Return pumps

[dgc]

New On here but not new to the hobby but I have been away for about 15 yrs and boy do I feel like rip van winkle
setting up a 180 with dual internal over flows ,under cabinet sump, Lots of LPS mid tank and SPS on the upper level
I always use external pumps for returns and 2nd to run down draft style skimmers
Now I see most are going with submersible d/c pumps I know you can control better and save on electric usage but it also seems like the have issues with reliability compared to the externals
I have spent way to much time on the web the last 2 months trying to get info so joined up here after trying to go through many posts
Any input would be great thanks Im making water now and finishing the cabinet Im a carpenter and didnt like anything I could buy for a cabinet

 

[billyocean]

Grab a dcp jebao return pump from Amazon. The dcp 13000-15000 should be more than enough for what you need. Inexpensive, quiet, adjustable, reliable.
Jebao DCP Sine Wave Water Return Pump (DCP-13000) https://a.co/d/g0xOGal

 

[FishTruck]

Grab a dcp jebao return pump from Amazon. The dcp 13000-15000 should be more than enough for what you need. Inexpensive, quiet, adjustable, reliable.
Jebao DCP Sine Wave Water Return Pump (DCP-13000) https://a.co/d/g0xOGal

Second!

OR
If you want an external pump that is also waterproof - and money is no object - check out abyzz.

 

[jackson6745]

You should plumb in 2 return pumps for redundancy. Can't go wrong with reef octopus pumps. If you want to save some $$ go with jebao. As long as you have 2 pumps, you'll have a solid system. No matter what brand you choose, clean them in regular intervals.

 

[dgc]

Rich do you mean each pump plumbed into separate return? I did see folks are doing that these days
its amazing how things have changed and dont get me started with the lighting these days lol
Last tank was 4 250 MH with lots of vho and a big chiller to deal with all the heat from lights
I looked at the reef octopus several times and have been leaning that way
Thanks for the input

 

[exnisstech]

I run 3 jebao dcp pumps and am very happy with them. They are cheap enough I keep spares on the shelf for back up. No wifi but I didn't fiddle with return flow once it's set. They have a feed button which is all I need.

 

[Uncle99]

I have running Jebao 20000, a 15000 and a 10000 return pumps 4 years now.

Silent, dependable at a reasonable price.

My first “brand” pump lasted only 8 months.

15000 in the return chamber, 10000 running the skimmer. This feeds my 180g DT, 15 feet up on the main floor.

 

[Asm481]

Hello Rip, I got back into this couple years ago after a decade or so break. My take is the DC pumps are smaller, run cheaper, no bulkhead in the sump. Saves space under the tank also.
Lighting, led runs a lot cooler, less electricity but takes a bit to get used to.

 

[Snoopy 67]

I have a DC pump with a 5 year warranty.
Made by Platinum Pumps I run internally with negligible heat transfer in the mid 70's.

 

[BeanAnimal]

Made by Platinum Pumps I run internally with negligible heat transfer in the mid 70's.

"heat transfer" is essentially 100% of the pump wattage.

If the pump consumes 93 Watts, then it adds 93 watts of heat to the water. It is a water cooled pump when submerged in the tank. It is no different than a 93 watt heater.

To that end, most external magnetic impeller pumps impart most of their heat into the water. Be they old school AC Danner Mag Drives, Iwakis, or new DC models like Varios, Platimum or Abyyz or Red Dragon.

 

[Snoopy 67]

I will not argue the point, I'm not smart enough.
All I can say is what happens in my tank according to a Tropic Marin High Precision Thermometer.

 

[BeanAnimal]

I will not argue the point, I'm not smart enough.
All I can say is what happens in my tank according to a Tropic Marin High Precision Thermometer.

All good - there is no point to argue. A Watt is a Watt - just pointing out the heat transfer so that those following along understand.

Your pump imparts virtually all of the power it consumes into the tank as heat. Sure there is water motion, but that is energy that also turns to heat. We could quibble about water flow efficiency between two submerged pumps of the same exact power and what "escapes" as motion but most of that turns to heat as friction anyway.

Take three modestly insulted boxes. In one, a 100W heater, another 100W fan, and a third a 100W speaker. Assuming all three actually consume 100W, each will reach the same equilibrium temperature in the same amount of time. Sure we can not pick "sound" energy escaping the speaker box, but for the sake of the argument it is negligible.

So nothing really to argue, rather just a concept to grasp.

 

[jackson6745]

Rich do you mean each pump plumbed into separate return? I did see folks are doing that these days
its amazing how things have changed and dont get me started with the lighting these days lol
Last tank was 4 250 MH with lots of vho and a big chiller to deal with all the heat from lights
I looked at the reef octopus several times and have been leaning that way
Thanks for the input

Yup, 2 smaller pumps plumbed into each return line. That way if one fails you still have water flowing. As for lights I still run halides over my main display lol, I have radions over my frag tank. They each have their advantages. Nice not to have the heat of halide that’s for sure.

 

[PharmrJohn]

If the pump consumes 93 Watts, then it adds 93 watts of heat to the water. It is a water cooled pump when submerged in the tank. It is no different than a 93 watt heater.

THAT is an interesting point.

 

[PharmrJohn]

Yup, 2 smaller pumps plumbed into each return line. That way if one fails you still have water flowing. As for lights I still run halides over my main display lol, I have radions over my frag tank. They each have their advantages. Nice not to have the heat of halide that’s for sure.

A very solid idea. I decided on this early on. Also, consider redundancy with heaters (with a controller).

 

[ChrisfromBrick]

New On here but not new to the hobby but I have been away for about 15 yrs and boy do I feel like rip van winkle
setting up a 180 with dual internal over flows ,under cabinet sump, Lots of LPS mid tank and SPS on the upper level
I always use external pumps for returns and 2nd to run down draft style skimmers
Now I see most are going with submersible d/c pumps I know you can control better and save on electric usage but it also seems like the have issues with reliability compared to the externals
I have spent way to much time on the web the last 2 months trying to get info so joined up here after trying to go through many posts
Any input would be great thanks Im making water now and finishing the cabinet Im a carpenter and didnt like anything I could buy for a cabinet

get yourself a Sicce Syncra DC pump with controller. There is also a very good app to monitor it. It also tells you water temp as well.