Are Mag Drives Noisy - Page 2

Wryknow · 02/24/2006, 04:55 PM

Okay, I recently have had some direct experience with this. I bought a used 215 Oceanic last week. The previous owner had two mag drives plumbed ecternally: a mag 12 and a mag 24. He plumbed them externally "to reduce heat" but the problem is that they are internally cooled.

The mag 24 was way too loud for my living room. We had to turn the TV volume up about 25% in order to hear dialogue clearly. My wife threatened me with bodily harm if I didn't fix it quickly.

Also, the mag 24 and mag 12 together REALLY heated the tank up a lot. With NO lights running and no heater my tank temp was pretty steady at 80.5 F in a 72 F room (and that's on a 270 gallon water volume mind you.)

I bought an E-heim 1262 for my return pump and moved the return inside the sump. I also moved the mag 12 into the sump pre-chamber in order to get the water directly from the over-flows.

The results were huge. My tank temperature dropped 6 full degrees down to 74 in less than a day. The noise decrease is HUGE as well. The loudest thing in my tank is the water fall effect from the over-flows.

The mag 12 is pretty OK noise-wise now that it is internal but it is still at least twice as lound as the e-heim (I actually had to visually check to see if the E-heim worked when I plugged it in.)

Anyway, I would absolutely go with internal plumbing on the mag drives (especially if you opened one up and saw that there is only 1 flimsy little seal holding all of your water in the tank - not that the E-heim is much better in that regard:-) They worked great at moving water though and are pretty reasonably priced.

alien9168 · 02/24/2006, 05:38 PM

wryknow- those are really big mags
not to mention there is two of them, and they are plumbed externally.

I doesnt really make sense that the previous owner installed these pumps anyway.

As u said, "internal plumbing on mag drives"
Glad it worked out and hope your wife doesnt beat you too bad

-alien

xinumaster · 02/24/2006, 05:59 PM

Mine hums and its load. It does vibrate a lot too. I been using a m5 for my cal reactor and m12 for return.

alien9168 · 02/25/2006, 08:47 AM

xinum... is your return enternal or external?

-alien

fservillon · 02/25/2006, 11:43 AM

mag12 here running internal. pretty quiet. just a faint hum. i have plumbed it external in the past in a closed loop and it was about twice as loud. no complaints as far as running it submerged. great pump for the price. hth.

PatMayo · 02/25/2006, 07:56 PM

Mag 7 in the sump. Quiet as a church mouse. The fans for the MH lights make more noise.

Regards,

Pat

unit91 · 02/25/2006, 08:37 PM

I'm needing a return pump too for my brand new 72gal. A few of you like the Eheim 1260 better... I've got a 3/4" return pipe that would suit the Eheim, compared to the mag 7 that is only a 1/2" outlet that would lessen the flow. Question though.. Is the Eheim 1260 a submersible pump? Or do you have to hook it up inline out of the sump? thanks and hello to you all!... I'm new here by the way.

sjm817 · 02/25/2006, 08:41 PM

To Reef Central

Yes, the Eheim 1260 is submersible, and will run fine with 3/4". It has a lot more flow than a Mag7 running 1".

02/24/2006, 04:55 PM	#26
Wryknow Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Austin, Texas Posts: 1,203	Okay, I recently have had some direct experience with this. I bought a used 215 Oceanic last week. The previous owner had two mag drives plumbed ecternally: a mag 12 and a mag 24. He plumbed them externally "to reduce heat" but the problem is that they are internally cooled. The mag 24 was way too loud for my living room. We had to turn the TV volume up about 25% in order to hear dialogue clearly. My wife threatened me with bodily harm if I didn't fix it quickly. Also, the mag 24 and mag 12 together REALLY heated the tank up a lot. With NO lights running and no heater my tank temp was pretty steady at 80.5 F in a 72 F room (and that's on a 270 gallon water volume mind you.) I bought an E-heim 1262 for my return pump and moved the return inside the sump. I also moved the mag 12 into the sump pre-chamber in order to get the water directly from the over-flows. The results were huge. My tank temperature dropped 6 full degrees down to 74 in less than a day. The noise decrease is HUGE as well. The loudest thing in my tank is the water fall effect from the over-flows. The mag 12 is pretty OK noise-wise now that it is internal but it is still at least twice as lound as the e-heim (I actually had to visually check to see if the E-heim worked when I plugged it in.) Anyway, I would absolutely go with internal plumbing on the mag drives (especially if you opened one up and saw that there is only 1 flimsy little seal holding all of your water in the tank - not that the E-heim is much better in that regard:-) They worked great at moving water though and are pretty reasonably priced. __________________ You cannot use reason to change the opinion of a person that did not use reason to form their opinion in the first place. Current Tank Info: 65 G RR, w/ 50 G sump/refugium, DIY LED lighting, AquaMaxx CO-1 skimmer, Tunze 1073.050 return

