Return Pump Suggestions (Quietness a priority)

uwbadgerfb · 10/16/2012, 08:02 AM

I have been looking at purchasing 2 new return pumps for my 250 gallon aquarium. I was courious what people thought would be good selections for me. Quietness is the top priority, then cost. I have kind of narrowed it down to Eheim1262 and WaterBlaster HY5000.

Any thoughts, I have never owned or used either pump.

mcgyvr · 10/16/2012, 08:17 AM

If you are ok with an external pump I just got my Reeflo blowhole 1450 running last night.. Its VERY quiet.. You really have to touch it to tell its running. Plus its got 3 speeds so you can adjust it if needed.
My wife was AMAZED at how quiet it was.. That along with the bean animal overflow system and she kept saying "great the tank won't make we want to pee all the time"

swcc · 10/16/2012, 08:23 AM

Eheim...made in Germany to the highest standards vs made in china.

sirreal63 · 10/16/2012, 08:45 AM

Look into the Laguna pumps, they are also quiet, energy efficient and inexpensive.

a.browning · 10/16/2012, 09:21 AM

Eheim and Water Blaster pumps are very quiet. I can't even tell my WB is turned on, and it's even all hard plumbed.

bigfish14 · 10/16/2012, 09:35 AM

I cannot tell my Eheim compact is running. It was also fairly cheap

freeswimmingfis · 10/16/2012, 09:40 AM

I have a WaterBlaster HY5000 on my 156g.
its so quiet I check almost daily that it is still running... and it always is!

klwheat · 10/16/2012, 09:48 AM

I have a sicce silent, does its job well.

GuvNa H2o · 10/16/2012, 10:09 AM

Eheim++++++
I dont even hear it.

bmullikin1 · 10/16/2012, 10:21 AM

Waveline dc 10000. Ihave the 5000 and its silent and very energy efficient

rossco838 · 10/16/2012, 10:38 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bmullikin1

Waveline dc 10000. Ihave the 5000 and its silent and very energy efficient

+1

I would definitely go with the dc 10000 you won't be disappointed

Sent from my galaxy S3 using my fingers

mcgyvr · 10/16/2012, 10:42 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rossco838

+1

I would definitely go with the dc 10000 you won't be disappointed

Sent from my galaxy S3 using my fingers

Unless you want to run it external.. Then would WILL be disappointed as it WILL leak. (if its not..you are VERY lucky)
I just returned the DC5000 because it was leaking like crazy.. yes even after I got the proper red o-ring.

Palting · 10/16/2012, 11:34 AM

I've only used two brands, but I have a total of 5 pumps! Rio plus (two 2100 and one 3100), and Marineland Maxi-Jet (two 5500). You cannot hear any of them when running, and both brands have been running continuously fault free and noise free for over 2 years. Can't beat either one for price and quietness as well as durability, IMO.

doublejhunter · 10/16/2012, 12:06 PM

I have a Sicce Silent, I have to look at my returns some times to make sure it's running.

DownwardDawg · 10/16/2012, 12:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by freeswimmingfis

I have a WaterBlaster HY5000 on my 156g.
its so quiet I check almost daily that it is still running... and it always is!

Same here. WaterBlaster HY5000 on my 125. I touch my return pipes occasionally to make sure I feel flow!

uwbadgerfb · 10/16/2012, 06:20 PM

Thanks everyone for your input !

Acronic · 10/16/2012, 08:14 PM

Waveline dc10000 is a great pump super quiet and fun to play with. It will leak if you use the factory pipe / hose adaptors, just get a set of 1 1/4 inch female inside thread to slip for $5... No more leaks. Costs very close to waterblaster.

pledosophy · 10/17/2012, 01:53 AM

I have been using eheims for years, and I am a noise freak.

TealCobra · 10/17/2012, 05:43 AM

We are very happy with our Eheim 1262. We use that for our return and the smaller version for our calcium reactor.

milehigh · 10/17/2012, 05:54 AM

I also have an Eheim 1262 newly running, it is not perfectly silent yet i would say it is "quiet" and I am pleased with it.
It is much quieter than previous Mag20 (2000gph) on different tank, but based on flow rate, might not be a fair comparison.

