Are Mag Drives Noisy

robitreef · 02/23/2006, 03:44 PM

I was looking at getting a Mag 5 or Mag 7 as an in-sump return. Has anyone seen any problems with either model with respect to noise and reliability?

Rborgia · 02/23/2006, 04:10 PM

I have a Mag 9.5 and its fine... very little if any noise.

sjm817 · 02/23/2006, 04:46 PM

I had a Mag9.5 which was "OK'. Replaced it with a Mag7 which was much worse. No reliability issues with either of them. I got sick of the noise and now run an Eheim 1260. MUCH better.

alien9168 · 02/23/2006, 04:52 PM

I dont have alot of noise with my mag, but I run a smaller version.

From what I have heard though, running them internally is much quieter than externaly.

They are good, fairly quiet pumps...and very reliable IMO.

-alien

chrisc615 · 02/23/2006, 04:56 PM

My Mag 9.5 is as quiet as my Eheim 1250. They seem to be hit or miss though. Eheims are almost always quiet. To be safe you might want to go with an Eheim 1260.

artis · 02/23/2006, 05:24 PM

I get some noise with my mag 9.5. Mainly in the form of vibration and I've found making sure the pump is fairly well isolated from the glass with foam dampens it fairly well.

With the Mag pumps, you'll note that they use metallic screws to fastener the impeller well cover to the pump body. Mine have shown signs of rust. Supposedly there are nylon screws made to replace them, but I've had no luck in locating them.

horkn · 02/23/2006, 05:29 PM

stainless steel screws would be a better choice artis...

nylon cant take much torque...

Josh125 · 02/23/2006, 07:31 PM

Yes, my 7 is loud and the the pipe vibration is a bit noisy. It's all relative though. It's no where near as loud as the fan, more of a loud hum.

robitreef · 02/23/2006, 09:48 PM

Jeez those 1260's are pretty expensive pumps. But I do know about Eheim's reliablility as I have one of their classic canister filters on my FW tank.
Maybe I can get away with a 1250, as they are about half the price of a 1260.

Ti · 02/23/2006, 10:12 PM

It's louder than I'd like.

sjm817 · 02/23/2006, 10:15 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by robitreef
Jeez those 1260's are pretty expensive pumps. But I do know about Eheim's reliablility as I have one of their classic canister filters on my FW tank.
Maybe I can get away with a 1250, as they are about half the price of a 1260.

Eheim, Tunze, Deltec...etc. You pay a little more to get the best.

Wiskey · 02/23/2006, 10:47 PM

my mag 7 return is perfectally quiet, but I run it submerged, and my hearing has been described as "maginal at best". Too much time tuning engines. I can hear the needle wheel ocean runner pump on my turbofloater though, and it drives me nuts.

Whiskey

Matt Rise · 02/23/2006, 11:48 PM

Mag 7....noisy and hot.

durango_doug · 02/24/2006, 12:22 AM

my mag 18 is way too loud. but i also have a mag 5 that is really quiet. I really wish I had gone with an ehiem.

doug

Alaskan Reefer · 02/24/2006, 12:49 AM

Mag 3 and Mag 5 (retired, well actually mixing kalk and salt water now) -- both hot and noisy. Great if you use it with Remora skimmer, at last the skimmer is noisier than the pump then.

Eheim is all I use now, and all I should have ever bought.

RobertEv · 02/24/2006, 11:14 AM

I had a mag 9.5 on my tank, it was pretty quiet. I wanted to try to slow down my flow through my sump so I switched to a mag 7. It is about 10 times louder than my 9.5 was! I just ordered an Eheim 1260, hopefully that will be quieter.

sjm817 · 02/24/2006, 02:06 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by RobertEv
I had a mag 9.5 on my tank, it was pretty quiet. I wanted to try to slow down my flow through my sump so I switched to a mag 7. It is about 10 times louder than my 9.5 was! I just ordered an Eheim 1260, hopefully that will be quieter.

