Just a thought has anybody tried a pool pump or sauna pump for filtration for large tanks i know the pumps move some water just asking around thanks
pool pump
- Thread starter bigjohnson
- Start date
Aquarium pumps are Magnetic driven... meaning the impellor is connected to the drive shaft via a magnetic connection. The benefit this provides is if for any reason there is restriction on the line (due to diameter of tubing/piping, head pressure, clogged media/intake, etc, etc) the impellor will simply slip a revolution. This drastically reduces stress on the motor…
I do not believe most swimming pool pumps are magnetic driven.
Putting excessive (meaning more than engineered to handle) backpressure on a straight drive (opposed to magnetic driven) pump will cause the pump to draw additional current and create additional heat which will wear the pump out sooner…
If the swimming pool pump, sauna pump or other pump is magnetic driven... I cannot think of any reasons why it would not be safe for aquarium use…
I do not believe most swimming pool pumps are magnetic driven.
Putting excessive (meaning more than engineered to handle) backpressure on a straight drive (opposed to magnetic driven) pump will cause the pump to draw additional current and create additional heat which will wear the pump out sooner…
If the swimming pool pump, sauna pump or other pump is magnetic driven... I cannot think of any reasons why it would not be safe for aquarium use…
right if they keep 2500 gallon pools clean then a 180 gallon tank or 375 should be a snap if you had a fish that needed some water movment there it is all in one maybe some r&d would be good on this
but the needs of filtration on a fish tank and a swimming pool are much different...
Not to mention we rely on bacteria to clean our water, pools rely on chemical additives such as chlorine... We can't 'shock' our tanks when they get bad... Nor can we (practically) do a quick 50% water change on a swimming pool...
Pool filters rely on a strainer to remove "the big stuff" and sand media to remove the smaller stuff... in an aquarium the sand would get filled with fish waste. So I would suspect we would have to clean out the sand frequently, which sounds like a huge pain in the rear to me...
Not to mention we rely on bacteria to clean our water, pools rely on chemical additives such as chlorine... We can't 'shock' our tanks when they get bad... Nor can we (practically) do a quick 50% water change on a swimming pool...
Pool filters rely on a strainer to remove "the big stuff" and sand media to remove the smaller stuff... in an aquarium the sand would get filled with fish waste. So I would suspect we would have to clean out the sand frequently, which sounds like a huge pain in the rear to me...
Unless you are asking about a filter/pump unit used on above ground pools..the pump will usually only have a strainer basket.
The pump is used to move large quantities of water through the filter unit.
Pool/spa pumps are louder, use more electricity, and are larger then one designed for aquarium use.
The pump is used to move large quantities of water through the filter unit.
Pool/spa pumps are louder, use more electricity, and are larger then one designed for aquarium use.
a word on power.
pool pumps are not designed to run 24/7 so when they look at efficiency thhey don't rate it the same as say apond pump or aquarium pump that is designed to run 24/7.
an example, my 3200gph pond pump uses 175 watts. based on 24/7 running for a monthly cost at .0403 a kilowatt hour it costs me $5.07 (126kwh)to run it each month.
My Dad had decided to run his 1.5hp pool pump 24/7 to keep the pool crystal clear. That is until i broke down the cost for him. you see his pump is rater for 5.6amps at 220volts meanign it pulls 1232watts when on. take that by monthly usage and it's costing him $35.75 (887kwh) a month to run.
now you ahve to take into account that this is nt your only pump, plus lighting, heaters, etc. and all the sudden you're being cornered by your wife because you got a 280$ electric bill.
based on powerdraw, design, and typical usage I do not recomeng pool pumps at all for aquariums or ponds.
ebay is your freind when it comes to pumps you'll find pumps far cheaper than the typical forster and smith who sell the marinelands for hundreds of dollars while the ones on ebay offer far more efficient pumps that push more gph, more head, for less power draw.
http://cgi.ebay.com/3250-GPH-Fountain-Pump-Pond-Submersible-Waterfall-NEW_W0QQitemZ280353153858QQcmdZViewItemQQptZLH_DefaultDomain_0?hash=item414659a342&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14&_trkparms=65%3A12%7C66%3A2%7C39%3A1%7C72%3A1205%7C293%3A1%7C294%3A50
low head but a nice wattage and really for aquarium use you don't really need as much head as with pond use. at 4'-5' of head this pump will push out 2400-2600gph. all for 155w. plenty for aquariums up to 280g.
pool pumps are not designed to run 24/7 so when they look at efficiency thhey don't rate it the same as say apond pump or aquarium pump that is designed to run 24/7.
an example, my 3200gph pond pump uses 175 watts. based on 24/7 running for a monthly cost at .0403 a kilowatt hour it costs me $5.07 (126kwh)to run it each month.
My Dad had decided to run his 1.5hp pool pump 24/7 to keep the pool crystal clear. That is until i broke down the cost for him. you see his pump is rater for 5.6amps at 220volts meanign it pulls 1232watts when on. take that by monthly usage and it's costing him $35.75 (887kwh) a month to run.
now you ahve to take into account that this is nt your only pump, plus lighting, heaters, etc. and all the sudden you're being cornered by your wife because you got a 280$ electric bill.
based on powerdraw, design, and typical usage I do not recomeng pool pumps at all for aquariums or ponds.
ebay is your freind when it comes to pumps you'll find pumps far cheaper than the typical forster and smith who sell the marinelands for hundreds of dollars while the ones on ebay offer far more efficient pumps that push more gph, more head, for less power draw.
http://cgi.ebay.com/3250-GPH-Fountain-Pump-Pond-Submersible-Waterfall-NEW_W0QQitemZ280353153858QQcmdZViewItemQQptZLH_DefaultDomain_0?hash=item414659a342&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14&_trkparms=65%3A12%7C66%3A2%7C39%3A1%7C72%3A1205%7C293%3A1%7C294%3A50
low head but a nice wattage and really for aquarium use you don't really need as much head as with pond use. at 4'-5' of head this pump will push out 2400-2600gph. all for 155w. plenty for aquariums up to 280g.