Reefermandan · 10/17/2012, 03:05 PM

Very happy with my Waterblaster HY16000...pretty quiet and powerful. Even bought a second to have on shelf for emergency.

cherubfish pair · 10/17/2012, 03:50 PM

Internal: Mag-drive.
External: Iwaki and Panworld.

As one rule of thumb, the smaller, the quieter.

Lavoisier · 10/17/2012, 04:37 PM

I would have to recommend Reeflo. Very, very, very quiet...plus low wattage

OffDaHook · 10/17/2012, 06:04 PM

I had an Eheim 1260 & 1262 that were quite but not silent. I have upgraded to a ATB Flowstar 1500 and have to touch it to confirm that its turned on. 1500 GPH at 90 watts

Orm Embar · 10/18/2012, 12:36 AM

Would look at Eheim (and maybe Eheim Compacts) but don't know if those are big enough.

I would absolutely stay away from Rio's. Numerous reports of shorting out or leaking material into tanks and causing problems. The one I bought did fail similarly, with electrical shocks when I put my hand in the tank and was actually leaking black viscous material.

10/16/2012, 08:02 AM	#1
uwbadgerfb Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: OH Posts: 51	Return Pump Suggestions (Quietness a priority) I have been looking at purchasing 2 new return pumps for my 250 gallon aquarium. I was courious what people thought would be good selections for me. Quietness is the top priority, then cost. I have kind of narrowed it down to Eheim1262 and WaterBlaster HY5000. Any thoughts, I have never owned or used either pump.

10/16/2012, 08:17 AM	#2
mcgyvr Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: North Carolina Posts: 20,050	If you are ok with an external pump I just got my Reeflo blowhole 1450 running last night.. Its VERY quiet.. You really have to touch it to tell its running. Plus its got 3 speeds so you can adjust it if needed. My wife was AMAZED at how quiet it was.. That along with the bean animal overflow system and she kept saying "great the tank won't make we want to pee all the time" __________________ Who me?

10/16/2012, 08:45 AM	#4
sirreal63 Go Spurs Go!!! Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Meadowlakes Texas Posts: 13,357	Look into the Laguna pumps, they are also quiet, energy efficient and inexpensive. __________________ Jack No One has ever been seriously injured by using the search function. Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms should be a convenience store, not a government agency. Current Tank Info: Reefing the Pentagon.

10/16/2012, 09:21 AM	#5
a.browning Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: Columbus, Ohio Posts: 975	Eheim and Water Blaster pumps are very quiet. I can't even tell my WB is turned on, and it's even all hard plumbed. __________________ 75 SPS, 80 & 45 Frag Tank, 40B Leather Tank

10/16/2012, 09:35 AM	#6
bigfish14 Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2012 Location: Ohio Posts: 406	I cannot tell my Eheim compact is running. It was also fairly cheap __________________ Happy Reefing Joe Current Tank Info: 40B reef tank being transferred into a 20 gallon because of apartment rules

10/16/2012, 08:23 AM	#3
swcc Moved On Join Date: Sep 2012 Location: Tampa Fl Posts: 1,659	Eheim...made in Germany to the highest standards vs made in china.

10/16/2012, 09:40 AM	#7
freeswimmingfis Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Katy Tx Posts: 622	I have a WaterBlaster HY5000 on my 156g. its so quiet I check almost daily that it is still running... and it always is! __________________ 60x24x24, 2-AI Hydra 26HD, PM R36+ sump, WB HY-5000 pump, 2 MP40 WES, BRS Duel reactor, LifeReef Skimmer, Red Sea 50 Ozone

10/16/2012, 09:48 AM	#8
klwheat Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2011 Posts: 676	I have a sicce silent, does its job well. __________________ 180 Gallon Mixed reef President/Co-founder Running4Trisomy A Butterfly's Touch

10/16/2012, 10:09 AM	#9
GuvNa H2o Moved On Join Date: Oct 2012 Posts: 21	Eheim++++++ I dont even hear it.