You are taking the same path as I did.
Mag9.5: Nice pump, but too much flow
Mag7: Very noisy, much worse than the 9.5
Eheim 1260: Why didn't I get this in the first place?

alien9168 · 02/24/2006, 02:33 PM

I like ehiem to smj, but the price is higher than mag, and i was running it submerged.

IF the price doesnt bother you, go with ehiem.

-alien

robitreef · 02/24/2006, 02:42 PM

Do you think the Eheim 1250 will be o.k. for a 30 gallon?

alien9168 · 02/24/2006, 02:51 PM

sure, just make sure you split off the return to put the flow where you want it.

-alien

sjm817 · 02/24/2006, 03:01 PM

1250 would be more than enough for a 30G.

alien9168 · 02/24/2006, 03:13 PM

sjm- I def. agree-

I have 500gph flow from a mag in my 30 and its alot.

If you find its too much, angle your return to the surface! Surface agitation that doesnt agitate your coral and fish.

-alien

robitreef · 02/24/2006, 03:17 PM

Great. My 30 has a built in overflow with a 3/4" pipe and two 1/2" returns. I will probably get some kind of Y connector between the two retuns and then pipe that to the return pump. The pump will be in a 10 or 15 gal sump that sits 30" below the tank.

RichConley · 02/24/2006, 03:36 PM

my Mag5, and Mag7 were dead quite. Like you couldnt hear them quiet. They were run on soft vinyl tubing, and had rubber pads under them. They were run internally.

alien9168 · 02/24/2006, 04:19 PM

Im telling you...mags run internally are quiet!

externally, they are lawnmowers to the ears! D:

-alien

02/23/2006, 03:44 PM	#1
robitreef Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2001 Location: Chicago Posts: 440	Are Mag Drives Noisy I was looking at getting a Mag 5 or Mag 7 as an in-sump return. Has anyone seen any problems with either model with respect to noise and reliability?

02/23/2006, 04:46 PM	#3
sjm817 On Yer left! Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Northern VA Posts: 18,777	I had a Mag9.5 which was "OK'. Replaced it with a Mag7 which was much worse. No reliability issues with either of them. I got sick of the noise and now run an Eheim 1260. MUCH better. __________________ - Scott

02/23/2006, 04:52 PM	#4
alien9168 Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2004 Posts: 1,664	I dont have alot of noise with my mag, but I run a smaller version. From what I have heard though, running them internally is much quieter than externaly. They are good, fairly quiet pumps...and very reliable IMO. -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...

02/23/2006, 05:29 PM	#7
horkn Registered Member Join Date: May 2004 Location: milwaukee wisconsin Posts: 4,125	stainless steel screws would be a better choice artis... nylon cant take much torque... __________________ people write stupid things in this space Current Tank Info: 200g DIY wood reef, 2x 250w SE 10k MH 2x80 t5ho, 75g sump, Geo Ca RX, ASD 6" recirc skimmer

02/23/2006, 10:12 PM	#10
Ti Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Bay Area Posts: 7,927	It's louder than I'd like. __________________ Hair algae is my Macro algae.

02/23/2006, 04:10 PM	#2
Rborgia Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Westbury, NY Posts: 34	I have a Mag 9.5 and its fine... very little if any noise.

02/23/2006, 04:56 PM	#5
chrisc615 Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Utah Posts: 138	My Mag 9.5 is as quiet as my Eheim 1250. They seem to be hit or miss though. Eheims are almost always quiet. To be safe you might want to go with an Eheim 1260.

02/23/2006, 05:24 PM	#6
artis Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Alabama Posts: 210	I get some noise with my mag 9.5. Mainly in the form of vibration and I've found making sure the pump is fairly well isolated from the glass with foam dampens it fairly well. With the Mag pumps, you'll note that they use metallic screws to fastener the impeller well cover to the pump body. Mine have shown signs of rust. Supposedly there are nylon screws made to replace them, but I've had no luck in locating them.

