, I don't remember. For the other two, Quiet One pumps are much more energy efficient than the Mag Drives for all of the smaller models. In the larger sizes (Q4000 and up), they are about the same. In high head applications, the Mag Drives are more energy efficient.
 
iwiied;2573689; said:
i did my research and i ended up with an eheim 1262.
Click to expand...

i have heard alot of good things about this brand as far as other pieces of equipment go. i suppose ill have to give that a look.

im still unsure as to if ill do a single sump for both tanks or give them their own, and if i go with one sump, will i use 2 pumps (one for each tank) or one pump with dual output...... so many factors.....
 
im a huge fan of the rio pumps.. couldnt tell you a thing about their power consumption though..
 
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