RE: NANFA-- water pumps

Nick Zarlinga (njz_at_clevelandmetroparks.com)
Wed, 22 Jan 2003 16:11:45 -0500

My apologies for evesdropping, but I just have to make one comment that if
you are trying keep your tank cooler, think twice about submersible pumps.
They do give off heat. Iwaki's are great pumps, but expensive. Little
Giants work, just keep them oiled. I am not a fan (consider that an
understatement) of Eheim canisters. Just my $.02.

Nick Zarlinga
Aquarium Biologist
Cleveland Metroparks Zoo
216.661.6500 ext 4485

-----Original Message-----
From: owner-nanfa_at_aquaria.net On Behalf
Of Todd Crail
Sent: Wednesday, January 22, 2003 3:58 PM
To: nanfa_at_aquaria.net
Subject: Re: NANFA-- water pumps

Mr. Graham,

A lot of this is going to depend on the application. For example, a Rainbow
Lifeguard Quiet One is a fantastic recirculating pump, however, if you put
any kind of a head on it, they're nearly worthless and run REALLY hot
(wasting energy which costs something). Conversely, an Iwaki 70 RT for a
recirculating pump is absolute overkill in power and investment.

A good general pump that I like are the Won Brother's Sen pumps. I like
their flexibility in application (you can use flex, hard plumb, submerged,
unsubmerged) and you can not beat the price for the power you're getting.
They run *very* efficiently compared to any other submergible pump I've
played with, and you don't have the priming issues that are commonly
encountered with the Mag Drive pumps. The 17' power cord is a serious bonus
too.

Here's a little ditty a good friend of mine, and hopefully soon fellow
NANFAn (he's joining the list now, thanks Jim ;), Shane Graber put together
for Reefs.Org: http://www.reefs.org/library/pumps/

You can compare the performance of the pumps and then evaluate by price.
Look, for example, at the Won Brothers Sen 900 and a Little Giant 3 MDQX-SC
and compare their performance. Then go online and compare prices. Beyond
that, compare the flexibility of application the Sen offers. Wow, it does
the same, Ol' Todd can vouch that it runs waaay less hot (ie more
efficiently) and it's 300x more flexible for considerably less money!? :)

If I *had* to hardline in an external pump, I'd go with an Iwaki or Dolphin
pump. But I try to avoid those kinds of projects these days :)

For inexpensive 75 gal or less in-tank circulation (like drag and drop) I
like the Aquarium Systems MaxiJet 900 or 1200. They're quite reliable, and
you can aim them any direction. I like to point them to the water's surface
and allow them to "pull" the entire water column, as opposed to making a
whole big mess with velocity.

I also do this with Ehiem canisters... But one would need to be willing to
part with the money for that type of application.

Of course, if someone were selling *any* pump for super cheap, well then
it's worth considering at least :)

Hopefully Shane will have some extra thoughts, as he's been watching the
development of the technology since I bowed out. There are a couple
different circulation options that exist now that are very very powerful and
inexpensive... I'm just not all that familiar with them.

Todd

----- Original Message -----
From: "james graham" <busterg_at_voyager.net>
To: <nanfa_at_aquaria.net>
Sent: Wednesday, January 22, 2003 2:39 PM
Subject: NANFA-- water pumps

> Mr. Crail,
> You mentioned you have a bunch of pumps laying around I presume from
your
> pet shop days.I've got a few mag-drives I'm using for circulating systems
and
> a couple of little giant external pumps on my Tide-Pool filters.I was
curious
> as to your recommendations on water pumps.

--
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/"Unless stated otherwise, comments made on this list do not necessarily
/ reflect the beliefs or goals of the North American Native Fishes
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/ This is the discussion list of the North American Native Fishes Association
/ nanfa_at_aquaria.net. To subscribe, unsubscribe, or get help, send the word
/ subscribe, unsubscribe, or help in the body (not subject) of an email to
/ nanfa-request_at_aquaria.net. For a digest version, send the command to
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/ For more information about NANFA, visit our web page, http://www.nanfa.org