02/24/2006, 05:38 PM	#27
alien9168 Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2004 Posts: 1,664	wryknow- those are really big mags not to mention there is two of them, and they are plumbed externally. I doesnt really make sense that the previous owner installed these pumps anyway. As u said, "internal plumbing on mag drives" Glad it worked out and hope your wife doesnt beat you too bad -alien __________________ -Alien Current Tank Info: I used to have a 30g custom acrylic cube sps, lps, zoos, mushrooms, leathers, 3" gigas+ anthias. 30Xg Sea Horse Tank...starting fresh...

02/24/2006, 05:59 PM	#28
xinumaster reef addict Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: sj ca Posts: 2,925	Mine hums and its load. It does vibrate a lot too. I been using a m5 for my cal reactor and m12 for return. __________________ -perry/xinumaster Current Tank Info: 375g tank 8'x30"x30"

02/25/2006, 08:47 AM	#29
alien9168 Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2004 Posts: 1,664	xinum... is your return enternal or external? -alien __________________ -Alien Current Tank Info: I used to have a 30g custom acrylic cube sps, lps, zoos, mushrooms, leathers, 3" gigas+ anthias. 30Xg Sea Horse Tank...starting fresh...

02/25/2006, 11:43 AM	#30
fservillon Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: Rancho Bernardo, CA Posts: 211	mag12 here running internal. pretty quiet. just a faint hum. i have plumbed it external in the past in a closed loop and it was about twice as loud. no complaints as far as running it submerged. great pump for the price. hth. __________________ F.D.S. Current Tank Info: 60G Cube (2'x2'x2'), 1 x XM 250W 20K MH, 1 x Seio 1500, 1 x Seio 1100, CSS 65 Skimmer, Sumpless, Fugeless, 50lbs Fiji LR, Barebottom, Softies Tank

02/25/2006, 07:56 PM	#31
PatMayo Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Seattle Posts: 2,843	Mag 7 in the sump. Quiet as a church mouse. The fans for the MH lights make more noise. Regards, Pat __________________ 90 AGA Megaflow (Setup 1-24-06) 120 Lbs. Liverock EuroReef RS 100 Skimmer 2 X 150 MH 2 X 96 watt PC Actinic 2 Clarki Clowns (31 months old) 1 Niger Trigger (Owned 6 months) 2 Tunze 6055 PH Current Tank Info: 90 AGA Megaflow To Be Mixed Reef

02/25/2006, 08:37 PM	#32
unit91 Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: BC Posts: 52	I'm needing a return pump too for my brand new 72gal. A few of you like the Eheim 1260 better... I've got a 3/4" return pipe that would suit the Eheim, compared to the mag 7 that is only a 1/2" outlet that would lessen the flow. Question though.. Is the Eheim 1260 a submersible pump? Or do you have to hook it up inline out of the sump? thanks and hello to you all!... I'm new here by the way. __________________ 72gal bowfront fowlr w/approx 40lbs fiji LR + 50lbs LS, 20gal sump. Rena XP3 canister, Remora skimmer 1-Picasso trigger 1-Coral Beauty 1-Diadema Dottyback 1-Six Line Wrasse 1-Percula Clown Current Tank Info: 72gal bowfront w/overflow, fowlr

02/25/2006, 08:41 PM	#33
sjm817 On Yer left! Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Northern VA Posts: 18,777	*To Reef Central* Yes, the Eheim 1260 is submersible, and will run fine with 3/4". It has a lot more flow than a Mag7 running 1". __________________ - Scott