Which circulation pump should I get?

KingAh123 · Mar 13, 2024

So, my old Tunze Gyre broke, and my tank is currently running on my emergency powerheads, which are Aqua Medic pumps that are AI Nero knock-offs. However, they aren't a permanent solution to my problem. Therefore, I'm in the market for new pumps, and I'm quite torn between getting an Ecotech MP40 or an AI Orbit 4. My main concern is that I want a pump that is silent, as I sleep in the same room as my tank. Additionally, I want it to be very effective at surface agitation; my tank dimensions are 150x50x50 cm. Lastly, I'm looking for a pump with a long lifespan.

lapin · Mar 13, 2024

Dburr1014 · Mar 13, 2024

The mp40 cannot be directed for surface agitation. If it does get the surface, it will stuck air and be noisy.

KingAh123 · Mar 14, 2024

Dburr1014 said:
The mp40 cannot be directed for surface agitation. If it does get the surface, it will stuck air and be noisy.

Would the orbit (which is just like the maxspect gyre) be better at that sort of thing?

Dburr1014 · Mar 14, 2024

KingAh123 said:
Would the orbit (which is just like the maxspect gyre) be better at that sort of thing?

I have no experience with those type of pumps.
You can do an mp40... I only suggest also getting a pump that is directional. Then you can work with different flow patterns.
I have 2 wav pumps and a mp40. My 150cm I'm building will have the MP40 smack in the middle of the back glass. The wav pumps I plan to have in the middle of the back glass, one facing right pane and one facing left pane. I have angled 3d printed standoffs that will let me do this. I will have the wav pumps slightly facing up so when it hits the pane water flows up and breaks the surface.

Uncle99 · Mar 14, 2024

If water surface agitation is your goal (and keep in mind this can be noisy if run at night) I use just Jabeo 230 cross waves point slightly at the surface. They fire some good water across my acros and have ran silent, for 5 years now.

vetteguy53081 · Mar 14, 2024

Another gyre is a consideration of your flow worked well. If not, some good ones out there are:
Octopulse
Jebao SL-20
Nero 3 or 5
Tunze turbo stream

KingAh123 · Mar 14, 2024

vetteguy53081 said:
Another gyre is a consideration of your flow worked well. If not, some good ones out there are:
Octopulse
Jebao SL-20
Nero 3 or 5
Tunze turbo stream

I've owned several Tunze pumps, all of which produce a buzzing sound that I find unpleasant. With my last Tunze pump, you could hear the buzzing in other rooms. I currently use two Nero-like pumps, one from Aqua Medic and another from Jebao MLW20(when I wrote the post I thought it was an Aqua medic pump double-checked it and found out it was a Jebao pump). While they're both reliable workhorses, they don't agitate the surface well enough for my liking. I considered Jebao gyres, but hesitated after reading reviews mentioning their noise levels. Therefore, I'm considering investing in more expensive brands to see if they offer quieter operation and better surface agitation, which are my main criteria for a pump.
But thanks for the suggestions, I might check the octopulse out, since I didn't know they made pumps.