02/23/2006, 07:31 PM	#8
Josh125 Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: Fulshear, TX Posts: 979	Yes, my 7 is loud and the the pipe vibration is a bit noisy. It's all relative though. It's no where near as loud as the fan, more of a loud hum.

02/23/2006, 09:48 PM	#9
robitreef Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2001 Location: Chicago Posts: 440	Jeez those 1260's are pretty expensive pumps. But I do know about Eheim's reliablility as I have one of their classic canister filters on my FW tank. Maybe I can get away with a 1250, as they are about half the price of a 1260.

02/23/2006, 10:47 PM	#12
Wiskey Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: Fallbrook, CA Posts: 3,049	my mag 7 return is perfectally quiet, but I run it submerged, and my hearing has been described as "maginal at best". Too much time tuning engines. I can hear the needle wheel ocean runner pump on my turbofloater though, and it drives me nuts. Whiskey __________________ This video shows 15 months of coral growth in my tank in a 30 second timelapse: https://youtu.be/bF6C57aTDEo

02/23/2006, 11:48 PM	#13
Matt Rise Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Rhode Island Posts: 453	Mag 7....noisy and hot.

02/24/2006, 12:22 AM	#14
durango_doug Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Missoula, Mt. Posts: 300	my mag 18 is way too loud. but i also have a mag 5 that is really quiet. I really wish I had gone with an ehiem. doug

02/24/2006, 12:49 AM	#15
Alaskan Reefer Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: Eagle River, Alaska Posts: 2,360	Mag 3 and Mag 5 (retired, well actually mixing kalk and salt water now) -- both hot and noisy. Great if you use it with Remora skimmer, at last the skimmer is noisier than the pump then. Eheim is all I use now, and all I should have ever bought. __________________ Unattended children will be given double shot espresso and a free puppy. Current Tank Info: 125g FOWLR -- Conversion Back To SPS In Progress

02/24/2006, 11:14 AM	#16
RobertEv Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: Md. Posts: 65	I had a mag 9.5 on my tank, it was pretty quiet. I wanted to try to slow down my flow through my sump so I switched to a mag 7. It is about 10 times louder than my 9.5 was! I just ordered an Eheim 1260, hopefully that will be quieter.

02/24/2006, 02:33 PM	#18
alien9168 Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2004 Posts: 1,664	I like ehiem to smj, but the price is higher than mag, and i was running it submerged. IF the price doesnt bother you, go with ehiem. -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, 02:42 PM	#19
robitreef Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2001 Location: Chicago Posts: 440	Do you think the Eheim 1250 will be o.k. for a 30 gallon?

02/24/2006, 02:51 PM	#20
alien9168 Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2004 Posts: 1,664	sure, just make sure you split off the return to put the flow where you want it. -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, 03:01 PM	#21
sjm817 On Yer left! Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Northern VA Posts: 18,777	1250 would be more than enough for a 30G. __________________ - Scott

02/24/2006, 03:13 PM	#22
alien9168 Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2004 Posts: 1,664	sjm- I def. agree- I have 500gph flow from a mag in my 30 and its alot. If you find its too much, angle your return to the surface! Surface agitation that doesnt agitate your coral and fish. -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, 03:17 PM	#23
robitreef Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2001 Location: Chicago Posts: 440	Great. My 30 has a built in overflow with a 3/4" pipe and two 1/2" returns. I will probably get some kind of Y connector between the two retuns and then pipe that to the return pump. The pump will be in a 10 or 15 gal sump that sits 30" below the tank.

02/24/2006, 03:36 PM	#24
RichConley Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Bostonian in Chicago going to DC Posts: 9,908	my Mag5, and Mag7 were dead quite. Like you couldnt hear them quiet. They were run on soft vinyl tubing, and had rubber pads under them. They were run internally. __________________ NO TANKS!!!

02/24/2006, 04:19 PM	#25
alien9168 Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2004 Posts: 1,664	Im telling you...mags run internally are quiet! externally, they are lawnmowers to the ears! D: -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...