10/16/2012, 10:21 AM	#10
bmullikin1 Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: seminole florida Posts: 1,797	Waveline dc 10000. Ihave the 5000 and its silent and very energy efficient

10/16/2012, 11:34 AM	#13
Palting Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: Ohio Posts: 6,912	I've only used two brands, but I have a total of 5 pumps! Rio plus (two 2100 and one 3100), and Marineland Maxi-Jet (two 5500). You cannot hear any of them when running, and both brands have been running continuously fault free and noise free for over 2 years. Can't beat either one for price and quietness as well as durability, IMO. __________________ Anything I post is just an opinion. One of many in this hobby. Believe and follow at your own risk of rapid and complete annihilation of all life in your tank :) Current Tank Info: Incept 3/2010, 150 RR, 50g sump, 20g fuge, 150w 15K MH x3, T5 actinics x8, moonlight LED x6, 1400gph return, Koralia 1400 x4, 300 g skimmer, 4 tangs, 2 mandarins, 2 perc, 6 line, 3 cardinals, 2 firefish, SPS, LPS, zoas, palys, shrooms, clam

10/16/2012, 12:06 PM	#14
doublejhunter Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2012 Posts: 469	I have a Sicce Silent, I have to look at my returns some times to make sure it's running.

10/16/2012, 06:20 PM	#16
uwbadgerfb Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: OH Posts: 51	Thanks everyone for your input !

10/16/2012, 08:14 PM	#17
Acronic The Fifth Master Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Ottawa, Canada Posts: 1,813	Waveline dc10000 is a great pump super quiet and fun to play with. It will leak if you use the factory pipe / hose adaptors, just get a set of 1 1/4 inch female inside thread to slip for $5... No more leaks. Costs very close to waterblaster. __________________ Kevin I have lost all concept of reality and live in an SPS world now.

10/17/2012, 01:53 AM	#18
pledosophy Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Beaverton Posts: 5,290	I have been using eheims for years, and I am a noise freak. __________________ 120g mixed reef 90g QT

10/17/2012, 05:43 AM	#19
TealCobra Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: McKinney, TX Posts: 896	We are very happy with our Eheim 1262. We use that for our return and the smaller version for our calcium reactor. __________________ Matt Current Tank Info: 300g Marineland DD Reef Tank

10/17/2012, 05:54 AM	#20
milehigh Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: Denver, CO Posts: 23	I also have an Eheim 1262 newly running, it is not perfectly silent yet i would say it is "quiet" and I am pleased with it. It is much quieter than previous Mag20 (2000gph) on different tank, but based on flow rate, might not be a fair comparison. __________________ 150g - first water added 10/12/2012

10/17/2012, 03:05 PM	#21
Reefermandan Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2011 Posts: 70	Very happy with my Waterblaster HY16000...pretty quiet and powerful. Even bought a second to have on shelf for emergency.

10/17/2012, 03:50 PM	#22
cherubfish pair Registered Member Join Date: May 2004 Location: Libby, Montana Posts: 7,061 Blog Entries: 1	Internal: Mag-drive. External: Iwaki and Panworld. As one rule of thumb, the smaller, the quieter. __________________ pairo chero Thanks for looking at my build thread and subscribe to it if you already haven't yet! Current Tank Info: thirty rimless

10/17/2012, 04:37 PM	#23
Lavoisier Premium Member Join Date: Aug 2011 Location: Overland Park, KS Posts: 1,030	I would have to recommend Reeflo. Very, very, very quiet...plus low wattage __________________ "...for it is not necessary that these hypotheses should be true, or even probably; but it is enough if they provide a calculus which fits the observations..."--Introduction (attributed to Andrew Osiander) to On the Revolutions of the Heavenly Sphere by Nicolaus Copernicus. Current Tank Info: 600g DT, 140g sump, 200g Cryptic, 90g Refugium, 3-400w MH, 2 Reeflo Barracudas, and 3 MP60s

10/17/2012, 06:04 PM	#24
OffDaHook Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2012 Location: Kissimmee, FL Posts: 515	I had an Eheim 1260 & 1262 that were quite but not silent. I have upgraded to a ATB Flowstar 1500 and have to touch it to confirm that its turned on. 1500 GPH at 90 watts

10/18/2012, 12:36 AM	#25
Orm Embar Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2000 Posts: 667	Would look at Eheim (and maybe Eheim Compacts) but don't know if those are big enough. I would absolutely stay away from Rio's. Numerous reports of shorting out or leaking material into tanks and causing problems. The one I bought did fail similarly, with electrical shocks when I put my hand in the tank and was actually leaking black viscous material. __________________ Mark (on AOL: Orm Embar) Quotes from my friends upon seeing my tank: "Hey, fresh sushi!"